Alex Shackell, an 18-year-old American swimmer and member of the United States team for the 2024 Summer Olympics, is making her parents proud with her achievements at such a young age.
The rising star in American swimming, Alex Shackell, has made remarkable strides in her career, particularly with her performance at the World Championships and the Olympics.
At the 2023 World Championships, Shackell earned a silver medal in the 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay, Women, marking her as one of the top swimmers in her field.
Her World Cup experience in 2022 further solidified her ranking, where she stood out in the overall women’s category.
Shackell’s Olympic journey is nothing short of impressive. As a 1-time Olympian and two-time Olympic medalist, she achieved significant success at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she took home gold in the 4 x 100m Medley Relay Women and silver in the 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Women. Additionally, she finished 6th in the 200m Butterfly Women.
Likewise, Alex Shackell not only showcased her amazing swimming skills at the International level but also excelled in her high school career at Carmel High School, helping her team win 39 consecutive state championships.
For her exceptional high school swimming journey, Alex Shackell recently won the honorable title of being MaxPreps Female High School Athlete of the Year on June 3, 2025.
The recent achievement has not only become a proud moment for Alex Shackell but also for her parents, Nicholas and Ali, and her brothers, Aaron and Andrew.
Born on November 13, 2006, in Mission Viejo, California, Alex Shackell is not the only swimmer in her family. Her parents, Nicholas and Ali, as well as her brothers, are all exceptional swimmers who have won several prestigious titles.
Alex Shackell’s parents, Nicholas And Ali, Earned All-American Honors As Swimmers At Auburn University
Alex Shackell and her brothers’ first swimming coaches were their parents, Nicholas and Ali, both former swimmers.
Nicholas ‘Nick’ Shackell, a native of England, first met his longtime wife, Ali Hansen, a California native, while attending Auburn University, where they both showcased their exceptional swimming skills, winning several honorable titles.
The couple tied the knot in 1999, years after dating.
Furthermore, Nicholas Shackell, who began his swimming career at UCLA in 1994, later transferred to Auburn after the university shut down its program after his freshman year.
Nicholas was captain of Auburn University’s men’s swimming team, which won the first NCAA championship in 1997, and was also an All-American.
He also competed in the 100-meter freestyle at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics representing England.
Nicholas finished 8th as a member of the relay squad in the final of the 4×100 metre freestyle relay, but the 4×100 metre medley relay team was disqualified in the preliminaries.
Representing England, Nicholas won three bronze medals in the relay events at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and won a silver and bronze in the relay events at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Alex Schakell’s father, Nick, also won the 1994 British Championship in the 100-meter freestyle.
Furthermore, after earning his Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Business Administration and Management from Auburn University in 1998, Nicholas began his career as a business rental sales executive at Enterprise Mobility in 2005.
Nicholas has been working with Enterprise Mobility, a vehicle rental company, for over 20 years and currently serves as the Vice President of Business Development.
Talking about Alex’s mother, Ali Hansen Shackell, who played for Auburn University’s women’s swimming team, was a three-time All-American swimmer and built her reputation as an elite swimmer in the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, and 200 butterfly competitions.
Very little information is available about Ali Shackell’s current profession, as she prefers to maintain a low profile and hasn’t shared much about her career.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Alex Shackell’s elder brother, Aaron Shackell, qualified for the 2024 US Olympic Swimming Team Trials, where he placed first in the 400m freestyle. He also plays for the University of Texas men’s swimming team.
- Her twin brother, Andrew, also swam at the 2024 US Olympic Trials and is committed to swimming at Texas.
- Alex Shackell is committed to swimming for the Indiana Hoosiers beginning in the spring of 2026.
