Professional swimmers flocking to Louisville for this week's inaugural Derby Pro Swim Meet

The University of Louisville Swimming and Diving Team will be hosting the inaugural Derby Pro Swim Meet this Friday at 7 p.m. at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.

Some of the professional swimmers confirmed to attend the event include:

• Megan Romano, 2013 World Championships gold medalist and NCAA champion

• Alia Atkinson, Three time Olympian for Jamaica, 2014 World Championships gold

  medalist and NCAA Champion

• Arianna Vanderpool Wallace, 2015 Pan American Gold Medalist and NCAA

  champion

• Michael Andrew, 2015 World Junior Championships gold medalist

• Josh Schneider, NCAA champion and Pan American gold medalist

• Joao DeLucca, three-time NCAA Champion and Pan American gold medalist for

  the University of Louisville

• Amanda Weir, American Record holder in the 100 freestyle, 2004 & 2012

  Olympic medalist

• Maddie Locus, NCAA finalist and US Pan Pacific team member

• Karl Krug, NCAA finalist and Pan American silver medalist

• Ivy Martin, 2015 NCAA runner-up

These professional swimmers will race a 50-yard freestyle in a preliminary, semi-final, final format, all within one hour. The last two finishers will be eliminated after each round with the final four racing for prize money and for the honor of being the first TYR Derby Pro Swim Meet Champion. Entertainment between heats will be provided by Louisville Cardinal Divers and Ladybirds.

A portion of the proceeds from this event and Thursday night's Derby Pro Swim banquet will be going to the Drowning Prevention Foundation. For more information on the event and how to buy tickets, go here.