Missy Franklin: An Inspiration to Many
Picture this: standing on a block two feet above a pool full of water looking into it as your heart is pounding, you are so nervous for this big race. You hear the official say “swimmers take your mark” and you bend over. You know that this is your time. The buzzer goes off and you use all your strength to push off the block into the water. With your arms extended out in front of you, your head tucked in and your legs pointed straight into the air, you break through the water and begin to race. You know how much you have riding on this swim as you turn on to your last lap, you are exhausted. Your arms and legs feel numb, your lungs are burning, and your goggles are fogged up but you keep pushing through. The swimmer next to you is pulling ahead but you can't let that happen. One last burst of energy and a slap onto the touch pad to stop the clock. You have won a gold medal at the Olympics.
Missy Franklin was just 17 years old when she won 4 gold medals at the London Olympics in 2012. Missy was born in Pasadena, California and raised in Centennial, Colorado. She was born on May 10, 1995. She was first put into the pool when she was five because her mother has a huge fear of the water, and her parents didn't want her to have to grow up with this same fear. Missy definitely benefited from this decision considering she has been swimming ever since.
It is said that her swimming career took off in 2009. Here, she competed in her first international event when she was 14 called “Duel in the Pool”. In 2010, Missy was named the “Breakout Performer of the Year” at the USA swimming gala, the Golden Goggles. She also competed in the 2010 Conoco Phillips National Championship and placed second in her backstroke event. Here, she earned the Kiphuth High Point Award for top female swimmer. Then soon after in 2011, she competed in her first long course world championship meet. She won 5 medals here, 3 of which were gold, and managed to break her first world record. (How.)
Her most recent and amazing accomplishment happened in 2012, at the London Olympics. Missy Franklin won four gold medals here. One in the 100-meter backstroke, another in the 200-meter backstroke, another in the 800-meter free relay, and one in the 4x200-meter relay. She also swam in the 4x100 meter medley relay and set a world record with her relay team. (Nathan.) Missy qualified in 7 events and hopes to qualify for all 13 events eventually. At the 2012 London Olympics in which she won four gold medals, she had two back to back races. This means that after she raced in a qualifier for her 200-meter freestyle, she had to get out of the pool for less than 14 minutes and then cool down for her next race. After only completing 25 percent of her normal cool down and warm up, she got out of the warm up pool and had to get back in and race again, only to win a gold medal and set a world record for her 100-meter backstroke. (Missy.)
I can honestly say that Missy Franklin has made a huge impact on my life. She has shown me so many things and helped me believe in myself in so many ways. She has been my inspiration ever since I watched her win her first three Olympic gold medals on television. I now believe that if you try hard enough, you will succeed. This has led me to placing 11th at state finals during my junior year of high school. Also, I have joined other swim teams during my off season to keep in shape and I have been lifting to make sure my arms and legs stay strong. Missy Franklin has shown me that even in your weakest moments, you can still do the unthinkable.
I remember a time when I was about to give up during a race. I was on my 16th lap out of 20 and i was feeling like i was going to be sick. Then I thought of the swimmers who race in the Olympics. They must get even more tired than me. So I kept pushing through my pains and placed second at our meet. Even though I wasn't feeling well, thinking about what an inspiration Missy has been on my life made me push myself so much harder. Considering that we are the same age and everything that she has accomplished in just 17 years, makes me so excited for college swimming. Being able to see the new levels I can achieve by watching Missy inspires me to become better, faster and stronger.