In Briefs: Missy Franklin to Skip Day 1 of Winter Nationals

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 5

November 30th, 2011 National

On Day 1 of Winter Nationals, young Missy Franklin won’t be swimming her 50 free and 200 IM, which might temporarily send a small wave of panic throughout the swimming community. But have no fear, her absence will only be temporary (and she will, in fact, be at the meet on Thursday, though not competing).

Word out of the Franklin camp is that some school committments kept her from flying out with the rest of the Colorado Stars team this morning, and instead she will take an evening flight tonight with her parents. She will arrive late this evening in Atlanta before joining her teammates in the morning.

The context of all of this is that Franklin is still a high school student, which is easy to forget given all that she has accomplished in the pool, and is doing her best to work through a regular school schedule. For elite high school swimmers, there is not a more stressful time of year than December, where in addition to her swimming schedules (Nationals, Duel in the Pool), Franklin has to worry about finals. She also has to work around certain community service programs that her school has in place.

It was agreed by Franklin and her coaches that it would be best for her to simply take a pass on her day 1 events, which are not her primaries anyways, so that she could use the middle part of the day to get some schoolwork done (rather than worry about recovering for finals). She will pop by the Georgia Tech Aquatice Center at the end of prelims to get a quick swim in (she’ll be unrested for this meet), and then in the evening will be on deck for finals, but won’t begin racing until Friday and Saturday.

In This Story

5
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

5 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
ANON
12 years ago

bobo gigi
it doesnt look like the top swimmers are very rested…

bobo gigi
12 years ago

Just a thought, if Missy Franklin isn’t rested for this meet who is rested on the american’s side? I’ll be in front of my computer at midnight here in France to watch finals. It isn’t to watch low swimming. Foreign swimmers who will be perhaps more rested can swim in the A-Finals so will it not disturb USA swimming or american fans to see many foreign victories at american championships? Just look at the first day. Camille Muffat can win the women’s 400 free, Yannick Agnel can win the men’s 400 free, Darian Townsend can win the men’s 200 IM if Ryan Lochte isn’t rested and Frederik Bousquet can win the men’s 50 free.

bobo gigi
12 years ago

Yes she’s the role model in this sport for many young american girls. Education over 200 IM and 50 free, great behaviour. A future olympic champion makes schoolwork during Winter Nationals, what a great example.

swmfan7
12 years ago

Bravo to Franklin and her parents and her coaches for having their priorities straight. Even at her talent level they are reinforicing the importance of education and community service over a 200 IM. They are preparing her well for college and life after swimming. She is a role model in this sport in many, many ways.

swmfan7
12 years ago

Bravo to Franklin and her parents and her coaches for having their priorities straight. Even at her talent level they are reinforicing the importance of education and community service over a 200 IM. They are preparing her well for college and life after swimming. She is a role model in this sport in many, many ways.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

Read More »