Good article on Dagny in The Washington Post today:
MINOT, N.D. -- The fastest-rising, most jaw-dropping teenage swimmer in the United States trains virtually alone in this frigid, working-class city about 55 miles from the Canadian border, where snowbanks as tall as SUVs line neighborhood streets, rim parking lots and force residents to dig out their mailboxes...
I have wondered how she trained and had assumed there must be more of a swimming infrastructure around her. Training on her own basically with a personal coach from the area? Unreal. I grew up in a very small town with limited swimming facilities and recall many ways that we made due with what we had and improvised, but I could have never imagined someone reaching that level of swimming while living in a small town in high school.
She, her family, and coaches must be dedicated beyond belief and she must be incredibly talented. I have heard of small town swimmers going on and doing great things in college including the Olympics, but never have I heard of someone attaining world class level swimming while still living and training in that environment.
Good to hear that she is receiving some financial assistance with her swimming.
Tim
I have wondered how she trained and had assumed there must be more of a swimming infrastructure around her. Training on her own basically with a personal coach from the area? Unreal. I grew up in a very small town with limited swimming facilities and recall many ways that we made due with what we had and improvised, but I could have never imagined someone reaching that level of swimming while living in a small town in high school.
She, her family, and coaches must be dedicated beyond belief and she must be incredibly talented. I have heard of small town swimmers going on and doing great things in college including the Olympics, but never have I heard of someone attaining world class level swimming while still living and training in that environment.
Good to hear that she is receiving some financial assistance with her swimming.
Tim
