Missy Franklin Decides To Swim For Her High School & Ignores Critics
With pressure mounting from both sides, Missy Franklin announced on Wednesday her decision to swim this season for her Colorado high school's swim team.
The Olympic gold medalist and high school senior was contemplating whether she should join the Regis Jesuit High School's swim team, which already starting their season. Other schools and athletes complained that it might give the 17-year-old an unfair advantage in the water coming off of her Olympic glory this summer in the London Games.
Though she admitted the criticism affected her and make her think even harder about her final decision, Franklin told Swimming World that swimming in Regis' team would be a perfect end to her high school experience.
"I'm so excited to be swimming some high school meets with my sisters at Regis Jesuit," Franklin said. "It will be so much fun to finish my Colorado swimming (years) with these wonderful friends and teammates. It's one of the perfect ways to end my four years at Regis."
Franklin will not compete in every meet on Regis' schedule though, the news report added. The first dual meet for the Regis Raiders was on Wednesday and Franklin did not participate because she instead attended the USA Swimming nationals in Texas, where she was entered in six events. During last season's swim meets, Franklin swam with Regis in only one dual, as well as the regional and state championships.
Franklin announced earlier her decision to go to college in 2013, even though she realizes all the opportunities available for swimmers who decide to skip that step and turn professional. She said she will swim in college in California and turn pro after the 2016 Olympics, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
"For right now, I still believe that college is what's going to make me the happiest girl," Franklin said at a news conference.
