BY PAIGE GRIESSE (’15)

The state of Ohio has one of the fastest state meets to take place across the country. With over 100 teams competing to score points and place, winning an event is really a huge accomplishment. Abby Stone accomplished being a state champion the 100 backstroke, which is the dream of many high school swimmers.

This isn’t Stone’s first time being on top of the podium; the past two years she was on a state record-setting medley relay, but she said it felt different to be on the podium as an individual.

“It was truly incredible,” Stone said. “I’ve been on the top of the podium for relays before, but it’s a different feeling when you get to stand on top for an individual. It makes you realize all of the hard work you have put in the last ten years has paid off.”

In the sport of swimming, it’s very common for swimmers to catch up on the last lap, and Stone faced that threat from the swimmer in lane 3.

“On the last wall, I could see I was ahead,” Stone said. “My legs completely gave out, but I wanted to win so badly. The whole last lap, I could see I was ahead, and I just put my head back and moved my legs as fast as they could go. When I was at the wall, I knew I had done it.”

The first thing Stone did when she got to the wall the first thing she did was look up at the scoreboard.

“Once I saw the 1 up there, I was thrilled,” Stone said. “I looked at the end of my lane and saw my teammates cheering and my whole family cheering in the stands. It was so overwhelming.”

Having the right swim coach is such an important part of swimming. The swim coach that you have can either make or break the sport for a swimmer.

“I’ve had some of the best coaches in the sport of swimming,” Stone said. “All my coaches and teammates constantly push me at practice day after day and believe in me more than I believe in myself. We all work together, and without them, I wouldn’t be the swimmer I am today.”

If she had the chance to redo the race there isn’t much she would do differently.

“If I could do it over again, I would be more relaxed and less nervous before my race. Everything about the actual race I would keep the same because I gave it everything I had left.” Stone said.

Stone will continue her swimming career next year at Virginia Tech where hopefully she will bring back some conference titles!