Milford Swimmers compete at State competition

For Senior Veronica Hindle, the excitement of competing at the State Finals is something she has looked forward to for a long time.

“Standing on the platforms before the clock buzzes is such a sensational feeling, but also a wave of nerves flash over me thinking about the competition around me,¨ said Hindle.

Hindle along with foreign exchange students Emma Augustsson are the two MHS swimmers competing on Friday, Nov. 18th as individuals at Eastern Michigan University. The team will also be represented in relays by the 200-medley team, which is made up of Augustsson, Sophie Phillips, Evelyn Zielinkski, and Hindle and the 200-Free relay team, made up of Augustsson, Farrah Timmol, Zielinkski, and Hindle.

¨I’ve never been to something this big before, so I am excited to experience a big event like States.” said Augustsson, who is from Norway. In Norway, they don’t have a high school team, and they don´t compete as teams in meets. All the age groups are mixed and swimmers compete as individuals, so this is all very new to her. She has performed well this year, leading the team.

The top 16 fastest scores move on to the Finals on Saturday, Nov. 19. Augustsson and Hindle both hope to advance to the finals, and they both have a very high chance in doing so. ¨I’m excited to make more memories at States and to improve my times. Competing in the relays is really fun too,” Augustsson said.

All the swimmers are excited to compete after all their hard work throughout the season.

“This is my first time going to States and we have all worked very hard to get here. We are really close to breaking the varsity record for the 200-free relay and hopefully we can do this at States,” Timmol said. Their relay team is currently ranked 13th in the state and if they hold that ranking then they will advance to the finals on Saturday.

While the States will be an amazing opportunity, it won’t be all smiles for the swimmers.

¨It´s going to be sad because as a senior, this will be my last meet I will ever compete in,” Hindle said.

She can speak for most of the seniors whose swimming career will be over after Friday.

“All the girls who made the cuts are seniors, so I’m really excited to end the season with the girls that I started with in the beginning,” Timmol said.

It’s a sad thing to end a sport, but at least they will all be able to finish it together.

“Overall, I’m just really happy with how far our team has come since my freshmen year,” Timmol said. “I never thought I’d be swimming at States, so it’s really exciting to be able to achieve this with my girls by my side.”