INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

There were many moments in 好刀my swimming career when I 這年thought, “How is it that a ver飛湖y normal girl like m業年e can step up on a racing block and t玩小urn into a gold medal swimme下中r who broke a world record?” If I can d跳理o it, anyone can do it!

I grew up swimming in New Jer就友sey, and my career started at the a媽著ge of 10. By the age of 13,劇雜 I was attending my ver錯事y first Senior National是但 competition out in California—a 鄉她Jersey-girls’ dream come 鄉紙true! I was always draw信筆n to the West Coast, and when looki自家ng for colleges, the 哥新move to USC in Los Angeles seeme和光d only natural. I loved the w通玩eather, the people, and 聽從the proximity to the Pacific 請員Ocean. There’s something very special 不路about Southern Californian’s a員懂nd to their innate connection 美兒to the water.

It was here, at USC,市多 that I found my groove as女業 an athlete. I racked up a couple of NC美身AA titles throughout my 4-對刀years competing for the Univer行老sity. The college and swim team e章舊nvironment was where I learne窗身d how to work as a team—holding my 個廠teammates up and allowin線去g them to do the same for從房 me. I learned how to approach 為事a competition more invested in my team 湖日and teammates than in my own outc不費ome. It was here that討山 I trained with the be有文st coaches and teamm區什ates who came from all around the worl熱個d to train under Dave Salo. Southern 知但California was the place 舞裡I called home after my 2 trips to the又舞 Olympics in 2008 & 2012.

My swimming career was a great one快林, and I look back on it fondly! I’m離綠 very proud of the medals and g女些reat moments, both i友房n the pool and out. Beyond t開吧hat, I’m happy for all that swimm技會ing brought into my lif哥紙e. Though I am no longer c民制ompeting, you can still find me i鄉女n the water—adventuring the ocean呢多 and soaking up all its majesty. Sw東裡imming is not just a sport,了歌 it’s a total lifestyle—one tha是技t I would never want to be wi店從thout!

Rebecca Soni

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