UPDATE!
Churchill swimmer Carli Cronk is a record breaker!
The 24th Deaflympics swimming competition in Brazil is over and Cronk won 12 gold medals for Team USA.
That is the U.S. record most gold medals won in a single Deaflympics since the record was set in 1977!
She also set numerous deaf world records at the games!
Congrats Carli!
Churchill High School Sophomore Carli Cronk is making waves in every sense of the word.
She’s been swimming competitively since she was four.
Since then, she’s racked up awards and accolades.
“One of my favorite moments in swimming was when I was on a relay at age 12, and my relay won by .01 seconds, and we ended up winning the whole meet for girls 11-12.”
She’s been named a finalist for the San Antonio Express-News Female Swimmer of the Year, selected to the San Antonio Express-News All-City Swimming and Diving Teams, and recently medaled at the UIL 6A Swimming and Diving Championships.
Her talents in the water speak for themselves.
But her path to success hasn’t been easy.
“Being deaf hasn’t affected my swimming career as much as people think,” said Carli. “The only thing different is there is a lot more frustration and stress when it comes to meets because sometimes my starting system fails. But being a deaf swimmer has helped me gain strength. I have had to overcome a lot of obstacles during practices and meetings because I cannot hear my coach, teammates or starting system.”
But she hasn’t let it stop her.
It’s only made her try harder--swim harder.
And people have noticed.
Of course they have; she is a Deaf USA Swimming record holder… and has a deaf world record pending.
In May, Carli will swim for Team USA at the Deaflympics in Brazil.
Churchill Swim Coach Mark Jedow couldn’t think of a better person to represent Team USA and Churchill.
“Carli is an amazing athlete,” said Jedow. “Her self-dedication and commitment to swimming are quite evident. She is a very supportive teammate, constantly encouraging her teammates to strive for excellence. Even with her hearing impairment, you wouldn’t know it. She is very resilient and a strong self-advocate. She impresses me every day with her dedication and how hard she works to improve her skills.”
As Carli prepares for the Deaflympics, she wants to remind others they can do great things if they just keep going.
“I have come close to giving up because swimming can be frustrating, but I am so grateful that I kept going. It gets better, but sometimes you have to go through tough obstacles at first.”
Or, in the words of a little fish named Nemo, “Just keep swimming.”
Way to go, Carli; we are rooting for you!
