Brooke Kelly ’18, Phoebe Christos ’18: “I have the same breakfast every morning before I swim. I always have two hard boiled eggs, a bagel with peanut butter. I also eat a banana if I have a lot of time before I swim.” Despite her immense success, Alex Sumner ‘18, co-captain of Episcopal Swimming program, has normal routines just like any other EA athlete.
However, unlike most, Sumner spent her summer vacation in the pool swimming as a representative for Team USA at the Junior Worlds. Because the Olympics are only every four years, Worlds “takes the place” of the Olympics in off years.
To qualify for the competition, Sumner swam a variety of events in Nationals. However, it was her success in the 200 back that got her to worlds. Sumner placed 5th in the 200 back, placing her as one of the top two contenders in the 18 and under bracket. This accomplishment allowed her to go to Junior Worlds at the Natatorium in Indianapolis.
This was the first international meet held in the US since 2004. “Our saying from the trip was ‘defend the nat’. Essentially, because it was in the US, we were kind of defending our home pool,” Sumner explains.
To prepare for the big event, Sumner says she was “in the pool, focusing on backstroke, once or twice a day for two weeks”. Sumner went to bed early each night and took a lot of ice baths and epsom salt baths prior to the race.
“Going into it I didn’t know how I would be seeded. Honestly, I was just hoping to make the A Final which is top 8. When I got there I saw that I was seeded 3rd which made me think ‘Hm, maybe I can get a medal!’” Sumner remembers.
Sumner finished in second place, just after another swimmer from the US, earning herself and the United States a silver medal and thus the chance to go up to the podium for recognition. “I was really excited to get to go up there on the balcony!” Sumner reflects, smiling. To celebrate, Sumner ate candy that her dad brought for her and hung out with the other swimmers very late into the night.
While she used to be superstitious, Sumner claims she “got away from that” because when she would mess things up it would stress her out too much. “All my friends say I press my goggles in a lot and pull them out to make sure the suction is perfect,” she explains, laughing. “I jump up and down a lot before I get to the blocks too.”
Just 10 days after nationals, Sumner committed to swim at University of California Berkeley. “I am really excited to go to college,” Sumner remarks. She thoroughly enjoyed her official visit in early September during which she went on a tour, met academic advisors, played Scattergories at the coach’s house, attended a water polo game and had fun at a football game.
Before college, though, Sumner still has a lot of exciting events ahead of her. In March, she will be competing in Junior Nationals which she is training for. But mostly Sumner is working hard in hopes of making big meets for the summer such as the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships which hosts competitors from the Pan Pacific Area. PanPacs is in Tokyo and Junior PanPacs is in Fiji which is “so cool” according to Sumner.
Also, because her world ranking was high enough this year, Sumner will be traveling to France and Barcelona for meets with the Junior team in June.
Co-captain and teammate Lauren Rodio, Class of 2018, shares: “Alex is an awesome teammate and person. Her hard work inspires the whole group and we are all so lucky to be on her team.”