Her father nicknamed her "Missy the Missile" several years ago because, even then, she seemed to zoom through the water.
Expect to see Missy Franklin inthe 2012 London Olympic Games.
Photo courtesy of USA Swimming
Now the entire world may be echoing him after Missy Franklin stole the show from Olympian Michael Phelps during the FINA World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China.
The rising junior from
Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.) thrilled fans and teammates alike when she won the 200-meter backstroke in an American-record 2 minutes, 5.10 seconds. She told USA Swimming, "I am so happy right now. I just wanted to go out there and have fun. It was my last individual race in my first world championships and I'm never going to get that opportunity again. I definitely went out there and had a blast and it was the most exciting race ever."
The 6-foot superstar added a second gold medal when she anchored the 400 medley relay to victory in 3:52.36 – another American record. She captured a third gold medal by anchoring the winning 800 freestyle relay team to victory. She also earned a silver and a bronze to bring home a total of five medals.
Despite her youth, Franklin's shocking performance has thrust her into the running for World Female Swimmer of the Year, which is awarded by Swimming World Magazine, according to managing editor Jason Marsteller.
"Everybody on the team loves her and she just had a good old time," Marsteller said. "If she can keep her head on straight next year and have a good London (2012 Olympics), she probably can become a Natalie Coughlin. It's all according to how she handles the pressure."
FOOTBALL: DAPHNE WINS NATIONAL 7-ON-7Daphne (Ala.) defeated Prattville (Ala.), 10-8, to win the National Select 7-on-7 football championship in Hoover, Ala. Led by Auburn-bound receiver
T.J. Yeldon and rising junior quarterback
T.J. Fleeton, Daphne finished with a 13-0 record to become the first unbeaten champion in the tourney's nine-year history.
The field of 31 teams from 15 states included five defending state champions and five other teams that finished second in their state tournaments last year.
* Indiana University has received a commitment from two-way lineman
Jason Spriggs (6-6, 260), according to the South Bend Tribune. Spriggs, who runs 40 yards in 4.68 seconds, had 13.5 tackles for losses and 5.5 sacks as a junior for
Concord (Elkhart, Ind.).
*
Chaparral (Scottsdale, Ariz.) defensive end
Jarvis Lewis has made a commitment to Arizona State University over Oregon and Arizona, according to the Arizona Republic. The 6-4, 260-pounder made 14 sacks in his first year of football as a junior at Kellis (Glendale, Ariz.) before transferring for his senior year.
* The Deseret News reports that
Highland (Salt Lake City) senior running back
Sione Houma has decided to attend the University of Michigan. Houma (6-0, 210) sparked his team to the 2010 Class 4A state title by running for 661 yards and five touchdowns during the final three games of the playoffs.
*
Skyler Mornhinweg, a 6-3, 215-pound quarterback,
made a commitment to Penn State University, as reported by MaxPreps. As a junior he threw for 31 touchdowns and almost 3,100 yards for
St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia). Formerly committed to Stanford, he is the son of Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.
* The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Georgia's No. 1 offensive lineman,
Joe Harris (6-4, 290) of
Lithonia (Ga.), has chosen the University of South Carolina over Georgia and Clemson.
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