ST JOHNS, Fla. — Childhood memories turned into Olympic dreams. They’re not all in Bartram Trail graduate Summer Stanfield’s head, both are literally right in front of her.
"It’s so cool, we were coming in and this is a throwback for sure," she told First Coast News while sitting at the Julington Creek Plantation Recreation Center pool.
The location is where she trained with her club, Loggerhead Aquatics. She started swimming there when she was 8 years old.
"There are some good memories here," Stanfield said.
Now a 23-year-old University of Utah graduate student, Stanfield is back in town preparing to swim on a huge stage.
"I qualified for [the Olympic] trials in the 200 backstroke," Stanfield said. "I love the 200 back," she said, while adding that she loves all the 200 meter races.
She made the trials by a mere four one-hundredths of a second. Now, Stanfield will be swimming in her second Olympic Trials. This time, in front of a massive crowd inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Stanfield has had an amazing list of college accomplishments, swimming at Utah and previously LSU. But, she says her favorite memory goes back to life in St. Johns County.
"High school states," she said. "Bartram Trail, we won state by half a point. I just remember we had so much fun, it was so intense, we were watching all the points. I’ll never forget it, it definitely fueled the fire and why I love winning."
And that drive to win has Stanfield on a mission, going on a trip to Indy to do more than just participate.
"My thought process is that everyone is there for a reason," she said. "If you’re there, you have a chance. I know what I need to do to have a good race for myself. America definitely has their favorites on who would be in the the Olympics, but everyone is there for a reason."
You can watch Stanfield swim the 200-meter backstroke Olympic qualifier on Thursday.