Missy Franklin, a five-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist, has relocated from California to Athens, Ga., and she is now training at the University of Georgia. The news was originally reported by the Associated Press, and Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle confirmed the news to Swimming World Thursday evening.
Franklin had been training with Cal men’s coach Dave Durden for the past year but has not competed since the Olympics in Rio, where she flamed out of the semi-finals of both the 200 free and 200 back. She had double shoulder surgery in early 2017 but says that she is now fully healthy.
The report from the Associated Press cites Franklin’s desire to swim with a combined-gender program, like that at Georgia, and also to be closer to both extended family in the peach state and to her former college roommate, who lives in Atlanta.
“I really struggled with that (decision) for a while because I looked at it from a selfish perspective,” Franklin told The Associated Press. “It really isn’t a selfish decision. I started thinking about the road I have ahead of me. I started looking at options, which is really big for me.”
Franklin competed for the Cal women’s team under Teri McKeever from 2013 to 2015 but turned professional after that season. She returned to Colorado that summer to train with high school coach Todd Schmitz and then began training with Durden when she returned to Cal following the 2016 Olympics. Franklin has never swum with Bauerle full-time, but she was familiar with him from National Team trips and Georgia had been the runner-up to Cal in her initial college search.
Even though she is no longer training with Durden, she credited the Cal coach for helping keep her in the pool during a tough time in her life.
“I can truly say I don’t know if I would still be swimming if it wasn’t for Dave Durden,” Franklin said, according to the AP. “He’s one of those coaches that want the best for me.”
Franklin is continuing to pursue her degree in psychology at Georgia, and she is three semesters away from graduating. She told the Associated Press that she is targeting a return to competition, with the focus on this summer’s U.S. Nationals in Irvine, Calif. She may compete at TYR Pro Swim Series events before then.
“I’m kind of coming back from the bottom,” she told the AP. “I could feel pressure because people are expecting a comeback, but I don’t care. I don’t really care what kind of pressure people are putting on me because I can’t control that.”
Read the full Associated Press report here.
Zachary Jones
Luis Rodriguezz
BEST of Luck Missy!!
Yes!
??????
Love you Missy, ❤️❤️❤️
No ? body ? cares ?
Troll
Nah
Yes we do
Nah you don’t
Wyatt Fate if it doesn’t interest you and you don’t care then don’t read it. You’re just making a comment to get a reaction
Apparently you do or you would not be reading this and commenting on it.
The dude is a sad and pathetic person who can’t stand the fact that a female could be successful beyond his own meaningless life. Missy is worth millions of dollars with millions of loyal supporters who care about her. So, Wyatt, apparently the only one who doesn’t care is you. Please don’t generalize by saying NO ONE cares. Simply say, “I don’t care.” See? Very easy. Now carry on with your bitter life.
Sadie Nennig did you see this
I had no idea!
Ashley Hernandez
Van Pac
Valerie Perez
Hailey Katherine Bennett
Very cool! It’s a beautiful place U of G and a beautiful state. Good luck Missy and good health!??
Toast………
???
Caileigh McCafferty
Meems Hoover
Be happy ????
Very good move, you can do it
Unbelievable :p
Doppingos
Leon Chien
Kyle Maas
Maddie Wallis ???
Abby Richter
Megan Frese
Georgia is lucky to have ya. Good luck Missy Franklin
Glad her knee has recovered
Go where your heart is…….Missy we are with you.
How exciting for Missy and UGA.
Great program to get her back on track!!
Elisa Navarro Cruz
Swimmers are the best. Ms Franklin is the best.
Sadie Nennig
My daughter is ninth grade on the swim team she having a hard time not wanting to kick her feet any suggestions