Up & Comers: Emma Kern
Sponsored by Spectrum Aquatics
While some young teenagers admire pro athletes and high-pro le Olympians, Emma Kern has found an idol in someone close to her age: Regan Smith. Kern, 13, swims for Velocity Aquatics/Crow River Community Swim Club (Minn.) and hails from the same state as Smith: Minnesota.
When asked why Smith is her idol, Kern explained, “She’s from my state and is accomplishing so much at such a young age. I think it’s cool to have someone who’s swum at the same meets as I have and is setting national and world (junior) records!”
Taking inspiration from her teen idol, Kern has been steadily improving on the Minnesota swimming front. As a seventh-grade member of the Delano High School swimming team (Delano, Minn.), Kern placed eighth in the 50 yard free (24.04), 11th in the 100 y (58.60) and was a member of the runner- up 200 medley (back, 26.90) and 200 freestyle relays (leado , 24.08) at the Minnesota state high school championships last November.
Kern’s success continued into the new year when she nished in the top four of all six of her events at the 2018 Mid States All Star Championships: rst in the 100 IM (1:00.94, meet record); second in the 100 free (53.27), 50 back (27.58), 50 y (26.86) and 50 free (24.69); and fourth in the 100 back (1:00.78).
Kern is also a talented volleyball player and gymnast. When she was 10, Kern nished sixth in the all-around competition at the Midwest Amateur Gymnastics Association state competition, and she is currently on a club volleyball team.
Mark Seguin, lead coach of the Platinum Group at Velocity Aquatics, told Swimming World, “Emma is a balanced athlete who has also excelled in gymnastics and volleyball—but no matter what sport, her personality is what is special. She has a unique combination of drive, humility, self-awareness and energy that her teammates and friends gravitate toward, and it helps raise everyone’s level on each team she is on.”
To learn more about Kern, check out Kern, March issue of Swimming World Magazine, available now!
[ PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK ]
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