Lubbock High senior chosen for 2025-2026 USA Swimming National Junior Team

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Eight years in the past, Lubbock High senior Gunnar Hansen went to a swim meet to assist one in every of his buddies.

There he discovered his love for swimming and hasn’t appeared again since.

“Swimming in general is a wonderful sport because it teaches you so many things about discipline and hard work,” Hansen stated. “There’s so many days where you show up and you don’t want to do it, but it teaches you in order to reach your goals you have to be there every day and show up every day to get what you want.”

Just a number of weeks in the past, Gunnar discovered that he will probably be representing the USA National Junior Team, the place he will probably be competing within the 100-meter breaststroke.

“I’m honored to represent the small town because like I said, with all the big teams, it’s a bit different coming from the small teams where they are all traveling together,” Hansen stated. “I’m coming from Lubbock, Texas by myself and it’s good to be able to represent and especially be able to represent the U.S.”

Tyler Hayes, who’s one in every of Hansen’s coaches, believes Gunnar can do something he units his thoughts to.

“He does everything well. He does all the recovery well, he works hard, he’s always where he needs to be right where he needs to be there, and he’s a great kid all the way around,” Hansen stated. “For Gunnar the sky is the limit, as long as he keeps working hard and he takes care of himself and does all the things he’s good at, he will do anything he wants to.”

Gunnar is without doubt one of the high athletes on Lubbock High’s swim staff, and the Lubbock Swim Club.

He’s making ready for his last yr with each applications, with the season opener simply a few weeks away.

“It really comes down to the dedication and the hard work and showing up every day,” Hansen stated. “It’s going to be hard and it is going to suck, and that is what’s wonderful about it, because you learn to get up every day and do it and if it’s something you love you are willing to get up at 4:45 every morning to do it.”

Those early mornings of laborious work and dedication within the swimming lanes will probably be put to the take a look at subsequent yr, as Gunnar represents the Hub City and Team USA on the nationwide stage, within the 2026 Junior National Championships.

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