NWA Student Swims Toward Olympics
By: Neile Jones
Updated: June 5, 2012
When Gage Crosby hits the water make no mistake, there is a plan. Weeks, months, years of hard work all put to the test with every stroke. His parents know exactly how the All American from Bentonville stays ahead of his competition. His father Clayton Crosby explains, "He goes to nine practices a week and has to be at the first one at six in the morning."
As Gage kicks his way toward the finish, it's his competition that helps fuel his will to win. Gage says, "I think about the person next to me and think about why I want to beat them. Why I need to beat them and how much you can breath at the end of the race."
It's a formula that's worked for him repeatedly, earning him awards that include Arkansas High School Male Swimmer of the Year and a 2nd place standing in the U.S. for 16-year-olds in the 200 meter breast stroke.
Now he hopes all his hard work will pay off again at the Olympic trials. On the day we caught up with him, he brought home another win in the 200 meter breast stroke. The same event he will swim at the trials in a just a few weeks. And even though he's humble about how he may finish, he's also excited to be competing with the very athletes he looks up to and he can't wait.
"I'm excited very excited and I get to swim with all the Olympians and swim with all the extremely fast people and then get to race," Gage says.
As Gage kicks his way toward the finish, it's his competition that helps fuel his will to win. Gage says, "I think about the person next to me and think about why I want to beat them. Why I need to beat them and how much you can breath at the end of the race."
It's a formula that's worked for him repeatedly, earning him awards that include Arkansas High School Male Swimmer of the Year and a 2nd place standing in the U.S. for 16-year-olds in the 200 meter breast stroke.
Now he hopes all his hard work will pay off again at the Olympic trials. On the day we caught up with him, he brought home another win in the 200 meter breast stroke. The same event he will swim at the trials in a just a few weeks. And even though he's humble about how he may finish, he's also excited to be competing with the very athletes he looks up to and he can't wait.
"I'm excited very excited and I get to swim with all the Olympians and swim with all the extremely fast people and then get to race," Gage says.
