Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Winter 2011/2012 | Page 35

FEATURE

people seeing me without my prosthetic at

swimming! However, she was torn about

how much I wanted to get up, and show the

the swim club, but I was still a teenager with

whether she wanted to continue swimming

world what I could do. During the race I didn't

all the insecurities that brings,” says Stephanie.

in SWAD competitions. Stephanie had

even see any of the other competitors. I don't

“Competing at the high school level would mean

always considered herself to be an athlete

remember what I was thinking about. I don't

letting my high school peers see me without my

first and disabled somewhere down the list.

remember any of my turns or even touching the

prosthetic, and that was something I just could

To differentiate in competition went against

wall at the finish, but the feeling I had when I

not face doing.”

everything she believed. She soon discovered,

looked up and saw my time (a time that was four

though, that just like herself, many SWAD

seconds under my best time and two seconds

love the naysayers who doubted her based on

swimmers also had a competitive spirit. She also

under the previous world record) and realized

her disability. “They can