In just good Mississippi news that is odd

[615dawg]

16-year old Rachel McAlpin from Jackson won the World Championship in the women's breaststroke in Romania this morning. Its odd because Mississippi isn't really known as a swimming state. There has never been an Olympic swimmer from the state and only 3 that have ever swam on the international level. She's one to watch for LA 2028 or Brisbane 2032.



She is an Arkansas commit. Her family has MSU ties. Too bad MSU doesn't have swimming.

 

[stateu1]

Wow

 

[skipperDawg]

From my old home town in Tupelo
Great family

 

[615dawg]

Wow

Look at the joy on her face. Amazing.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Tell her we used to have a pool on campus. I found out about it on this here message board.

 

[615dawg]

Tell her we used to have a pool on campus. I found out about it on this here message board.

Ha! This is the kind of talent that you start a team for!

The best swimmer in Mississippi history was Maggie Bowen. She won one world championship (at 21 years old) in 2001. She swam for Auburn and was the SEC Swimmer of the Year, and missed the Sydney Olympics by less than a tenth of a second. She dominated college swimming for four years and is in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

To tie it back to a Mississippi State message board - the Clarion Ledger named her Mississippi Sports Person of the Year in 2000. The Swan board called for a boycott of the Clarion Ledger because they did not give it to Wayne Madkin. Of course part of the argument is that in 1999, it went to Southern Miss softball pitcher Courtney Blades for leading USM to the Women's College World Series.

 

[FrontRangeDawg]

Ha! This is the kind of talent that you start a team for!

The best swimmer in Mississippi history was Maggie Bowen. She won one world championship (at 21 years old) in 2001. She swam for Auburn and was the SEC Swimmer of the Year, and missed the Sydney Olympics by less than a tenth of a second. She dominated college swimming for four years and is in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

and her sister Mimi wasn't a bad swimmer either. Their dad played with Archie, and also once chased me off of his front porch.

 

[GloryDawg]

My grandad always said swimming with alligators makes you a faster swimmer. **

 

[Wavedawg]

Rachel is my sister’s granddaughter! We are all so proud of her! She is a wonderful young lady!

 

[Wavedawg]

and her sister Mimi wasn't a bad swimmer either. Their dad played with Archie, and also once chased me off of his front porch.

Mimi’s daughter, Charlotte Crush is Rachel’s roommate at the World Championships. Charlotte is an amazing swimmer and is ranked as the number college prospect for ‘26. She plans to swim at Louisville and Rachel at Arkansas.

 

[615dawg]

This is fun. She didn't know where to exit the pool!

 

[patdog]

This is fun. She didn't know where to exit the pool!

That's a big smile. Congratulations to her.

 

[MagnoliaHunter]

The old Courthouse gym on Lakeland that is now Grit Gym used to have a national swim team sponsored by Sunkist drinks.

Googled it and they are still around in Jackson.

Sunkist Swim Team was first called Jackson Aquatic Club when the team was formed in the fall of 1975. Prior to JAC forming, swimmers competed throughout the Jackson metro area exclusively on summer league teams. JAC was the first swim team to offer year-round training and competition. Rick McMahan became JAC’s first full time coach and the program quickly grew from 30 swimmers to over a 100 in a few short years.

In the late 70s, JAC received national recognition with several swimmers achieving High School All American honors, Top 16 and also competing at Senior and Junior Nationals. In 1980, Julie Miller became the team’s first national champion winning the 11-12 100 backstroke at AAU National Junior Olympics.

 

[skip dog]

Very COOL!!! good for her!