Missy Franklin Wins Gold In 100-Meter Backstroke

Missy Franklin is heading into her senior year of high school and she’ll do so as a 17-year-old Olympic champion in the 100-meter backstroke. With a bit smile on her face and a nervous appearance the high school told a group of reporters after her win “I don’t like being up here alone.”

The American swim team has had a lousy 2012 London Olympics outing in the pool with Michael Phelps unable to clinch a gold medal and Ryan Lochte not performing at his peak.

Franklin swam towards gold just 14 minutes after she jumped out of the pool from her semifinals 200 freestyle race.

Missy won the gold for Team USA but almost didn’t qualify for the 200 free semis, finishing in eighth place, just good enough to place her in Tuesday nights final.

After her win Franklin said the victory was “indescribable” and “I still can’t believe that happened. I don’t even know what to think. I saw my parents’ reaction on the screen and I just started bawling. I can’t even think right now.”

In the meantime the 17-year old Team USA swimmer still has five more Olympic events to go and she started the Olympics with a relay bronze.

Franklin almost watched the race get away from her as Australia’s Emily Seebohm led at the turn in world-record pace until Franklin gave a hard finishing kick and passed the Aussie during the final 25 meters of the race. Franklin finished in 58.33 seconds.

The next big hurdle for Franklin? She says its her senior year of high school, an event that might be quite the let down compared to being a gold medal Olympic champion.