Then my swimming cap broke.
“I kept adjusting it because I was nervous and it was going to tear,” Gibbons recalled of his panic. “You can't wear another school's hat when you're on the block or you'll be disqualified.” Green, black or Badin caps were required.
“I had a torn cap in my hand and I thought, 'I have to find the cap now.' … I was running around the deck trying to find the cap. So I was really nervous.”
Luckily for Gibbons, senior teammate Lena Trocarn was there to help.
She qualified for the 200 and 500 freestyle races at the girls state meet, but did not make the cut. But Trocar still had his swim bag with him.
“She gave me a solid green hat,” Gibbons said. “I just grabbed it and ended up running behind the blocks to warm up. … You need a swim cap when you swim, otherwise there's a lot of resistance in your hair.
“I ended up meditating for a few minutes behind the block to calm my nerves,” Gibbons added. “Then I went outside to get some fresh air.
“When I got back behind the blocks, I knew something was going to happen. I knew that if I didn't win, my opponent really deserved to win.”
Gibbons recalled diving and doing what he was trained to do. His techniques and strategies worked perfectly with a little guidance from his coach.
“They told me I needed to hit the second 50 yards faster,” Gibbons said. “I don't usually like that because I like to be fast towards the end and not the beginning. So I thought, 'You know what?' You're a coach. We have to listen to them. ”
“I took the second 50 and it really paid off in the end. I just closed my eyes and didn’t look at other people because I wanted to focus on my race and do what I could.” I remember not focusing on what they were doing.”
Gibbons posted a winning time of 1 minute, 39.72 seconds, winning the state title by two-tenths of a second over Willoughby's Chris Gorski.
“From what I saw on video, I'm pretty sure I was losing for most of the race,” Gibbons recalled. “I just caught him in the last few laps. … I didn't even know I had won. I just celebrated. I remember crying because I was so happy to finish. I don't know if my mom was crying or not. But my mom was cheering me on. My sister took a video of my race, and in the video you can hear my mom screaming and pushing me against the wall.”
He also placed 8th in the 100 fly.
“It's still really crazy to me. It was a really surreal moment. I never thought I would have a chance to win. I feel really accomplished.”
That dedication and determination was on point for Gibbons throughout the season. Gibbons only missed practice four times, she said, twice because she was sick, once for a service project and once because she put off studying for her civics exam.
But he made up for it.
“I practice eight times a week and lift three times a week,” he said. “Then I do two extra lifts on my own after morning practice. It's safe to say I've definitely earned it. I've also put in a lot of effort to get to where I am now. .”
It all started when Gibbons was 7 years old swimming in Hamilton's New London Hills.
“I fell in love with the sport and the community as I grew up,” he said.
Since then, he has met some inspiring swimmers, including Edgewood graduate and retired Olympic gold medalist Zach Apple.
“I remember looking at his record,” Gibbons said. “He came in and talked about staying in the sport and keeping his mind in the right place.”
Gibbons said he is excited to think about the future. He plans to take his talents from the pool to the sky.
“This was my last race,” said Gibbons, who is studying aviation in college. “I want to be a pilot. I'm looking at Southern Illinois University, Miami University, and Ohio State University to see what I can do with my talents there.”
With his high school swimming career in the rearview mirror, Gibbons can bask in his glory.
“There's a gold medal on the wall. It's shiny,” said Gibbons, who estimated there were 20 ribbons and 60 medals hanging in the room.
“I worked hard for this. If you work for something, you can achieve it. Well, there was a lot going on this weekend and there was a lot of pressure. It's hard to work hard at something. I learned that if you can and really want it, you can get there, even if it takes time. And I did.”
