Lilly King’s youth coach recounts a turning point in her career

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – With Lilly King’s work all wrapped up on the Trials, now she will be able to flip her consideration to her third-straight Olympic video games, this time heading to Paris.

Within the lead as much as the video games, we’ve got loads of time to look again on how she obtained right here.

Round 2008, present Boonville assistant athletic director Mike Chapman grew to become Lilly King’s age group coach.

From the start, ‘Day one,’ he informed us, he noticed she was completely different, but it surely wasn’t till an enormous state meet that he actually began to see her potential as a world star within the sport.

“When she was 11, she had one state lower, the age group state meet, and she or he completed final,” stated Lilly King’s age group coach, Mike Chapman. “She beat one woman, however that woman obtained disqualified. Then, the subsequent yr, she gained the 100 breaststroke at 12. We have been going up for the meet, and all week, she was saying, “I’m going to win, I’m going to win, I’m going to win.” She was seeded seventh or eighth. We stated, ‘okay.’ She certified fourth after which gained it that night time.”

All the time enjoyable to listen to tales a couple of world-class athlete from once they have been youthful, we’ll hear extra from coach Chapman within the leadup to the Olympics.

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