Anna Durak (front row, center) — who holds five swimming records at Hickory High — has signed to swim in college at Princeton University. She is pictured with her parents, Thomas and Frances, and her sister Gwenyth. Back row: Coach Jon Jolley, HHS head coach Cathy Hitchcock and HHS athletic director David Craft./HICKORY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PHOTO
HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – Anna Durak, a Hickory High swimmer who is a three-time team MVP and holds five school records, will swim next season at Princeton University.
Her decision was announced Wednesday via a press release from the Hickory Public Schools.
Durak said she chose Princeton because of its renowned education and competitive swim team.
“The campus is gorgeous, the support is incredible, and I absolutely love the team and coaches,” Durak said in the press release.
She has been swimming since age 5 and swims for six days a week, two hours each of those days.
A mid-distance freestyler and a butter flyer for Hickory head coach Cathy Hitchcock, Durak’s best events are the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 200 butterfly.
Durak also swims competitively at the Hickory YMCA for head coach Jon Jolley.
She was part of a 200 freestyle relay team at HHS that won a state title last year.
“Anna has been one of our top performers since she joined the HHS swim team her freshman year,” Hitchcock said in the press release. “She has had a tremendous impact on the team not only as our leading scorer but also as role model.
“Anna’s teammates look up to and respect her for excellence in academics, team leadership, and for her swimming performances.
Durak won team MVP for the Red Tornadoes in 2015-17. Her school records are in the 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 free relay and 400 free relay.
Princeton’s next swimming season begins Oct. 1 with practices and the season begins on Nov. 1, the press release said.