To many people, summer means enjoying the sun and relaxing at the beach; however, for me, summer means getting to work and training for the Paris Paralympic Games.

I started competitively swimming at the age of 5, and I started swimming for the Paralympics at the age 9. I joined the Paralympic movement to swim with other athletes who have similar disabilities to mine. Swimming is a part of me because I love the freedom I have in the water.

Right now I am a rising senior at the University of Mary Washington, and I have been a part of the varsity swim team…