Local Woman Qualifies For Olympic Swimming Trials

She never imagined she would have the chance to do what she loves on a world stage.

Taylor Petrak, 2017 Lincoln High School Graduate, has qualified for the Olympic Swimming Trials.

As a very young “fish in the water,” Taylor didn’t necessarily have her sights set directly on the Olympics.

“I never had any specific goals of making it to the Olympics,” she said. “It was not on my radar.”

But a wave of talent and speed now has the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics in a major spot on Taylor’s radar. She qualified for the trials on July 23 posting a 25.86 mark in the 50 freestyle. She was swimming for the Ohio State Swim Club at the Speedo Sectionals in Cleveland. Taylor’s best time entering this sectional was 26.42; she needed to best the qualifying time of 25.99.

Taylor first dipped her tiny toes into the water at the age of two. She recalls her older sister, Logan, going for lessons and Taylor joined her sister in the pool. Her mom, Patti, wanted the girls to learn to be safe in and around water.

“There are four years between my girls, but when I took Logan for her lessons, I was asked if Taylor was potty trained,” Patti said. “When I answered ‘yes,’ Taylor was also able to receive lessons.”

Patti would have a pivotal role in Taylor’s swimming success serving as a coach during her high school years of swimming when Taylor was an independent swimmer. Taylor’s dad Jay has also been a great support, being one of his daughter’s biggest fans, but much of Taylor’s drive was inspired by her sister, Logan.

“I would always think if she (Logan) can do it, I can do it,” Taylor said, despite her sister being older.

Patti gushes with pride over Taylor’s accomplishments and also recognizes that her sister Logan was a driving force behind Taylor’s success.

After that first experience in the water, Taylor’s love for swimming grew as she continued lessons and then at the age of five, she was swimming for RACE (the Riverside Aquatic Club of Ellwood).

“My love for swimming really took off,” Taylor said. “We were a small group but a very competitive group.”

That group was first led by Bill Valley and now current coach Gwen Nulph.

Nulph is also a coach at Riverside High School. She said she knew that there was a certain something about Taylor Petrak. She knew that Taylor would be a successful swimmer.

“Taylor was a self-driven, self-motivated girl,” Nulph said. “Even at age 10, she wanted it. If someone was beating her, she got back in the water and figured out what she needed to do to win. She did not like to lose.”

According to Nulph, Taylor was a true competitor. Nulph said Taylor would race anybody … boys … girls … age differences—it didn’t matter. She was not shocked to learn that Taylor qualified for the trials, but said it’s not an easy feat based on the tough competition out there in swimming.

Taylor Petrak finishes her race in the Phillips 66 US National meet in California. Photo by Brian Wright

Taylor Petrak competes in the Phillips 66 US National meet in California. Photo by Brian Wright

“It’s not easy to get there,” Nulph said. “But she did it. ”

Taylor admits that other than inspiration by her sister, her mom, and her coaches, she was impressed at age nine with the famous Michael Phelps—the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 28 medals—during his Olympic fame in 2008. She then came to look up to Missy Franklin—five-time Olympic gold medalist—and Katie Ladecky—five-time Olympic gold medalist who also earned 15 world championship gold medals, the most in history for a female swimmer.

“They did such amazing things at such a young age,” Taylor said.

She also noted Pittsburgh Olympian Leah Smith. Smith was a member of the 2016 US Women’s Olympic team and won a bronze medal in the 400m freestyle and a gold medal in the 4×200m relay.

“She was always winning,” Taylor said.

As Taylor reached High School, she decided to break out and became an independent swimmer in her junior and senior year at the Butler YMCA. During that time, she was her own competition but continued to drop time off of her swims.

“To drop 1/2 a second in a 50 is a big drop,” she said.

Nulph said that was a time when Taylor had to self motivate since she was not part of practicing with a team that would provide internal competition.

“She is one dedicated girl,” Nulph said.

As Taylor advanced in swimming and racing and competing, she continued to look up to her sister and as she watched her sister go to college, she started to see a bigger picture.

“I started to realize that this might be more than just competition,” she said.

Taylor was right. In addition to being a successful athlete, she is a stellar student. She used her talents in swimming to race toward her educational goals.

“I have the highest GPA on the swim team,” Taylor said.

Taylor, entering her junior year at OSU, is a major in the College of Business seeking to earn a bachelor of science in business administration with a concentration in marketing. She minors in fashion and retail.

Petrak is proud to be enrolled in one of the nation’s “top business schools.” She believes that many of her opportunities have been provided by her talents in swimming.

“Swimming has opened quite a few doors for me,” she said.

Taylor will have a little under a year to “get up to speed” in preparation for the Olympic Trials, which will take place from June 21-28, 2020 in Omaha Nebraska. These trials include three steps, according to Taylor: a preliminary (June 27); a semifinal (June28); and a final (June 28).

She is modest about her successes and accomplishments, but her family is proud.

“To see her post a 25.86 was just really exciting,” Patti said. “You can always hope and dream your child makes it to the Olympics, but it’s all dependent on the training they receive. It is all based on when you want to peak.”

Patti looks forward to Taylor’s trials.

“She’s done well,” Patti said. “I thought she was fast in high school, but fortunately she keeps getting faster. I wish the world for her.”

In addition to swimming, Taylor enjoys scrapbooking and crafting. She said a recent hobby she has undertaken is gel nails. She said she and her teammates often have great manicures as they have come to share that hobby when they are not in the pool.

Taylor’s advice to young swimmers is to never give up.

“Always believe in yourselves,” she said. “If you have a goal, plan it out. Achieve the small things to get to the big things. Don’t let anyone stop you. No matter what anyone says, keep pushing through.”