January 30, 2019
Swimming to the top
Around Town
Community Living Inc. to recognize community leaders at Annual Legacy Ball. Pg. 2 Yard waste pickup in St. Peters suspended for February. Pg. 6
Business Our Urgent Care celebrates grand opening. Pg. 6
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Features
Hallie Anderson, a standout swimmer at Liberty High School, will compete at the the 2020 Paralympic Games.
Photo courtesy Wentzville School District
Liberty High School junior makes the cut as one of 48 swimmers to compete for Team USA in the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo By Brett Auten A simple website click left Hallie Anderson flabbergasted. Anderson, a standout swimmer at Liberty High School, had already posted a time swift enough in the 50-meter freestyle to qualify her for the United States Paralympics Swimming National Team. But it wasn’t certain that there was going to be any reconfiguration of the team for the 2020 Paralympic Games. “So when they announced the team I just took a look to see and then I saw my name,” Anderson said. “I was like, this isn’t reality. Someone is messing with me.” Anderson, 16, suffers from a brittle bone
disease, in addition to other medical conditions that affect her muscles. Anderson has had over 21 different bone fractures in various places over the years. She and her family received the diagnosis when Anderson was just 10-years-old. “There were a lot of instances growing up that was telling us that I had this,” she said. “Definitely, in the beginning, we were extremely cautious about every little bump.” Just this past summer, she slipped and broke her T6 vertebrae and three other fractures. But she recovered smoothly and swiftly and was ready to press on. “I have a lot more freedoms now that I’m a lot more responsible,” Anderson said. “I have played a lot of other sports. It doesn’t stop
me. My freshman and sophomore years I ran cross country.” Anderson has been swimming competitively for several years and is very versatile in the pool, excelling in the 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle. She officially became a para-athlete last year after it was brought to her attention that her condition would qualify her. The Paralympics involves athletes with a range of disabilities, including impaired muscle power, impaired passive range of movement, limb deficiency, leg length difference, short stature, vision impairment and intellectual impairment. As a sophomore, Anderson qualified to compete at State in the 200 Free Relay and See ‘SWIMMING’ page 2
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