Fresh from high school graduation, Mercer Island swimmer Piper 'Lightning' Enge vies for a spot on Team USA
Fresh from Mercer Island High School's graduation, Piper "Lightning" Enge heads to Indianapolis this week to compete in the Olympic swimming trials to try to win a slot on Team USA at the Paris Olympics this summer.
Swimmer Piper Enge is not superstitious, but she does have a few quirks that she maintains before every competition. She watches the Pixar movie “Cars” while flying to swim meets across the country. It’s her favorite film.
“It just puts racing in a really good perspective," she said. "Kind of reminds you to have fun with it.”
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The movie is about Lightning McQueen, who learns valuable lessons en route to the most important race of his life. Enge also sports signature “Cars” attire at swim meets — her special Lightning McQueen Crocs, which are themed after the main character. She got a pair for Christmas and has worn her Lightning McQueens to every swim meet since.
“They are my lucky shoes," Enge said. "Now, I’m taking them to the trials.”
Those trials are in Indianapolis June 15-23, where Enge will vie to be on Team USA in the upcoming summer Olympics. She’s competing in the 100 meter breaststroke, 200 meter breaststroke, and the 200 meter individual medley. Only the top two swimmers in each event will secure a spot on the national team.
Enge has been in the swim lane a long time, leading up to this moment. She remembers the very first time she swam breaststroke. She was around 6 years old, the same age she started to compete in swimming.
“I got out of the pool crying. I told my coach I never want to do that again,” Enge said.
Her coaches felt terrible, and wondered if she was going to keep swimming.
“I probably felt like I was drowning, and I felt like I was going so slow,” Enge explained.
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Her coach made her swim it again. She's thankful for that. She stuck with it. Enge graduated June 8 from Mercer Island High School. Starting this fall, she will swim for the University of Texas at Austin’s Longhorns. But before college, she will take an Olympic detour.
As a top athlete, this is not the first time Enge has been in the spotlight. She’s the first female high schooler in Washington state to break the “one minute barrier” in the 100 meter breaststroke.
The key to her success, she said, is that she always has fun.
“Having fun is the only way you’re going to continue to move up," Enge said. "I’ve seen so many people fizzle out and die when they’re 12 or 13 because they got too intense with it and stopped having fun.”
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The fun is aided by listening to music in the “ready room,” talking to her competitors, and trying to have a good time at practice.
“The only way I’ve ever swam fast is when I’m having fun,” Enge said.
