Kathleen Hersey says she draws inspiration from her father, a financial consultant who has used a wheelchair since the 1980s after a spinal cord aneurysm, but still maintains an active lifestyle.
16 Facts About Kathleen Hersey
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Kathleen Hersey is a 2008 graduate of Marist School in Atlanta, where she set national high school records in the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard individual medley.
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Kathleen Hersey was a public relations major at the University of Texas, where she swam for the Texas Longhorns swimming and diving team in 2009 and 2010.
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Also in 2007, at the US Short Course Nationals, Kathleen Hersey won the 400-meter individual medley.
5.
At the Olympics, Kathleen Hersey finished eighth in the 200-meter butterfly finals with a time of 2:08.23.
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Kathleen Hersey had swum a then career best 2:06.96 in the semi-finals of this event a day earlier.
7.
At the 2009 USA Swimming National Championships, Kathleen Hersey won the 200-meter butterfly in a new career best time of 2:06.44, earning a place on the 2009 World Championships roster.
8.
Kathleen Hersey placed fifth in the 100 m butterfly in 58.36.
9.
At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Kathleen Hersey placed ninth overall in 2:06.89, barely missing a place in the final.
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Kathleen Hersey won a bronze medal in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
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In 2011, Kathleen Hersey won the 200-meter butterfly at the USA Swimming National Championships.
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Kathleen Hersey placed first in the event at the 2011 Duel in the Pool.
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At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, the US qualifying meet for the Olympics, Kathleen Hersey made the US Olympic team for the second time by finishing second in the 200-meter butterfly behind Cammile Adams with a time of 2:07.72.
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Kathleen Hersey competed in the 200-meter freestyle but did not advance past the semi-finals, and placed third in the 100-meter butterfly final.
15.
In 2015, Kathleen Hersey was inducted into the Georgia Aquatic Hall of Fame.
16.
That conference record had stood at 4:01.91 when Kathleen Hersey set it back in 2009.