When Marcegui Vasquez was in the fourth grade, she played basketball.
However, she didn’t have as much fun playing that sport as she had hoped, so she decided to try something else.
One day, her mother saw a sign for swimming signups, and Vasquez decided to give the pool a try.
The Seymour High School senior has enjoyed being in the water ever since.
“I got started through the Seymour Swim Club, then I did middle school, then I went onto high school,” Vasquez said. “I love swimming. My coaches have taught me not to just be a good swimmer, but they’ve taught me to not quit even when I feel like I can’t do anymore. They taught me to finish my sets. If I finish my sets, I get better.
“I’ve learned a lot of life lessons from swimming. I would definitely do it again, and I would start out younger if I could.”
Vasquez has always swam freestyles.
“When I was in middle school and my freshman year, I did sprinting,” Vasquez said. “My sophomore year, coach (Dave) Boggs put me in the 500, and I loved it, so that’s what I’ve been doing ever since. I definitely like it. I’ve never been a good sprinter.”
She said her best time is a 5:52, and her goal in the sectional at Floyd Central next week is 5:45.
“I want to place sixth or seventh overall,” Vasquez said. “Last year, I placed eighth in the finals, so I want to improve that. Coach Dennis Bowers sets me up in a way that I don’t go super-fast in the first 50. I basically sprint the last 200 so I don’t lose my pace. He does pace work with me so after every 50, I have to get a certain time, and that’s what I do until I can get my time where I want it.”
She said in the 500, a teammate puts a card in the water at the far end of the pool, and the card is either moved up and down or sideways to let the swimmer know if they should go faster or slower.
The senior also swims the 200 free, as well as the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
Vasquez said the swimmers have to adjust to pool conditions at the away pools.
“The 500 the flip turns are very important, so you have to make sure you push off every single wall,” she said. “When we do warmups, we make sure that we know when we have to turn because certain markings on the bottoms of the pools are different, so we have to make sure we know those, and we have to flip turn soon.”
She said she enjoyed being a captain this season.
“I don’t think being a team captain makes me better than anyone else,” Vasquez said. “I’m just their chosen leader, and I promised my team I would give my best to the team. Being team captain, I care about every single swimmer on the team, not just care about the fastest ones. I try my best to include them in every single thing.”
She has enjoyed attending SHS.
“I’ve taken several dual courses the past three years,” Vasquez said. “I don’t regret coming to this high school. I wouldn’t choose to go to another high school. I feel like I’m ready for college.”
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Name: Marcequi Vasquez-Osorio
High school: Seymour
Parents: Gustavo Vasquez, Iveth Vasquez
Sibling: Amelita
Sport: Swimming, four years
Athletic highlights: Named most improved two years, 110 percent award junior year, placed sixth in 400 freestyle relay and eighth in 500 freestyle in sectional
Organizations: National Honor Society, student government, 4-H
Plans after highs school: Attend IUPUI and study nursing
Favorite food: Tacos
Favorite TV show: “Full House”
Favorite movie: “Finding Nemo”
Favorite athlete: Katie Ledecky
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