Courtesy of the Schreuders
It was 75 degrees Fahrenheit with a chance of a light rain when Mikel Schreuders prepared to swim Nov. 28. The 17-year-old freshman was in San Domingo, Dominican Republic. Forty degrees and nearly 2,000 miles separated him from Columbia, Missouri.
The youngest member of the Missouri team was representing Aruba at XXXIII Invitational International Delfines del Naco, a club meet in the Dominican Republic. Schreuders was chasing history for his home nation.
Schreuders won the 200-meter freestyle by more than eight seconds. But it was his time, not his first place finish, that made the swim significant.