Making waves in the swimming world: Winter has an opportunity of a lifetime
NORWICH – Currently competing for two swim teams in the local area, the Norwich high school varsity team and the YMCA Dolphins team, Purple Tornado sophomore Margie Winter has won a number of awards representing both teams as 16 year old.
Recently, Winter has been offered a chance of a lifetime: swimming for the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in the 2018 Oceania Swimming Championships to be held in Port Moreby, Papua New Guinea.
Why would she be swimming for FSM and not the United States?
Winter was born in Chuuk State of the FSM, the country that her mother is a native of. Winter is one of many Micronesians that live far away from their island home.
FSM is a large group of countries/political entities as well as many smaller islands in the western Pacific Ocean.
The Federated State of Micronesia includes the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, the Republic of Palau, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and Guam. Chuuk, the state in which she was born, is one of the four states of the FSM.
Just recently, the FSM Swimming Association invited Winter to join their team and represent the country at the 2018 Oceania Swimming Championship. The swimming competition is to be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
The meet will take place on June 25 to 29 and will serve as a qualifying event for the Youth Olympics later this year in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Winter has been training five to six days a week with hopes of representing FSM in the pool for the 50 and 100 meter freestyle races as well as 50 and 100 meter butterfly races.
Currently, her times are equivalent to a time of around 25-seconds; comparable to the time of the other female swimmers that have been selected to represent FSM in previous international meets.
If Winter wins in Papua New Guinea, she would move onto the Youth Olympics, which will be held October in Buenos Aires, Argentina and eventually would lead to a spot in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
“My goal is to be the fastest female swimmer on the FSM team,” said Winter. “I know that I have the ability to do qualify. I’m confident that with hard work and with the help of my coach, Saundra Gantt, this can happen.”
The cost to travel to the championships is expensive and really the only obstacle hindering Winter’s chances of making it to Papua New Guinea.
While FSM will cover some of the cost of Winter’s travel, it will not cover any of her mother’s expenses who will accompany her as she is only 16 years of age.
“If I am able compete in the PNG Swimming Championship, it will be a dream come true for me,” said Winter. “I also think it will bring a bit of local pride to the FSM and to Norwich, my home.
“Perhaps I might even be an inspiration to young boys and girls here. That would make me extremely happy.”
A gofund me page has been set up as a part of Winter’s fundraising efforts. The site is www.gofundme.com/margiewinter. Currently, the page has a total of $2,065 dollars of $7,500 goal. Donations can be made on the page any time.
Winter and her family have set up a carwash and a paddle party/quarter auction event. The carwash is scheduled for June 9 while the paddle party is on June 14 at the Norwich High School Cafeteria from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Anyone willing to donate items for the auction can contact Steve Winter, Margie’s father, by email at eunanu@yahoo.com or by phone at (607) 334-3327.
Recently, Winter has been offered a chance of a lifetime: swimming for the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in the 2018 Oceania Swimming Championships to be held in Port Moreby, Papua New Guinea.
Why would she be swimming for FSM and not the United States?
Winter was born in Chuuk State of the FSM, the country that her mother is a native of. Winter is one of many Micronesians that live far away from their island home.
FSM is a large group of countries/political entities as well as many smaller islands in the western Pacific Ocean.
The Federated State of Micronesia includes the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, the Republic of Palau, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and Guam. Chuuk, the state in which she was born, is one of the four states of the FSM.
Just recently, the FSM Swimming Association invited Winter to join their team and represent the country at the 2018 Oceania Swimming Championship. The swimming competition is to be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
The meet will take place on June 25 to 29 and will serve as a qualifying event for the Youth Olympics later this year in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Winter has been training five to six days a week with hopes of representing FSM in the pool for the 50 and 100 meter freestyle races as well as 50 and 100 meter butterfly races.
Currently, her times are equivalent to a time of around 25-seconds; comparable to the time of the other female swimmers that have been selected to represent FSM in previous international meets.
If Winter wins in Papua New Guinea, she would move onto the Youth Olympics, which will be held October in Buenos Aires, Argentina and eventually would lead to a spot in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
“My goal is to be the fastest female swimmer on the FSM team,” said Winter. “I know that I have the ability to do qualify. I’m confident that with hard work and with the help of my coach, Saundra Gantt, this can happen.”
The cost to travel to the championships is expensive and really the only obstacle hindering Winter’s chances of making it to Papua New Guinea.
While FSM will cover some of the cost of Winter’s travel, it will not cover any of her mother’s expenses who will accompany her as she is only 16 years of age.
“If I am able compete in the PNG Swimming Championship, it will be a dream come true for me,” said Winter. “I also think it will bring a bit of local pride to the FSM and to Norwich, my home.
“Perhaps I might even be an inspiration to young boys and girls here. That would make me extremely happy.”
A gofund me page has been set up as a part of Winter’s fundraising efforts. The site is www.gofundme.com/margiewinter. Currently, the page has a total of $2,065 dollars of $7,500 goal. Donations can be made on the page any time.
Winter and her family have set up a carwash and a paddle party/quarter auction event. The carwash is scheduled for June 9 while the paddle party is on June 14 at the Norwich High School Cafeteria from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Anyone willing to donate items for the auction can contact Steve Winter, Margie’s father, by email at eunanu@yahoo.com or by phone at (607) 334-3327.
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