I won some of the events at that meet, so I try to go back to that place and remember what it was like to win and push through when it was hard. I felt so confident, and I always try to go back to that place and remember how it felt. “When I was an 11-12, I was at our state championship and it was the best meet ever. What is your most memorable swimming moment so far? Yeah, it gets really violent, they’ll start dragging you under the water, it gets rough.” I don’t know if listening to music is a hobby but I like doing that, going out and shopping is always fun… If I have time for any of that.” My mom and I scrapbook together back at home, but I’m more into the photo albums, not necessarily decorating. I’m not looking for anything huge just yet. Right now-just because I’m a freshman-I’m just focused on getting through the year and adapting to everything. I’m looking forward to building connections with everyone, going to Big 12s and Nationals, all of that someday. As you get older things change, I’m ready to get back into competition and push and fight for my event. I was a fireball when I was younger, I just went out and did it and loved it. I found my love for swimming again, but I really want to fight for my races again. “I’m looking forward to physically becoming a better swimmer. What are you looking forward to the most about being on this team? The team atmosphere, it makes it a really amazing place to be.” I loved the team I fell in love with all of them when I came for my official visit. ![]() There are so many people to help and support me with my academics and I felt safe and cared for school-wise. I know academics are pretty high standards here. Of course Clark and Jen sold it to me, I just felt comfortable here. It was so intense, I got goose bumps, it was just amazing. When I came for my official visit I was here for Late Night, and I actually cried. It reminded me so much of home, I just loved it. I literally fell in love when I saw Kansas. Clark (Campbell) and Jen (Fox) talked to my grandpa and my mom and Haley (Molden) gave us a tour of the campus. Then I just gave it a chance and I came for an unofficial visit. My mom was like, ‘Zoya, you have to try Kansas.’ I said, ‘No way, there’s tornadoes,’ you know. I looked at all over, Kansas was the last on my list. “Honestly, this was the last school that I looked at. In our final Freshman Friday of the season, met up with Wahlstrom to learn about her swimming journey and her path to Kansas. (Making that move) was the best decision that I’ve ever made. They all know how to coach, but it’s the one that you make the connection with that really makes the difference. The last move wasn’t necessarily to make my swimming better, it was for me to find my love for swimming again. It was really hard to say goodbye to Foxjet just because one coach was with me from when I was 11 to 16, he was just amazing and helped me so much with my swimming. It was a really hard time in my life and that’s why we switched teams to my last one, Edina Swim Club. “Then, I peaked and it went downhill for a while. “That was the period in my life when I was getting really good,” Wahlstrom said of her time with Foxjet. When she was eight, she switched to another club, and then to Team Foxjet when she was 11. Wahlstrom was six when she started swimming competitively with South Metro Storm Swim Club, a club in Lakeville. From then on, I got into swim lessons and here I am now.” My mom was in the water and I was able to jump into the water with her, finally able to conquer my fear. I can kind of remember being scared, but my first memory that I have I was at the YMCA. “When I see a picture I almost feel like I remember, if that makes sense. “I have some pictures that show me afraid of the water,” Wahlstrom said. At a young age, she was terrified of the water. Wahlstrom was born in Targovishte, Bulgaria, and was adopted by her mother, Sara Wahlstrom, at two and half years old. The freshman from Lakeville, Minnesota, has worn caps from several different Minnesota club teams, but her journey to love the sport began before she can remember. ![]() Zoya Wahlstrom is lucky to have found her love for the sport again. Nearly every swimmer goes through varying stages of excitement and burnout throughout their career, and overcoming the adversity and continuing the love for swimming is the challenge.
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