Race Coverage

"...A Big Deal"...

Friday, 04 July 2025 00:10

By Linda Williams

Abby Williams, 17,  from Winona, MN made her debut in the Sprint Trinona on Sunday, June 8, 2025, finishing on top of the podium for her age group.  

Though this may not seem like a big deal to some, to Abby and her family it was a day of great pride and accomplishment.  

In February of 2024, in the last regular season basketball game before section playoffs, Abby tore her ACL and meniscus.  Abby had surgery in March of 2024 to repair these injuries.  

Abby’s recovery was not easy.  She worked extremely hard and by the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year she was back in the pool (with restrictions) with her teammates where she CO-OP’s with the Winona Senior High-Cotter Swim and Dive Team.  Abby has been a member of the varsity team since 7th grade.   

Abby continued to strengthen her knee through PT and weight room workouts.  Abby was cleared late in the swim season to swim her signature stroke: the breast stroke, which she holds the school record in.  After only swimming this stroke two times before the section meet, she retained her section title in both the 100 yard breast stroke and the 200 IM (individual medley) and earned a trip to the MN State High School Swim And Dive Tournament. Abby finished 5th in both of her events...

Though she was not cleared to play basketball this past season, she continued to swim and concentrate on weight training.  

Once she was cleared to participate in all activities, Abby decided to register for the 2025 Trinona.  The race gave her the opportunity to compete in three different events, which, for months,  her injury had prevented her from participating in.  Notably, Abby had participated in the Sprint relay with her mom 2 years ago, and being cleared from her injury prompted Abby to set a new goal for herself:  competing the race individually.   

Not only did Abby finish Trinona, but her finish atop her age group podium shows her ultimate comeback from her injury; a torn ACL and meniscus wasn’t going to stop her.    

When asked after the race how she liked it, she said it was fun and  she loved hearing people who she knew cheering her on! Finishing the race was the cherry on top of a successful recovery.