Athlete of the week: Meaghan Kwarcinski

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Westfield's Meaghan Kwarcinski jumped onto the swimming scene as a freshman. Now a junior, she is already one of her school's all-time greats and Kwarcinski is the 22News athlete of the week.

"I think this year as a team we have a really good chance to do well at Western Mass and personally I'm really hoping to walk away with a Western Mass or maybe even a state title", says Kwarcinski.

Kwarcinski came close as a sophomore. She finished in 2nd place in two events at both the Western Mass and State meets. What makes swimming unique around here is that it is one of the few sports that the swimmers in Western Mass are as good or better than the swimmers in the rest of the state.

"It makes it more fun when you have more competition", says Kwarcinski.

The Westfield junior, who already holds five school records, says her favorite event is the 100 freestyle.

"You just have to make sure you go as fast as you possibly can, trying not to breathe and you don't want to look at your competition or anything", says Kwarcinski.

Kwarcinski swims year-round. She takes about one month off in the summer and that's it. She is hoping this will be the year she is on top of the podium after the big meets.

"Well the pressure is always there, but it makes it more exciting because you have all the people watching and you know that you've trained hard throughout the entire season and you know that you're prepared", says the Westfield junior.

Kwarcinski plans to swim in college and hopes it is at a Division One school.