Picture a young boy, barely 6, plunging into the pool for the first time in a summer league. Fast forward to the present, and that same boy, now sophomore Wenxu Yin, is making waves in the swimming scene — his willingness to succeed and desire to win has earned him accolades and inspired his teammates.

A typical day for Wenxu involves either an afternoon practice or a 5 a.m. session. Wenxu has maintained a 4.2 GPA on a 4.3 scale and, at the same time, has excelled in swimming with consistent top performances in competitive meets.

“I make sure that I study before a large competition so I have no work I need to catch up on,” Wenxu said. “During the school day, the library’s my sanctuary. It’s the only place I can escape the constant buzz of activities and get some work done.”

As a disciplined student-athlete, Wenxu has excelled in swimming. This season, he clocked 53.12 seconds in the 100 butterfly event at the Missouri State Championships, earning an All-State award from the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA). This achievement is not his first triumph; as a freshman, he won gold in all four events at the Conference Championships. His signature stroke, the butterfly, led him to place third in the 2022 Ozark Division I Championships at 14, completing the race in 57.77 seconds.

“[The Ozark Championships] was sort of the turning point of my career,” Wenxu said. “Many times throughout my career, I wanted to quit swimming because I hated it. Sometimes, practices became unbearable, or there were things that interested me more than swimming. But eventually, I’d get back to [swimming]. I grew more serious about swimming after [the Ozark Championships]. The pool became almost like a second home. I found myself craving the rhythm of laps, enjoying those early mornings and late nights at the pool and focusing even more on my technique,” Wenxu said.

Teammate Leo Zhu knows firsthand the level of Wenxu’s self-driven tenacity and skill in the pool. Having competed against him, Zhu has a unique perspective on Wenxu’s abilities.

“In the few matchups I’ve had against Wenxu, I can say, with total confidence, that each experience was humiliating. He’s too fast,” Zhu said. “Wenxu is tireless in his pursuit of winning. When he races against somebody, he makes it his mission to beat them at all costs. He constantly monitors his closest competitors and ensures he’s in front of them, adjusting his speed accordingly even when he’s tired.”

Wenxu’s triumphs in the pool are not just a testament to his determination and skill but also a reflection of the support and camaraderie provided by his teammates. Their mutual encouragement and shared passion for the sport have served as a powerful catalyst for Wenxu’s performances.

“I have competed against Wenxu. Although we seem quite competitive, we respect each other,” team captain and junior Casey Chu said. “When one of us does well, we always congratulate each other. With self-motivation, it’s all about you. You’re the one pushing yourself. But with team motivation, it’s about something bigger than yourself. It’s about feeling like we’re all in this together. And that’s something that Wenxu has embraced over the years.”

“As Wenxu continues to progress in the sport, he motivates his peers to push for greater heights. People have found motivation from simply watching him compete. He improves the entire team by training and competing like he always does,” Duan said.

As Wenxu reflects on his record of 40 swimming competitions — excluding 17 school meets this past season — he is considering how his relationship with the sport might deviate.

Wenxu is planning on swimming for college if they have a swim team.

“It could also become less of a passion sport and more of a means to stay fit. If I still swim in a college club, it will remain a passion sport, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be just exercise,” Wenxu said.

Wenxu is also open to the evolution of his relationship with swimming.

“I’m excited to see where swimming takes me. Whether it remains a passion that fuels me or becomes a source of lifelong fitness, I know that swimming will always continue to enrich my life.”

This story was originally published on The Globe on December 11, 2023.