In the few seconds it takes you to read this sentence, Olivia Detter ’24 could have swum an entire race.
It’s no wonder why the Northwestern University commit is so speedy: She was practically born in the water.
“I learned how to swim when I was really young, like one or two,” Detter said.
By age five, she was already swimming competitively. Detter explained how she was introduced to the water early on because her mother was a synchronized swimmer.
Most five year olds, mind you, are barely learning how to tie their shoes. Detter, on the other hand, was allegedly already donning a swim cap and race goggles, pulling out some mini Michael Phelps moves.
Fast learner? Doubtful. Mermaid? Most likely.
“I think it’s just fun,” Detter said of her sport.
Without the mermaid possibility, there is no explanation as to how one could willingly swim a 150-yard butterfly. 10 times in a row. For fun.
For those who are not fluent in swimming lingo or for those who simply oppose the imperial system, this means that Detter swims 60 laps, the equivalent of 15 football fields, voluntarily.
See? Mermaid.
Well, there may perhaps be one—just one—other reason why Detter can survive the most aquatically arduous practices: Her sister Ella Detter ’25.
“It’s really nice for me to have someone,” the older Detter said of her younger sister. “We literally do everything together. It would be weird to not drive home from swim practice and gossip about our coaches with somebody.”
Since the two sisters swim different events, Detter duels are pretty infrequent. Rather than competitive, their relationship is motivating: “She’s always encouraged me to get to practice and I’ve always encouraged her.”
Big Detter will greatly miss Little Detter in college, as she’s “pretty sad that it’s only going to be a few more months of that.”
Although the countdown to college has started, there is one thing Detter is glad about.
“I’m really happy that I’m not the one-off case,” she said, referring to all of the warnings about verbal commitments.
Finally and officially in, Detter looks forward to life at Northwestern. “There is kind of a magical feeling when you get on the campus of a school that you want to go to,” she said. “Even if you’re not doing a sport there, you can see the best version of yourself being there. Don’t settle until you find that magical school.”
Now, by the time you reach the end of this article, Olivia Detter could have swum multiple races, gotten out of the pool, dried off, and have already driven home.
Or she could have just swum home—probably faster.
