They say the waiting is the hardest part. And Republic swimmer Noah Marshall has been doing a lot of waiting during the last two weeks. But his wait will end today, when he competes in the Class 1 state swim meet in St. Peters.
Marshall posted what’s known as a provisional time in the 200-yard individual medley. That meant he wasn’t sure whether he would be among the top 32 swimmers to qualify for State. He found out a few days ago that he made the cut.
“It felt like the longest week of my life waiting to know if I qualified or not. After I got a best time in the 200 IM, I knew what place I was in, and I just had to wait and see if I made it for state or not,” he said.
Marshall helped pull together the rest of the swim team for the 2023 season, encouraging several friends to join the squad. He missed several meets because of an injury, but still finished strong while serving as a leader of the group.
“I feel like every swim season is very different, but this year went by really fast for me,” he said. “It has been a really fun season, and I enjoyed swimming with my team, and having all the support from my team and my friends and family.”
As he prepares to swim in the preliminary round this afternoon, he’s focused on self-improvement and enjoying the experience.
“I am very happy I qualified, and I’m really excited and nervous to swim,” he said. “I am hoping to go out and swim hard and drop some time. I am excited to represent my school today.”