Statesboro High School swimmer Olivia Stewart made a splash this year when she signed with Auburn. The Lady Tigers have won five national championships since 2000 and Stewart was excited to get to campus and begin her collegiate career.

 Earlier this month Stewart had to make an unexpected detour as she shaved two-seconds off her career-best 1:12:04 time in the 100-breastroke and qualified for the 2024 Olympic Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Stewart had 13 attempts over a two-week period in Athens to trim her time to under the mandated 1:10:29 needed to qualify for the Olympic Trials. After failing her first 12 times, the 13th time proved to be the lucky one for her as she finished at 1:10:13.

“It was a little stressful knowing that was my final attempt,” Stewart said. “When I hit the wall to finish, I could hear everyone cheering for me, and it was super loud and I knew I did it. It was a great feeling knowing all my hard work paid off.”

Stewart has been with the Aiken/Augusta swim league for her entire high school career and despite relocating with her family from Augusta to Statesboro she never missed a practice. Her coach Greg Gillette said she went to him at the end of the school year with the dream to make it to the Olympic trials. Gillette said trimming two seconds off her time was quite an accomplishment.

 “Two years ago, this wasn’t even a thought for her,” Gillette said. “Two seconds is really a lot more time than you’d think. That is like two body lengths. For most kids that 12 times of failing would wear on them and get them into a negative head space. She never wavered and was enthusiastic the whole time.”

Having qualified, Stewart was one of nearly one thousand swimmers competing for 52 spots at Lucas Oil Stadium. In her event only two swimmers would make the final Olympic team. Stewart was able to finish in the top 50 in the 100-breaststroke out of 78 swimmers which she says was an unbelievable experience.

“The building was huge and the whole atmosphere was more than I have ever experienced,” Stewart said. “I went in ranked 71 out of 78 and I ended up placing 49. The facility was amazing and the pictures don’t do it justice. The crowds were huge and it was cool to stay there at night and see some of the fastest swimmers in the world compete.”

Stewart is the daughter of Todd and Beth Stewart of Statesboro. Todd was the starting quarterback at Statesboro High where he graduated in 1991 and signed with Western Carolina. The family moved Olivia to Auburn this week and she is excited about getting her collegiate career underway.

“The college season doesn’t start until the end of August and beginning of September,” Stewart said. “I will have a chance to get there early. It is a great facility and we compete against some of the top schools in the country. I know a couple girl’s who are in my class and I saw a couple of the returning swimmers who were also at the Olympic Trials with me. I can’t wait to get the season underway.”