SOWI athlete Alison Mushett is still on cloud nine after the Summer Games earlier this month, where she helped her relay team bring home the gold. As fast as she was before, Alison attributes some of her speed and success this year to the new prescription goggles she received through the Opening Eyes Program.
“I saw my competition and knew I had to swim hard. It was a close race and my team finished first. We won the gold! I love my prescription goggles.” – Alison Mushett
Alison attended Opening Eyes during April’s Indoor Sports Tournament in Oshkosh and received an eye examination by one of the Opening Eyes volunteers, Dr. Stephanie McCaig. Dr. McCaig, who is an optometrist and swim coach, prescribed Alison new goggles to help her see better during races. Luckily for Alison, the prescription goggles arrived just in time for the Summer Games.
Alison was ecstatic to be able to see better during her races. “I was anchor in my last race. We were in third place but when I hit the water, I could see everything with my prescription goggles,” Alison said.
Alison’s mother, Kate, was there to cheer her and her teammates on as they raced to the finish. “Alison swam so hard! It was a close race and everyone in the stands was so excited. We think it is because she had the prescription goggles and could see that she swam so well. The prescription goggles were the miracle,” Kate said.
Ginny Theisen, who serves as Alison’s swim coach, believes that the Opening Eyes Program helps athletes perform their best in sports and in life. She noticed Alison’s motivation and determination grow when she raced in the prescription goggles, particularly in the 4×50 freestyle relay. “Shortly after receiving her new prescription goggles, Alison anchored the relay and absolutely crushed it,” Alison’s coach said. “Because the goggles allowed her to see the crowd going wild, she knew something great was happening and that gave her the motivation to finish strong and blow by the competition. Pretty amazing.”
Alison competed hard in all of her events, placing second in the 4×50 meter medley relay and third in the 100-meter individual freestyle event. Alison is confident that because she was able to see her competition more clearly, she swam the fastest she has ever swam in her life. And this was most apparent in her amazing 4×50 freestyle relay come-from-behind victory, where her newfound vision helped propel her past the competition during her anchor leg.
“I saw my competition and knew I had to swim hard. It was a close race and my team finished first. We won the gold! I love my prescription goggles,” Alison said.