After becoming the second Bahamian female swimmer to ever qualify for the Olympics in 2008, Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace has continued to break records.
Vanderpool-Wallace set records at the 2009 World Championship in Rome, Italy, received various honors at both the 2009 and 2010 NCAA Championship and won two gold medals at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games.
However, she said her greatest accomplishment was winning the bronze medal at the 2010 FINA Short Course World Championships in Dubai.
"It was my first international medal," Vanderpool-Wallace said. "It was kind of a shock."
To the people around her, this accomplishment comes as no surprise.
Frank Bradley, Auburn's associate head coach, attributes Vanderpool-Wallace's success to her dedication to the sport.
"Her ability to train at a high level every day and her willingness to make adjustments puts her at the highest level of competition," Bradley said.
Aside from her determination, Vanderpool-Wallace said her inspiration to succeed well comes from her family.
"My family has supported me throughout everything- through the ups and the downs," Vanderpool-Wallace said.
Her mom, who was also a swimmer, sparked her interest in swimming.
She was 15 years old when she left the Bahamas to attend high school in Florida to continue swimming.
"Swimming in the Bahamas isn't as big as it is here," Vanderpool-Wallace said. "I went to boarding school in Florida and came to Auburn just so I could have people to train with."
Despite her many accomplishments, the road to success has not been easily traveled.
Vanderpool-Wallace said she sticks to a strict diet, gets very little free time and only visits her family twice a year.
When she does get a chance to go home, she visits with friends and family.
"I try to get to see them as much as I can," Vanderpool-Wallace said.
Despite the strict lifestyle swimming has created, she never forgets to reward herself after a particularly strenuous meet.
"I love ice cream," Vanderpool-Wallace said. "I'm not a chocolate fan, I'm an ice cream person."
Bradley said Vanderpool-Wallace remains very balanced throughout it all her hard work.
"[She] is a very complete package with room for improvement," Bradley said. "She is what you look for in an athlete."
Vanderpool-Wallace looks forward to the Southeastern Conference, NCAA, International Championships and Pan American games and trying to qualify for the Olympics again.
She said she even dreams of one day swimming in Australia.
After she decides to retire from swimming, Vanderpool-Wallace said she hopes to try something different.
"I would like to go into event planning," Vanderpool-Wallace said.
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