After earning top 10 national honors in swimming events in the beginning of October, Apopka’s Kiera Druck battled through her conference, district and regional tournaments, punching her ticket into the state championships on Nov 14. at FAST in Ocala. 

Druck, a 14-year-old freshman swimming for Lake Brantley, qualified for two individual events, the 200- and 500-yard freestyle. Her relay team also made it, giving her two more events to compete in. Her opening rankings for the preliminary round of the championships were 10th for the 200, and sixth for the 500. 

Druck came out red hot in the morning prelims. She placed sixth out of 24 in the 200 free, setting a personal best with 1:51.57. The placement saved her a spot in the championship finals later that day. The time earned her a futures cut, qualifying her for the Futures Championship, a national level meet by USA Swimming. 

She finished ninth in the 500 free, one spot outside of the championship but enough for the consolation finals. She helped her relay team finish fifth in the 200 and 16^th in the 400, enough for the championship and consolation finals. 

After the four morning events, Druck found herself competing among the best swimmers in Florida for four more events in the evening finals. She said she has started to feel more comfortable competing with older, high-level swimmers. 

“My friend is a junior who I’ve been competing with this whole time, and she’s always reminding me, like, I’m doing this and it’s insane to be as fast as juniors and seniors,” she said. “I think I do really well controlling my nerves when it comes to looking at older swimmers – I know they’re not always going to be faster.” 

Druck entered the night as the only freshman in her individual events. She finished eighth in the 200 free championship with a time of 1:53.73, to put her on the podium. In the 500 free consolation, she finished second with a time of 5:00.95 putting her 10th place in the state, but she had the eighth best time out of both groups. 

Druck, holding herself to the highest standards, feels like she can bring more. 

“I think I probably could have done better,” she said. “I didn’t feel great, but it was good for being just a freshman. I kept getting reminded that I have three more years of high school, and that I did good for my age at this level of competition, but just a little upset that I could’ve done a little better.” 

The relays took place after the individual races. In the 200 free championship final, Druck and her Lake Brantley team finished sixth, clocking a time of 1:38.46. In the 400 free consolation final, they placed sixth with a time of 3:40.25. 

Druck’s parents, Kristin and Steven Druck, are in awe of what their daughter is accomplishing. 

“She killed it, I’m extremely proud of her,” Kristin said. “This is her first year at a high school swim meet. Now she’s got three more and knows what it takes to compete here… She hit her goal – get to the finals in all her events – and she did it. To me, it’s a great success.” 

“Just the stuff she does is amazing,” father Steven Druck said. “To see her come in and do what she did in both events, just insane. It makes me jealous.” 

On Oct. 29, Druck captured gold in her district. She placed first in both the 200- and 500-yard freestyle, setting not only personal bests, but freshman records for Lake Brantley. In the 200 free she posted a time of 1:52.43, and in the 500 free she clocked in at 4:59.19. 

Druck continued to collect medals in the regional meet. She placed third in the 200, then first in the 500 setting another, then-personal best and high school freshman record with a time of 4:57.93.  

These placements sent Druck to compete with the best of the best in the state tournament. 

As for the bright future ahead for Druck, she and her family are ready to come back for the next three years to strive for even higher achievements.  

“This is our life at this point,” said the parents in happy laughter. “This is just what we do. She loves it, so we support her every inch of the way. This is her passion, so we’re in for the long haul.” 

An offseason for Druck just doesn’t exist. It is 12 months a year of swimming, training and getting better. Keira knows she’s in a good spot and has plenty of time to continue raising the bar.  

“I’m ready for these next years,” she said. “I know I could do much better placement and time wise, especially by the time I’m a senior.” 

See more photos below!