A Busy Fall Saw Mei White Change Schools, Defend Her Parapan Ams Title. Up Next: Paris

When Mei White emerged from the water after the women’s 100-meter breaststroke SB8 at November’s Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile, she turned to the scoreboard and couldn’t believe her eyes. White had been disqualified.

The 100 breaststroke is White’s best event. She was shooting for her second straight Parapan Ams gold medal in the event and had touched the wall four seconds ahead of the second-place swimmer.

“I did really well, and my time was great,” said White, who finished in 1 minute, 32.84 seconds. “I knew I did not make a mistake. They said that I did a butterfly kick going into my breaststroke turn on the way down, on the 50. I do not do those silly mistakes.

“I was a complete wreck. I was crying, and I was so mad.”

Team USA officials appealed the ruling, and video evidence led to the disqualification being overturned. The gold medal was hers.

It was another obstacle cleared by White at the event. She also had tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after arriving in Santiago.

“Originally, I thought I couldn’t compete,” she said.

White, a 19-year-old from Athens, Georgia, had to test negative and quarantine. That meant no training while she was there.

“My goals switched,” White said. “I just want to make finals in anything. That’s all.

“I did a lot better than I thought I was going to do, so I was very proud with how I did.”

In addition to the 100 breaststroke gold medal, White collected a bronze medal in the 400 freestyle S9.

White passed on December’s U.S. championships in Orlando, Florida, to focus on her first semester after transferring from Emmanuel College to the University of Lynchburg in Virginia, where she’s a sophomore exercise physiology major and a varsity swimmer for the Div. III team.

“I ended up deciding not to go (to Orlando),” she said. “I really am sad I couldn’t go, though.”

Competing for Lynchburg, White — an above-knee amputee who was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency of her right leg — set an American record in the 100 breaststroke SB8. She also owns the American mark in the 50-yard breaststroke.

“Not a lot of schools want to bring in a disabled athlete, so to speak, just because it’s different and it’s new, and they’re not used to it,” she said. “They don’t know how it works. I’m so incredibly thankful for the opportunity.

“My classes have gone well. I just finished up my finals. Our season has gone really well.”

Her mother had gotten White involved in swimming as a child for physical therapy. Then they found an adaptive swim team program.

“Fourteen, 15 years later, here I am, making my way to the top,” White said. “It’s so crazy how time has gone by.”

White made her Paralympic Games debut in Tokyo two years ago, swimming the 100 breaststroke. She was originally an alternate but was elevated to Team USA when another swimmer dropped out.

“That gave me a huge opportunity to step up for Team USA,” said White, adding that she wants to earn a clear-cut roster spot for the Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

“It’s definitely going to be a lot of work,” she said. “I’ve been putting in time, focusing on technique and working on power and strength and my endurance, just so I can make it on the roster and hopefully get on that team and bring back some medals, maybe. I think right now it’s definitely going where it needs to go.”

White pointed out that she has battled health issues in recent years.

“I wasn’t fully able to get into training probably until I got to Lynchburg,” she said. “My coaches have been so incredible with getting me back in shape, bringing my endurance up. My times are coming down.”

Rather than setting long-term goals, White focuses on being fit, happy and achieving things in the pool.

“I think, right now, I just really want to keep doing what I’m doing,” White said. “I love the sport. It’s a way for me to get out of the world and get out of my head and just not think about anything. And I don’t want to lose that.

“I feel like I’ve been given a great opportunity to step up and train probably the hardest I have in a really long time since I’ve gotten healthier.”

Bob Reinert spent 17 years writing sports for The Boston Globe. He also served as a sports information director at Saint Anselm College and Phillips Exeter Academy. He is a contributor to usparaswimming.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.