After an eventful few weeks in Europe, including winning five Olympic medals, seeing Taylor Swift in concert, sightseeing and a challenging journey home, Torri Huske is glad to be back in Arlington for a few days and have her life begin returning to normalcy.
“All of that was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Huske told the GazetteLeader in an exclusive Aug. 24 interview. “Winning the medals was terrific, then staying in Paris for the rest of the Olympics, watching some other events in person and being in the closing ceremonies was all fantastic.”
The main reason the 2021 Yorktown High School graduate was in Paris was for the Summer Olympic Games. The five medals she won (three golds, two silvers) for the U.S. women’s swimming team tied her for the most won by any athlete at the games. Huske won an individual gold in the 100-meter butterfly race and added two more golds by anchoring relays. Her silvers came in a relay and the 100 freestyle.
“I was having the best practices of my life just before the Olympics. So it helped to stay calm, and it was not very difficult to make the transition in the Olympic races,” Huske said. “Your goal is always to win every race, and doing that three times was awesome. That was all part of the process.”
Once her races were complete, Huske attended some Olympic track and field events and the closing ceremonies. After the games, she did some touring in Spain and London, where she attended a Taylor Swift concert, meeting some of the superstar singer’s family members.
When she tried to return home in recent days, two of her flights were canceled. So her arrival back in Arlington was delayed by a day.
Once back in Arlington, Huske was the subject of a welcome-home ceremony at the Long Bridge Park pool the afternoon of Aug. 25, compliments of the Arlington County government. She signed autographs and had her picture taken with fans.
Evan Stiles, her longtime coach at the Arlington Aquatic Club, was one of the speakers, welcoming Huske home and recognizing her Olympic achievements.
“I want to thank him so much. He has done so much for me for a long time,” Huske said.
Stiles has coached Huske since she was age 6.
“Torri has learned and she is very calculating in her individual events, and her relay swims have really improved,” Stiles told the GazetteLeader. “This is where I thought she could be. I knew she was capable.”
Torey Ortmayer was Huske’s coach at Yorktown, where she never lost an individual postseason race in four years, set many different records and led the team to district, region and state championships.
“Torri was the best swimmer on the U.S. [women’s] Olympic team,” Ortmayer said. “What I saw was Torri kept getting better and more competitive as the meet went on. I think after she won the butterfly, that took away any stress or anxiety she might have had for the meet. She has come so far.”
The welcome-home event also was a fund-raiser for the Arlington Food Assistance Center.
After a few days at home, Huske will return to college at Stanford University, where the design major is a member of the women’s swimming team and a standout NCAA performer.
Huske also planned to return to the pool for a practice session or two while in Arlington at the Arlington Aquatic Club.
“I haven’t touched a pool since my last event at the Olympics,” Huske said. “I need to stay in shape.”
Looking ahead four years to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Huske wants to participate in those games.
“It would be so fun to swim in front of our own country’s fans,” she said.
