Caroline Entsminger of Wake is training almost daily in the pool at the Northern Neck Family YMCA in Kilmarnock in preparation to compete in this month’s US Paralympics in Cincinnati.
Entsminger was born with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), which is a rare genetic condition that affects many different areas of the body, reported YMCA board member John Norton. OI mainly impacts the body’s bones, collagen production, muscle tone/strength and respiratory system. There is a range of severity with OI from mild to severe impacts on a person’s life.
Entsminger started swimming with the Deltaville swim team in summer 2022 using a kickboard. She took to the water like a duck and by that fall she was a valuable member of the Northern Neck Pirates swim team, he said. She’s been swimming year round since.
