Article Contributed on: 7/16/2009 12:00:01 PM
Vienna, Austria - July 11, 2009 - Darby Shockley, 14, won the Silver Medal for the 100 meter butterfly in her age bracket at the World Sports Festival in Vienna.
Her time in the Olympic pool at the Sports Center "Suedstadt" was 01:18,04. She shared the awards podium with Hungarian Julianna Kupi (Gold) and Austrian Lisa Wurzer (Bronze). Darby's time was just 1.06 seconds behind Ms. Kupi.
The World Sports Festival is one of the largest youth sports events in Europe. The four-day festival involved over 4000 athletes representing 23 nations in the annual competition. Darby was competing as a Sports Ambassador for People to People International.
People to People International (Spokane, Washington) was founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It provides an opportunity for direct interaction between citizens from around the world and promotes cultural understanding and world peace.
The butterfly stroke is the newest swimming style competition, first swum in 1933. It is the fastest style regulated by Fédération Internationale deNatation (FINA), the international federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Many consider it the most difficult stroke in swimming.
The 50 meter long pool is the Olympic standard. Electronic timekeeping and professional referees at the Suedstadt guaranteed correct procedures in accordance with the rules of the Austrian Swimming Association.
Darby also competed in the 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 200mbackstroke, 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 50mbutterfly, 200m individual medley, 4x100m medley relay, and 8x50m freestyle mixed relay (a combined team of boys and girls from the USA and Germany that Darby organized).
Darby is a Denver native. She is entering the ninth grade at Colorado Academy. Darby swims for the University of Denver and the Bear Creek Swim Club.