The judge would ultimately decide what happened to her. She waited with bated breath, then all she could do was watch as her win slipped from her fingers.
Both she and her coach were in shock. She had worked hard to train, but it had all been in vain. She had no control over what had occurred, but she was nevertheless disqualified. Her outfit didn't look out of place at all.
Water Child
Breckynn Willis adored the water more than most. She was something of a water baby growing up and now was unable to spend a day without swimming and exercising.
Willis already had lofty goals of receiving a scholarship and someday competing in the Olympics when he was just 17 years old. She thus participated in all tournaments that she could. But she was unaware that things would ultimately go horribly wrong.
At Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska, Breckynn was one of the team's top swimmers. She put forth a lot of effort and possessed a gift that others admired!
Breckynn was a well-liked kid who was close with most of the instructors at school and had a large group of friends. Everyone adored her, but jealousy frequently grows in situations when there is a lot of affection.
People Staring
Visitors and employees eagerly gathered in the stands near the pool to watch the competition in the indoor space that reeked of chlorine.
She cherished the rush she had when her name was called to compete in her strongest race, the 100-meter freestyle. But one of the judges was giving her a bit too close of a look.
A Stunning Display
She was ready as soon as the whistle screeched. Her entire body was prepared for what was about to happen. For her, it came as a natural response.
She felt she did it wonderfully. Resurfacing at the pool's edge, she lifted herself out and used a towel to dry herself off.
Disqualified
"Breckynn Willis of Diamond High School is disqualified," She heard as she dried herself off. How was that possible?
What she had just heard was so unbelievable to her. She kept hearing the words. Was this actually taking place? She turned to her coach for clarification, but he was just as perplexed as she was.
Heated Argument
Her coach, Lauren Langly, approached the official with fervor in her eyes. If it were her final act, she would force the truth from him.
After the referee pointed at her, she had to take a step back and turn to look at Breckynn. What had the judge said to her? She felt as though she had been smacked across the face.
This Can't Be Real
It was only then that she heard, "You can't be serious." She was forced to stop watching helplessly. Breckynn was perplexed, and that is an understatement.
Throughout the swim, she hadn't earned any infractions. The referee's scowling expression made it evident that something was awry, but she was unable to guess what it was.
Going Closer
Breckynn could hear bits of the referee's conversation as she approached her to confront her. She felt her cheeks start to flush a crimson red.
The woman's face contorted in distaste as she said, "The girl's bikini was so high up I could see her butt cheeks." Breckynn was now in earshot as they saw her approach.
Wardrobe Malfunction
Her coach told her, "Let's go." She questioned, "What happened? Here is when things started to become very strange.
The girl was apparently disqualified from the competition because the referee thought she was exposing too much of her body and believed she had purposely done it to be more revealing. But it didn't end there.
Identical Outfits
Everyone else saw that every female was sporting an identical outfit, including Breckynn. Why was she singled out?
It wasn't on purpose, and a lot of swimmers experienced it. Everyone experiences a "swimmer's wedgie," as they are known. Even experienced swimmers are aware of the sensation and the discomfort. No one would purposefully do this. The actual cause, though, would soon become apparent.
Taking Action
After the ruling, Coach Lauren Langford went to social media and lodged a formal complaint with the Alaska School Activities Association.
The answer, however, was just as bad as the original complaint. Breckynn, it turns out, was being specially targeted by the referee for a rather disgusting reason.
One Size Doesn't Fit All
Not only was the girl curvier than the other teammates, but she was also of mixed-race heritage.
It might seem impossible to spot for most people, but it was sadly believable when the details came to light. The facts ended up being undisputable and caused a massive blast of outrage. Why?
Sister Experienced It Too
Everyone wore standard uniform suits, two other girls looked very similar to her, and her 100m freestyle execution was excellent.
Her sister, and fellow swimmer, ended up being the key to the situation. No other team member had been kicked out for appearance reasons, but she and her sister had when they understood why everyone involved was furious.
Injustice
Coach Lauren Langford was seething when she spoke to KTUU: "The rest of her team was wearing the same uniform, and she was the only one disqualified. I think she has been targeted and singled out over the last year."
The disqualification, according to referee Jill Blackstone, was due to a new "modesty rule." She would never forget what they had done to her.