“She is respectful of her peers and coaching staff, and she always has a smile on her face at practice and meets. She is a true team player and steps up if I need her to swim a race that is not usually one she swims,” Central Hardin swimming coach Natalie Miller said.

Miller is referring to sophomore Izzy Gorin, who has been swimming competitively since she was just eight years old. She is a member of the CHHS swim team, along with the Elizabethtown Dolphins competitive travel team.

Gorin is ranked 2nd on the CHHS team, 7th on the Elizabethtown Dolphins team, and 10th in Region 3.  In the class of 2025, she is ranked 11th in the state of Kentucky.

She specializes in swimming the 100-meter breaststroke and the 200-meter individual medley, the 100m breast being her favorite event to compete in.

Gorin’s major successes began in 2019 when she placed 7th at the state championship in the 100m breast for her age group. During her first year swimming for CHHS, Gorin snagged 2nd place in the 100m breast at the 2021 Region 3 Championship, ultimately punching a ticket to high school state as an eighth grader. 

“I’d have to say making high school state the first time I joined the team,” Gorin explained to be her biggest accomplishment.

This past season Gorin swam 3rd in the 100m breast, as well as 3rd in the 200m IM, at the 2022 Region 3 Championship, qualifying her for high school state a second time. At state, she swam a new personal record of 1:11 in the 100m breast, placing 25th.

Miller went on to credit one of Gorin’s more recent accomplishments.

“She stepped up and swam the 500-meter freestyle at a meet we attended a few weeks ago, which is an event she has not swam since like 2020,” Miller shared. “She asked how I thought she should swim the event, swam it that exact way, and ended up winning the event overall. I could have not been more proud of such an accomplishment!”

To describe Gorin in one word, Miller chose “coachable.”

“She listens to the advice I give her regarding her strokes, and she is always open to trying something different to see if it will improve her stroke/time,” Miller shared. “She takes counsel well and does not shy away from a challenge.”

Miller has big goals for the team as they are nearing the 2023 Region 3 Championship next month.

“I truly think the team is capable of placing in the top three at Regions this year and having multiple swimmers go onto the State Championships,” Miller said 

Gorin isn’t putting too much pressure on herself.

“I just kinda go with the flow honestly,” Gorin said.

You can cheer the Bruins on at Regions the weekend of Feb. 3-4 at Russell County. Gorin is one worth watching.