[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 134 (Friday, July 30, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E864]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING KARISSA SCHWEIZER AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 30, 2021

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in recognizing Karissa Schweizer, Cross 
Country Runner and Tokyo Olympian, as our Iowan of the Week.
  Schweizer has been excited about the Olympics since she was a high 
school runner at Dowling Catholic High School. The Urbandale native had 
the opportunity to see Jenny Simpson, an Iowan and Olympic gold 
medalist, run her victory lap at Drake University's blue oval.
  Schweizer spent much of her high school running career in the shadows 
of other high school athletes. Although Schweizer was talented, the 
attention was on the best-known runners in Dowling Catholic history, 
Katie, and Betsy Flood. She was only noticed by colleges she had 
reached out to, not by athletic recruiters who were interested in her.
  During a fateful Subway stop, Schweizer and her father ran into Coach 
Brett Halter and his Missouri Tigers team. Schweizer's father, Mike, 
introduced himself to Coach Halter and encouraged him to watch his 
daughter run. The Missouri staff watched Schweizer run that day and 
then encouraged her to visit the University of Missouri in Columbia.
  Schweizer quickly became a track star for Missouri's program. During 
her freshman year, she was honored as an SEC Freshman of the Year and 
set records for indoor track for the program. She continued to run 
faster and set even more records throughout her college career. She won 
two national titles during her time at Missouri and became the first 
woman from Missouri's program to qualify for the Olympics since 1996. 
Schweizer is the most decorated athlete in the school's history.
  After Schweizers collegiate running career, she ran professionally 
for Bowerman Track Club in Portland, Oregon. She set a new American 
record in the indoor 3,000 meter by over seven seconds.
  Karissa Schweizer will make her Olympic debut in Tokyo on Friday, 
July 30. She qualified for the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter runs. 
Karissa's Iowa roots, come across in the way she carries herself, 
trains, and represents our great country and it is my honor to name 
Karissa Schweizer as our Iowan of the Week. We are so proud of Karissa. 
We'll be cheering her on back home.

                          ____________________