As University of Akron swimmer Grace Nuhfer pursued a world record last week in Sacramento, California, she thought about the people she inspires.
"I was fighting through the end of that race, and in my head, I was like, 'This isn't for me,'" Nuhfer told the Beacon Journal on Thursday at UA's Ocasek Natatorium.
Fueled by a cause greater than individual accolades, Nuhfer set a world record in the S13 200-meter butterfly April 4 with a time of 2:22.78 during the TYR Pro Swim Series.
The milestone occurred a little more than seven months after Nuhfer represented the United States and won a silver medal in the S13 100 butterfly (1:03.88) at the Paralympic Games Aug. 29 in France.
"When people say representation matters, representation matters so, so much," Nuhfer said.
Nuhfer, 22, is visually impaired as a result of being born with a type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome known as brittle cornea syndrome. The genetic connective tissue disorder causes the cornea to be thin, fragile and prone to rupture.
Hypermobile or loose joints is another common feature of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Nuhfer explained she has suffered more than 20 ankle sprains throughout her four seasons with the Zips.
