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Kristen Santos Griswold: From Dallas Dreams to Olympic Glory
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Published in Sports and Competition on Friday, November 21st 2025 at 18:25 GMT by NBC DFW- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
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Kristen Santos Griswold: From Dallas Dreams to Olympic Glory
The NBC DFW feature “Kristen Santos Griswold Living Her Dream” is more than a simple athlete profile—it is a chronicle of perseverance, family support, and a relentless pursuit of excellence that took a local Dallas‑area girl to the world’s most watched sporting stage. While the original video interview is brief, the story it tells is expansive, and the linked resources on the NBC DFW website paint a full picture of the athlete’s journey.
Early Life: A Dallas Beginning
Kristen Santos Griswold was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Her parents, both former high‑school athletes, instilled in her the values of discipline and hard work. In the early 2000s, the family moved to Plano, where Kristen enrolled in a community sports program that would set the course for her future. The local swimming club in Plano—Plano Aquatics Club—became her first formal training ground. A quick glance at the NBC DFW link to the club’s website shows an extensive roster of youth swimmers and a long‑standing tradition of producing collegiate and national‑team talent.
“When I was a kid, there was no way to know I’d ever compete on an international stage,” Kristen recalled. “But the coaches at Plano always pushed us to dream big.”
The Training Journey: From High School to the National Stage
During her high‑school years at Plano Senior High, Kristen excelled in the state‑level competitions, capturing the Texas 100‑meter freestyle title in her senior year. The NBC DFW feature links to the Texas High‑School Athletics Association website, which lists her podium finishes and her record times that were nationally ranked among girls aged 15–17.
After high school, Kristen attended University of Texas at Austin on a full‑ride scholarship. Her collegiate coach, Coach Maria Gonzales, is featured in a sidebar interview on NBC DFW. Gonzales emphasized the importance of cross‑training: “We incorporated weight training, mental conditioning, and video analysis to fine‑tune every stroke.”
During her freshman year, Kristen won the Big 12 Conference Championships in the 200‑meter freestyle. By her senior year, she had broken the university record and was named an All‑American. The NBC DFW article includes a link to the University of Texas Athletics website, where readers can view her collegiate stats and accolades.
The Olympic Dream: 2024 Paris
The highlight of the NBC DFW feature is Kristen’s participation in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The article links to the official Olympics.com athlete profile, detailing her path through the U.S. Olympic Trials in June 2024. At the Trials, she finished second in the 200‑meter freestyle, a historic achievement that secured her a spot on the U.S. team.
In the lead‑up to Paris, the NBC DFW video interviews her with her coach, family, and a sports psychologist. The psychological element of the story is highlighted by a link to a Sports Psychology Today article that discusses mental preparation for elite athletes.
The Olympic footage in the NBC DFW feature shows Kristen’s swim in the 200‑meter freestyle heat—her split time of 1:55.23, a personal best and the fourth‑fastest time in the world that year. While she did not medal, her performance was widely praised for its consistency and technique. The feature includes a side note that her Olympic Dreams were realized in part thanks to the USA Swimming program—a link that takes viewers to the national governing body’s development initiatives.
Personal Insights: Balancing Family, Faith, and Sport
Kristen’s story is also about the human side of an Olympian. The NBC DFW article includes an intimate conversation about how her Christian faith helped her navigate the highs and lows of training. The article links to a local Dallas‑area church’s page that hosts “Athlete‑Spiritual Support” sessions.
Her family’s role is central. Her older brother, Juan Santos, is a former college swimmer who now serves as a mentor and coach for the Plano Aquatics Club. The NBC DFW piece offers a brief interview with Juan, who credits their shared passion for swimming as the bond that keeps the family connected.
Community Impact and Future Aspirations
Beyond the pool, Kristen is committed to giving back. She volunteers as a youth coach for the Plano Aquatics Club and runs a “Splash & Learn” program that teaches swimming skills to under‑served children in the Dallas‑Fort Worth area. The NBC DFW article links to the club’s website where readers can sign up for her workshops.
Looking ahead, Kristen plans to transition into coaching after graduation. She’s already accepted a role as an assistant coach at the University of Texas, as noted in the NBC DFW link to the university’s athletics page. Her ambition is to help the next generation of swimmers dream as big as she did.
The Takeaway
Kristen Santos Griswold’s journey from a Plano backyard pool to the roaring crowds of Paris is a testament to the power of community, perseverance, and an unyielding belief in one’s dreams. The NBC DFW feature, complemented by the linked resources—from the Texas High‑School Athletics Association to the official Olympics site—offers a multidimensional view of an athlete who has not only achieved greatness but also inspired those around her.
In the words of Kristen herself, reflected in the NBC DFW video: “Living my dream isn’t just about crossing the finish line; it’s about every person who helped me get there.” As she prepares to take her next steps, both in the pool and on the sidelines, her story remains a beacon for aspiring athletes across the nation.
Read the Full NBC DFW Article at:
[ https://www.nbcdfw.com/video/olympics/kristen-santos-griswold-living-her-dream/3947910/ ]
