When Alyssa and Haley Anderson first started swimming at local pools in Granite Bay, they never imagined their summer hobby would one day take them all the way to the London Olympics.

However, their mother had been a competitive swimmer in college, and it soon became evident that a talent for swimming ran in the Anderson blood. It wasn’t long before both girls began to swim competitively at both the national and international level, eventually landing them a spot on the U.S. Olympic swimming team. In London, Alyssa, along with the other members of her team, won gold in the 4 x 200-meter swimming freestyle relay, while Haley took home the silver in the women’s 10-kilometer open water race. The girls were thrilled with their success and the chance to represent Granite Bay and the U.S. on the global stage. “We’re both so proud of each other,” Haley says.

(Top Row) Colette and Jordan Anderson;  (Bottom Row) Haley, Randy and Alyssa Anderson

These days, both girls are nearing the end of their college careers. Haley continues to swim competitively, and whenever possible she and her sister take time out of their busy schedules to visit children in local hospitals and talk about their experiences. Although Alyssa plans to retire from competitive swimming, after graduation she hopes to inspire others to pursue their goals. “We’re not superheroes,” Alyssa says. “We just worked hard and believed in ourselves...we never put a limit on our dreams.”

For more about U.S.A. Gold Medal winners, Haley and Alyssa Anderson, and other local happenings and information, be sure to pick up this month's copy of Style – Roseville, Granite Bay, Rocklin edition. Click on the Get Your Copy link on this Web site for some of our newsstand locations; click on the Subscribe link on this Web site to become a regular subscriber, or to order a copy of this issue or one of our back issues, please email  [email protected], or call 916-988-9888.