Missy Franklin and Hayes Johnson Announce the Birth of Their First Child

Originally posted August 12, 2021

When swimming legend Missy Franklin retired in 2018, she said that “I began to realize that my greatest dream in life, more so than Olympic gold, has always been becoming a mom.” Yesterday, that dream became a reality. Missy Franklin announced through an Instagram post that she gave birth to her and husband Hayes Johnson‘s first child on August 11th.

In the post, Franklin writes that “Sarah Caitlin Johnson made her entrance into the world on August 11th at 4:17am.” She adds that baby Sarah shares a birthday with Franklin’s father, and is named after a “special person” in Hayes’ family.

See Franklin’s Instagram post below:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Missy Franklin Johnson (@missyfranklin88)

Missy is one of top female American swimmers of all-time. She put up a historic performance at the 2012 Olympics in London, winning Gold in the women’s 100 and 200 back, setting the World Record in the latter. That World Record would stand for 7 years. Additionally, she won Gold in the women’s 800 free relay and 400 medley relay, as well as Bronze in the women’s 400 free relay. She also took 4th in the 200 free and 5th in the 100 free. She accomplished all of that at just 17 years of age.

She then went on to win another Olympic Gold, swimming on the Rio 2016 women’s 800 free relay. In addition to her Olympic success, Franklin won 16 World Championships medals between 2011, 2013, and 2015 World Champs, 11 of which were Gold.

Franklin also attended Cal, where she had one of the all-time greatest NCAA careers, despite only competing collegiately for 2 seasons. In her sophomore season, Franklin won all 3 of her individual events, and became the first woman ever to break 1:40 in the SCY 200 free.

Hayes Johnson swam collegiately for Texas, racing for the team at NCAA Championships in both 2009 and 2010. Johnson’s top national ranking came in his freshman year when he finished 20th in the 200 backstroke at NCAAs with a 1:42.18. Johnson raced at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Trials, along with the 2009 World Championships trials.

Prior to his collegiate career, Johnson raced at the 2008 FINA World Junior Championships where he just missed the 200 backstroke podium, hitting a 2:01.18 for fourth.