Into the Mist

For a summer project, we gave sportswriters 900 words and a theme: freedom.

For a summer project, we gave sportswriters 900 words and a theme: freedom.

Into the Mist by David W. Chen

Christopher Gregory for The New York Times

Christopher Gregory for The New York Times

GARDINER, N.Y. — In the run-up to the 2016 Olympics, Vinny Marciano was one of America’s best young swimmers and a contender for future Games.

During one meet, Marciano shattered five records for boys ages 11 to 12. As a high school freshman, he won New Jersey’s 100-yard freestyle championship and missed the U.S. Olympic trials by just 0.27 seconds in the 100-meter backstroke. He was a prodigy, mentioned in the same breath as Michael Phelps and Ryan Murphy.

Then, as quietly as mist rising from a pool, he disappeared. He entered no races after December 2017, made no college commitment, quit updating his swim-saturated Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Where did he go?