NOTEBOOK
Flaherty is often asked about her unusual given name, which is Michael.
“It is not because my parents wanted a boy,” she said.
“If I was a boy, I would be Patrick. Besides, it is not a unique name; millions of guys have it. It is annoying when people ask me if my parents are weird. I tell them, ‘No, my parents are normal.’ ”
Exceedingly so, it seems. They are at the opposite end of the pushy swimming parent spectrum.
“My parents don’t know anything about swimming,” Flaherty said. “They have no idea what a good time is.”
The Associated Press contributed to this notebook.
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