U.S. Olympic Swimmer & Aurora, Colorado Native Missy Franklin On Winning Gold: 'Pinch Me'

The U.S. Olympic swimmers are already tearing up the water — and it's not just Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte that are the names on everyone's lips. Not only did Matt Grevers, who hails from Lake Forest, Illinois, take home the gold in the men's 100m backstroke, but Aurora, Colorado's own Missy Franklin, who has been getting her share of media attention for her large, powerful frame and her tender age of 17, has now nabbed the gold medal for the women's 100m backstroke event, as well.

"I just saw that board and saw that number one, and after thinking about it and imagining it … happening for so long, it doesn't seem real," Missy said of the moment when she emerged from the water to discover that she had placed first at a gold-winning, American record-breaking time of 58.33 seconds, reports NPR. "You've dreamed about it so often that you still feel like you're dreaming. I still feel like someone needs to pinch me."

As Franklin stood at the pinnacle of the medals podium, she tried to sing the National Anthem that played in honor of her nation, but "I forgot the words," she said, "because I didn't know what I was doing."

There were also the victims from the tragic Aurora shootings to think about — something that Franklin addressed last week in an interview with NBC's Today in which Matt Lauer called her "one of the breakout stars of these games."

"My thoughts and prayers are constantly with the victims of Aurora and anyone else affected. Hearing that news was so hard … and kind of waiting to hear from all my friends and family to make sure they were okay was just miserable," she said. "The only thing I can do to make that situation any better is put my focus here and maybe shine some light on Colorado and make them proud."

Minutes before winning the gold for the U.S. for the 100m backstroke, Franklin also qualified for the 200m freestyle swimming event, which will occur tonight. Franklin's Olympic schedule is an insanely busy one. By the end of the Olympics, Franklin will have competed in seven events at the 2012 games, more than any American female swimmer at the Olympics before her, reports Entertainment Weekly.

For more on Missy Franklin and the 2012 London Olympics:

U.S. Olympic Swimmer Matt Grevers Wins Gold, Sets Record

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EXCLUSIVE: Olympian Jessica Hardy Swims 2.5 Hours Every Morning