Nicole Auerbach

USA TODAY Sports

RIO DE JANEIRO — Four years is a long time, and no one knows that better than Missy Franklin.

Back in 2012, the 17-year-old was the darling of the London Games, winning five Olympic medals and winning over the world with her big smile.

Now, she’s done with what she termed a “disappointing” Olympics that included: Her failing to qualify for both the 200 freestyle and 200 back finals; and her swimming with the 4x200 free relay in its preliminary heat, not the final. Her grand medal total is one, gold from the relay, but she only got it because she swam in prelims. She did not get to stand on the podium, medal on her neck, listening to the national anthem with her teammates.

Franklin seems legitimately perplexed about her poor performances this week, and why she was not able to swim fast here in Rio.

“I wish I had an excuse, but I don’t," Franklin said Thursday night after her final swim here. "And I’m not gonna make up one. The truth is, I worked as hard as I possibly could, I did everything I could think of doing and for some reason I felt more short than I ever have before and I wish so much that there was an explanation for that. But I’m just trusting that God has a plan and a purpose and He’s gonna make something beautiful out of this, even though I really wish I could ask Him what that’s gonna be right now.”

There is no excuse, but there are a few reasons. Or perhaps a combination of things. It's certainly been a challenging four-year stretch for Franklin, now 21. There was the back injury she sustained in 2014, and the decision to leave Cal to return her former age-group coach Todd Schmitz to train for these Games. There was the exhaustion the comes along with the life of professional swimming, and its subsequent sponsor obligations. Any or all of those experiences can lead to a catastrophically disappointing meet.

During the 200 back, Franklin said she felt like David facing Goliath. "But t I felt like I didn’t have any stones in my pocket," she said afterward.

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“This is a disappointing meet for me,” Franklin said. “But life goes on. This is just one phase of my life that I worked so hard for and made so many sacrifices for. For whatever reason, this meet didn’t go my way. But that doesn’t mean I’m anywhere close to being done with this sport or that I don’t have anything left to give. Because I do. I have so much more left to give to this sport, to my fans, to the people that have been supporting me. It’s a disappointment, but the support that I’ve received has shown me so much more than I could have ever expected about — you’re so much more than just the number of medals, you’re so much more than the time you are in a pool. Your value goes beyond all of that. I don’t think I would have ever come to that realization without something like this.”

Franklin was asked what she’s learned throughout the week of adversity. She said to ask her again in a few weeks.

“Right now, it sucks,” Franklin said, laughing. “Right now, it’s my faith in God that’s really getting me through. He’s going to transform me and my life into doing something from all of this. I have no cluse what that is, and I wish I could ask Him what to do, but right now I have to have faith that it’s going to happen.”

Franklin said her parents have remained positive this week, reminding her that everything will be OK and those around her still love her no matter what.

“When you put things in perspective, if a disappointing swim meet is the worst thing that happens to me in my life, then I’m having a good life,” Franklin said.