Very few Hawai'i high school athletes can call themselves an official All-American, but Punahou's Michelle Yoshida has gained that status many times over.

Yoshida burst upon the swimming scene as a freshman, winning the 200-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke and upsetting a three-time state champion in the process. She also was a member of the Buffanblu's winning 200 and 400 free relay teams.

As a sophomore, Yoshida won the 50 and 100 free and again was on the winning 200 and 400 free relay teams. Her times ranked her among the top 130 swimmers nationwide and she was named a National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association All-American in five events.

As a junior, she won three more gold medals at the state championship meet — including record-setting performances in the 200 free relay and 200 medley relay — and was named a Scholastic All-American by USA Swimming.

She also won NISCA All-America status for her time of 23.75 seconds in the 50 free.

Yoshida capped her brilliant career this past season by winning four more gold medals at the state meet, in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free relay and 400 free relay.

That's 15 gold medals and one silver at the state championships, going almost undefeated in four years of swimming.

Yoshida's talents are not limited to the water, as she also competed in track and field and placed sixth in the triple jump at the 2006 ILH championship meet.

In the classroom, Michelle maintained a 3.68 grade point average with a schedule that included pre-calculus and AP environmental science.

She will be attending Fairfield University in Connecticut, where she will swim and plans to take courses to prepare for graduate study in physical therapy.