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Cooler Palermo Has Hot Stroke

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By DAREK SHARP, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 24, 2007

PLANT CITY - A day before the crucial district swim meet, Anna Palermo was in no shape to swim.

The Plant City High junior, a hopeful to advance to the regional meet in two events, had a 104-degree temperature.

'She had strep throat for two days,' said Raider swimming coach Bree Castelli. 'At least we had a way to cool her down.'

That would be by jumping in the pool, which Palermo did Thursday in South Tampa at the Bobby Hicks complex, the site of the District 3A-4 event.

Still feeling the effects of the illness, Palermo posted the quickest time in the preliminary heats of the 200-meter freestyle. Not only did Palermo go on to win the 200-meter freestyle final that afternoon, but she also won the 100-meter breaststroke. Palermo easily advanced to Saturday's regional event in Sarasota along with several of her teammates.

Palermo said she has always been better at the breaststroke than the freestyle, something she can't really explain.

'I like really being challenged by it; it tests you,' she said. 'The only tough part is sometimes your muscles can tighten up, but I've always been pretty good at it. I just had the natural ability for it.'

After falling short of making the state meet her sophomore season, Palermo is hoping her extra training out of the pool will be the difference.

Under the guidance of former Raider coach Bud Bowden, Palermo does 'dry land' training at least a couple of times a week for about 45 minutes each session. Bowden is an instructor at the Brandon Swim and Aquatic Center.

'It's a lot of push-ups, sit-ups and working with the medicine ball,' Palermo said. 'I've gone to every dry land workout I can.'

Also at Thursday's meet, Raider teammate Stephanie Barker won the 100-meter butterfly in dramatic fashion, a duel to the finish with Wharton's Blair Kuethe. Barker swam the race in 59.40 seconds, with Kuethe a half-length behind; their nearest competitor was a full eight seconds back.

The race winners from district meets are guaranteed a spot in the Region 3A-4 meet at the Sarasota YMCA, but finishing near the top can do it, too.

Such was the case for Raider freshman Hayleigh Reavill, who finished second in the 200-meter individual medley at districts, and Nikita Markov, who was third in the boys 50-meter freestyle.

For Durant, Eduard Bandi won the 100-meter backstroke and Logan Butler was second in the 100-meter breaststroke. Erin Hofrichter paced the Cougar girls with a victory in the 200-meter individual medley.

The district diving competition was held two days before the swim meet began. Kaylee Doback and Chris Plante of Durant came out on top.

Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampa trib.com.

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