M. A quick Recovery - Summer 2003

Kate finally got the cast off, in mid-May, about a month later than hoped for. Just in time to travel to the Regional Distance Camp in Minnesota over Memorial Day Weekend! Despite having a cast on for the previous two months, Kate swam a faster 3K timed swim than the previous year!

It wasn't long after that before Kate was doing personal bests at the summer meets. At her last meet as a 13-14 year old, at the NBAC Long Course meet at the Meadowood Swim Club, Kate swam personal bests in he 50 free, 200 free, 400 free, and the 800 free.  Month later, at the PVS Senior Champs, she was even faster.

While Kate didn't swim any personal bets at Senior Nationals at the University of Maryland, her time in the 1500 free qualified her for the National Junior team trip to Australia, scheduled for January 2004. The first international trip she would qualify for!

The 1500 free was also the first time that Kate was paraded out for the evening heat, as a result of being seeded 7^th with her best time. Even though she finished 11^th, this also marked the first time that she scored points for the FISH at Senior Nationals!

                                                2003 Long Course Best Times

                        2002 Best times                    NBAC                        PVS Sr. Champs

50M Free                  :28.31              :28.15

100M Free              1:01.21                                                    1:00.67

200M Free              2:07.32              2:07.06

400M Free              4:20.70              4:19.51                         4:18.33

800M Free              8:54.63              8:54.39

1500M Free          16:54.97             16:43.88                        16:33.29