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Summer season gives Jesuit's Swanson confidence

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By KATHERINE SMITH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 25, 2009

TAMPA - A funny thing happened to Chris Swanson this summer – he won, a lot.

Swimming with his club team TBAY, Swanson captured three medals at the Southern Zone Championships in Orlando. It was exactly what the Jesuit sophomore needed to get him geared up for the high school season.

"I have a lot of confidence now," Swanson said. "You always question how you're doing, but now I see how well I was doing and it makes me more confident."

Last season for the Tigers, Swanson was crowned the district champion in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke and also swam legs on the first place 200 and 400 free relay teams.

He was third at regionals in the 50 free and fifth in the breaststroke. At state, Swanson finished 21st in the 50 free and 23rd in the breaststroke. He also swam the third leg of the 400 free relay team that finished sixth and the 200 free relay team that finished ninth.

"We always saw his talent," Jesuit coach Bill Shaffer said. "It was just a matter of him putting it all together in the pool. He's swimming year round now and the work is beginning to really show."

Swanson first began swimming at age nine and got hooked on the sport, at first because of the friendships he made.

"Then I just grew to love the sport," he said. "Now I just love to see how fast I can go."

With last seasons top swimmers Gregg Cooke (Sickles), Vinny Donnelly (Jesuit), Conor Swanson (Sickles) and Jason Taylor (Newsome) off at college, Swanson is part of a talented group of underclassman ready to step up.

The others include Berkeley Prep's Zack Bandes, Hillsborough's David Desena, Jesuit's John Simon, King's Cody Wei, Plant's Joel Douglas Rodgers and Christopher Beatty, Sickles Andrew Howard, Tampa Bay Tech's Teodoro Boscaino and Tampa Prep's Alex Blustein.

OTHER SWIMMERS TO WATCH

Dylan Attal, Jesuit, Senior: Defending 200 IM district champion.

Jacob Bukaweski, Newsome, Senior: Strong distance and 100 fly swimmer.

Sam Bobo, Berkeley Prep, Senior: Dual threat as a swimmer and diver.

Jordan Rees, Wharton, Senior: Great sprinter who finished third at regionals in 50 free.

Trey Went III, Sickles, Senior: 500 free threat and strong relay swimmer.

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7860.

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