CARROLLWOOD - Becky Bird captured one last swimming gold medal before her transformation from prep to collegiate swimmer.
At the 2004 USA Swimming Southern Zone Open Water Championships, held Aug. 14 in Fort Lauderdale, she won the 5K race for women in a time of 67 minutes, 57 seconds. Her time placed her third overall for both men and women.
On the Monday following the big race, she left for Wheaton College in Massachusetts, where she'll compete on the swim team for the next four years.
Jeff Mueller, one of her teammates on the Carrollwood Village Swim Team, placed second for the men's race in the same open-water event, with a time of 65:49. Mueller also placed second in the overall competition.
All-star teams and clubs from nine Southern states competed in the event.
Carrollwood's club won first place for non all-star teams. Swimming well and helping the locals to win team gold were Carly Cavalieri, Megan Cook, Cesar Crovo, Valerie Crovo, Adrienne Fernandez, Carrie Foster, Emeri Lewkowicz, Sullivan Lynch, Gina Mayer and Stephen Sheridan.
All 12 locals competing in the distance open-water event finished in the top 20 in individual competition.
