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Amanda Paulo's race for another state title in the 100-yard backstroke went, well, swimmingly.
By STEVE LEE
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 19, 2001
FORT LAUDERDALE -- Not to say that Amanda Paulo's third straight state swimming title lacked the charm of the others.
It's just that there was less stress this time.
"This year there was no stress. Plus, I got to see the city," said the Hudson senior, who won the 100-yard backstroke Friday in the Class 2A state meet at Fort Lauderdale's Hall of Fame Aquatic Center.
Paulo, a recent Florida State signee who won that event at state meets as a junior and sophomore when the annual competition was held at the International YMCA Aquatic Center in Orlando, relaxed Saturday by touring Fort Lauderdale.
Having set a school record in the 100-yard backstroke as a junior with a time of 56.22 seconds, Paulo won Friday's race in 58.03. She admitted there was more pressure to win last year.
"I was actually nervous because I had a title to defend," Paulo said of last year's state meet. "That might have made it a little sweeter."
Paulo's first state crown holds a special place in her heart. "Obviously, the first one's going to be the best," she said.
Paulo was Pasco County's lone state champion this year since two-time, 200-yard individual medley state champion Kevin Rumble came up short in his bid for a third win. On Friday, Rumble, a River Ridge senior, placed fifth in the event.
"I guess it was just coincidence," Paulo said of winning state titles in the same seasons as Rumble. "It's unfortunate that he didn't do as well as in past years, but it's still your own thing."
Paulo and Rumble, each of whom have been back-to-back St. Petersburg Times Girls and Boys Swimmers of the Year in Pasco County, are not teammates at the high school level. But they have been on the same club teams in Hudson, Clearwater and Largo in recent years.
Winning state titles in the same years, Paulo said, "was kind of cool because we swam with the same club teams since we were little."
Knowing she could do well in the 100-yard backstroke at states, Paulo tried a different event at the Sunshine Athletic Conference meet on Oct. 27 -- the 100-yard butterfly, which she won.
She also planned to swim the 100-yard freestyle that day but had to leave early for a recruiting trip to Florida State. That trip sold Paulo on the school and she signed a combined academic and athletic scholarship Thursday.
A year-round swimmer on the high school and club circuits, Paulo will take a couple of weeks to rest.
"Then I plan to get back into it," she said. "I have to stay in shape for college."