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Show Dedication paying off for Bountiful swimmer By BRET GALLACHER Sports Writer BOUNTIFUL At 4:45 in the morning, chances are pretty good that all the students at Bountiful Boun-tiful High are still asleep. All, that is, but one dedicated senior swimmer named Jennifer Water-bury. Water-bury. Waterbury has completed her high school career, and has set her sights higher. Wednesday she will travel to Dallas to compete in the Junior National Championships in the 200-meter individual medley. "I've been trying to get to this meet since I was 14," said the 16-year-old. This is a big goal for me and I hope to do my best. ' Waterbury gained a spot in the national meet by having an impressive im-pressive showing last week in the regionals in Fresno. This week will be a demanding test, as she goes up against some impressive college swimmers as well as the top high school seniors. The three years at Bountiful High have been star-studded for Waterbury, Water-bury, as she found success in each of the state meets. As a sophomore she took second in both the 50-meter 50-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly. As a junior she stepped it up a notch and registered state titles in the 200 individual medley and the 1 00 breaststroke. ' She was always a coach ' s dream," said Bountiful swimming coach Jack Senninger. "She has always worked hard and takes responsibility for her own training, she just did everything a coach could ask for." As Waterbury was fraining to defend de-fend her state titles her senior year, tragedy struck. While walking on a deck she slipped and tried to catch herself with her hands. As her hand went out it cushioned the fall, but she broke her wrist. With only three weeks remaining before the meet, the timing could not have been worse. Part of her success lies in her determination, and Waterbury decided to compete, broken wrist and all. The cast was too heavy to swim with, so the coaches taped the injury, in-jury, and Waterbury swam to victory vic-tory in both races once again. "I really didn't think about it too much while swimming," said Waterbury. "But I sure felt it afterward, it really hurt for a while." The success has not come easy for Waterbury; it has taken a lot of time and sacrifice from her and her family. "She is really self -motivated," said Jennifer's mother, Melinda Waterbury. "She's gone by 4:45 in the morning and goes to train in Salt Lake before returning home to go to school. After school she's back for two more hours of training." After nine years of swimming, Jennifer says the national meet in Dallas is her goal. She will compete in the 200 individual medley which shows off her all-around ability. The race includes a lap each of the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. That ability has turned the heads of some college recruiters such as the University of Utah, BYU and Colorado State, but no decisions have been made yet. ' 'I will probably take a month off after the meet," said Waterbury. "So I hope I do my best while I'm there." |