Semoball

Submitted Story: Jackson teen wins big at junior Olympics

Caitlyn Palmer, 13, of Jackson, recently competed at the National Junior Olympics in New Orleans, swimming for the Gators swim team. Caitlyn brought back 6 gold medals in 7 personal events and 1 silver. She also was part of 2 bronze medal winning relay teams.

Her lone silver medal came in the 100 freestyle, where she was barely out touched at the wall. Caitlyn would of had a good chance to win that race also, but she had just finished swimming the 200 Butterfly just 15 minutes before, and really hadn't caught her breath from that race. In that race she was going after the meet record and a personal best time, but to hear Caitlyn put it, she wanted to post the best time of the meet,"even better than those boys"!

Her time ended up being just short of the record and her personal best by less than 2 seconds, but it was enough to be the best of the meet out of all age groups, including "those boys"!

Her coach Steve Franklin said that even though that was great race for her, in which she beat the field by 3/4 length of the pool, he thought the 100 freestyle was her best effort of the meet after having to come back and swim so soon after the Butterfly. Caitlyn swims for the Gator Swim Team of Cape, and as recently as March, was ranked 3rd in the nation in the 200 butterfly, and 4th in 100 butterfly.

Caitlyn swims in the USA Swim Program, competing year round for the Gators Swim Team. She will be in 8th grade this year at Jackson, and is a member of Fruitland Community Church.