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RYE, N.Y. Kate Douglass was not going to be denied a title Wednesday in the 87th annual Westchester County Swimming Association Counties Championships at Playland Amusement Park.
The 10-year swimmer from the New York Athletic Club had finished second, by a split second, Monday and Tuesday. This time, Douglass kicked it into overdrive in the final 20 yards and won the girls 10-and-under 50-yard backstroke in a time of 31.89 seconds. Douglass just missed the record of 31.82 seconds set in 1994.
I felt really good being seeded first, said Douglass, a sixth-grader-to-be at Pelham Middle School. I felt that I had a good chance of getting first place.
Douglass and Josephine Panitz, the second seed, were even through the first 30 yards. Douglass took the lead, and she stayed straight in the water through to the wall for the victory.
I felt that I had a bad start, Douglass said. I felt good when I got even with her, and when I was halfway through, I was able to get the lead. Then I started swimming faster to the finish.
It feels great to win it.
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