Sports

Fairfax Station Teen Swimmer Breaks Records

The South County graduate shattered his own records for his neighborhood team.

A Fairfax Station teen shattered his previous swimming records at his last home meet of the season last week.

“It was pretty special,” said Michael Herrmann, 18. “We have senior night festivities before hand and my whole family was there. To go out in my last meet with a bang was pretty special.”

Herrmann has been swimming since he was 6 years old, in the summer months  as part of the Barrington Blue Fins neighborhood team and during the school year at the Curl-Burke Swimming Club in Burke. He trains nine times a week in the summer, which adds up to 20 hours a week in the pool.

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The graduate broke his record in the boys 15-18 50-yard backstroke and 100-yard individual medley relay on July 20, dropping his time by over a second in the backstroke from 25.07 last year to 24.06 last week.

“It was a little emotional for my family but I think it was very fun for all of us who participated in it,” Herrmann said.

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His swim team representative, Doug Hopler, has known Herrmann since he started swimming.

“It’s been really exciting to watch his development as a person and as a swimmer,” Hopler said. “He has taken on a leadership role for the team. He sets a great example of positive attitude.”

Herrmann, in addition to his training, also is an assistant coach for developmental swimmers 12 years old and younger.

This will be Herrmann’s last summer swimming on the team before heading off to the University of Virginia in the fall. He has decided against swimming in college for now, instead to focus on his studies.

“I didn’t want to commit and do it half heartedly or commit and make it all four years,” Herrmann said.

He would not rule out swimming for fun.


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