Caroline Payne swims in one of the more brutal events in the pool for Hopkinsville High School – the 500-yard freestyle.
To paraphrase Morgan Freeman from the movie ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ – that’s the length of five football fields.
And when Payne finished her swim on Jan. 11, she flashed a smile similar to Andy Dufresne.
“I usually go around seven minutes and today, I went 6:37,” Payne said of her personal best swim.
It’s a nice highlight for the senior who has been steadily taking her time lower.
“I tried to focus on my 50s today. Most of the time I feel like I just try to go with the race and do whatever works but we’ve been working on 50s at practice so that’s what I felt like I needed to do today,” she said of her swim.
The 500-yard free is the longest event in the pool, much like the two-mile run in track and field. It takes not only strength and endurance but also the proper mindset.
“I try to think about my form — how much I’m kicking, how much I’m pulling. Sometimes I sing a song and I try to look at the opponents to see how much they’re kicking and how much they’re pulling — just trying to pace myself,” she said.
Payne has been a part of Hopkinsville’s region success in recent years, scoring a pair of top-10 finishes at the region meet in the 200-meter freestyle. She was also 10th at region in the 500 free as a sophomore.
“I started swimming in the eighth grade and remember feeling like I didn’t know a lot about my technique. (Coach) Mrs. Keith (Marquess) really helped me perfect everything and gave me the confidence to do it,” Payne said, telling young swimmers “Listen to your coach for sure.”
Payne said after high school she looks to take a pre-med path at the University of Kentucky, possibly endocrinology.
“I hope that leads to a good job and a happy life.”
Watch Payne discuss her goals and future in this YSE interview.
