By Ed Pierce
At an age when many are slowing down, 78-year-old Doris Prokopi is speeding up toward countless swimming records and titles.
The Land O’ Lakes resident captured five silver and two bronze medals at the 2013 Pan-American Masters Swimming Championships June 13 in Sarasota while competing against more than 2,000 competitive swimmers from the United States, South America, Central America, Mexico and Canada.
Qualifying for the Pan-American meet was an amazing feat for Prokopi, considering she didn’t even learn to swim until she was 59.
“I really love to swim and don’t know why I didn’t learn sooner. Now they can’t get me out of the pool,” she said. “I spend two hours a day working on it every day at the New Tampa Family YMCA. I really get a rush competing against other fast swimmers.”
She started swimming after one of her sons took up the sport in high school.
On a suggestion, Prokopi joined the St. Pete Masters Swim Club at age 62 where she met local people who were interested in swimming competitively against other seniors.
Prokopi joined three others from Land O’ Lakes to form a masters-level swim team — the Maverick Masters — and over the years it has grown to now include 50 senior-level swimmers.
“My husband, Bill, and my friends call me a swim idiot,” she said. “I’m just in the water all the time.”
Now competing against swimmers ages 75 to 80, Prokopi continues to excel, setting numerous national and international records in the 50-meter backstroke, 100- and 200-meter breaststroke, the 100-meter backstroke and the 200-meter freestyle races.
Her performance at the U.S. National Senior Games in 2012 in Texas qualified her to race in this year’s Pan-American championships.
Winning races and setting records has become commonplace for Prokopi, who is a fixture on the winner’s podium every October in Temple Terrace at the Tampa Bay Senior Games. She has also raced in numerous U.S. Master Swim events and the Florida Senior Games.
Her prowess in the pool has earned her awards as the 1994 Florida Senior Games State Championships Female Athlete of the Year, and as she’s progressed through different age groups, Prokopi has shattered Florida and national records in the 50-meter breaststroke in the age 60 to 64, 65 to 69 and 70 to 74 categories.
And everything she’s accomplished has been self-taught, without the guidance of a swim coach.
“I just never liked others pushing me and telling me what to do,” Prokopi said. “I’ve found I swim better without having a coach.”
Her dedication to swimming motivates all who know her.
“Personally, I look at Doris and I see nothing but inspiration,” said Mia Matos, associate aquatics director for the New Tampa Family YMCA. “As a long-distance swimmer myself, I look up to her and hope I am still swimming at her age.”
Matos said Prokopi is held in esteem by athletes of all ages at the YMCA.
“She probably doesn’t even know it, but other members and swimmers at the New Tampa Family YMCA admire her and feel the same way I do,” Matos said. “I am often asked ‘How old is that woman? She swims better than I do.’ Doris is a pleasure to have at our branch, and she inspires every swimmer whether they be a beginner or a professional.”
Prokopi said she enjoys all races, except she now avoids competing in the butterfly stroke because it puts tremendous pressure on her shoulders.
Her next meet will be a qualifying race in Clearwater next month that could eventually lead to a berth in the 2013 Florida Summer Swimming Senior Championships in Fort Pierce later this summer.
“The swimmers I admire are Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps,” Prokopi said. “Those guys are amazing. I was fortunate to have competed against the late Bunny Cederlund of Melbourne Beach who was one of the best senior women’s masters’ swimmers of all time. She was great and won almost all of her swim meets.”
Former University of Tampa swimmer Karen Westerman of Land O’ Lakes said dedicated athletes like Prokopi make it easy for her to continue swimming throughout her lifetime.
“I am always inspired by other masters swimmers who are swimming in their 70s, 80s and 90s,” Westerman said. “I think masters swimming is a way to continue to stay active, create friendships with other swimmers and still compete at state, national and international level.
Having competed against some of the top seniors in America and the world, Prokopi advises everyone to give the sport a try.
“I would tell everyone that swimming is the best for your body,” she said. “It takes all the aches away.”
As far as the future goes, Prokopi has no goals other than to keep on swimming.
“My mother lived to be 100, and maybe I will still be swimming if I make it that far.” she said. “Who knows?”
