Langsett's Tour de Florida

Open-water meets prepare Langsett By St. Clair Murraine
Excerpted from The Tallahassee Democrat

By midseason of his first year as a collegiate swimmer, Robert Langsett's confidence was shattered. The demands for staying on the University of Florida's team had become so overbearing that he stopped swimming.

But only for a while. After a few meets with his hometown swim club in Fort Lauderdale and a top-10 finish last February at the U.S. National Championships, Langsett was rejuvenated.

"I had just gotten sixth at nationals and I was getting my confidence back," he said, explaining his rekindled enthusiasm. "People talked to me and they said (quitting) would have been a waste of talent because I've swam all my life."

The voices kept getting louder. He listened. College swimming seemed enticing again. He tried Florida Atlantic University's team after leaving UF at the end of the 2001-02 season, but he wasn't comfortable there, either.

Now he's at Florida State, culminating a roundabout journey that leaves him with one year of eligibility and more waiting. But he believes he has found his niche, Langsett said, although he's sitting out this season.

He's eagerly awaiting his debut as a Seminole next fall, making the best of the opportunity while he can only train with the FSU team. Meanwhile, Langsett has been staying busy with the Fort Lauderdale Swim Team and he recently represented the United States in the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships.

Langsett placed 24th in the 10-kilometer race during the Thanksgiving weekend in United Arab Emirates. It was his first major international competition and despite taking on a field of veteran open-water swimmers, he said he didn't let up.

Langsett didn't swim as much as he'd hoped while he was at FAU, but he wasn't completely idle. In fact, he completed two meets for the Owls with times that would have put him third on the FSU all-time list for the events.

He took third at the National Independent Conference Championships in the 1,650-meter freestyle in a time of 15:26.2. He also was seventh (4:26.9) in the 500-yard freestyle at the same meet.

Langsett said he felt vindicated with the performance at the NICC meet in spite of his reason for leaving UF. It was the kind of showing he'd hoped he could have had to impress the UF coaching staff, but he didn't meet their expectations, Langsett said, without being too specific.

"We didn't get along more than we did," he said. "It made me not like swimming."

Deep down he did, though. It's part of his lineage - his father was an elite club-level swimmer who is now a masters national champion.

Langsett might not have enough time to establish a legacy at FSU, but coach Neil Harper would like to see Langsett try. Harper hasn't offered Langsett a scholarship, but he'll get a chance to earn one.

Harper said he'll rely on Langsett's experience as a distance swimmer, using him primarily for the 200, 500, 1,650 freestyle events. Langsett holds a state high school title in the 200 individual medley, which he won in 2000 for Fort Lauderdale High School.

Those accomplishments and his consistent top-five finishes in state and national-level meets have Harper optimistic that Langsett could qualify for the NCAA Championships in the 200 and 500.

There's some eagerness on Harper's part, too.

"I'm eager for two reasons: one, because I want to see how he'd help our program, and two, he's running out of time," Harper said. "The urgency of it is to figure out the best (distance) to training and where to put him."

Harper might have gotten some help with his decision based on Langsett's performance in the Speedo Winter Championships last weekend in Fort Lauderdale. He took first in every event he raced - the 200, 500, 1,650-meter freestyle as well as the 200- and- 400-meter individual medley.

But Langsett wanted more.

"I was tired at this meet because of the drive down (from Tallahassee), but I did all right," he said. "I probably could have done better (times). When I get faster times it feels good."

The times might not be to his liking, but Langsett seemingly is enjoying swimming again.