At an age when many of her contemporaries are struggling with health

issues, Evelyn Dowling thinks nothing of spinning upside down in a swimming

pool, performing graceful leg splits while holding her breath for 30 seconds

or more.

   The spry 78-year-old grandmother from West Palm Beach has been an avid

synchronized swimmer since 1980 and hasn't missed a national Masters

tournament in 20 years. Dowling, assistant coach for the Palm Beach Coralytes,

a synchronized swim team with about 25 girls from age 8 to 19, is one of

several Masters swimmers in the program.

   At 5-foot-6 and a trim 135 pounds, Dowling is flattered that others

consider her a role model

   "I'm blessed because I don't have things like arthritic pain," said

Dowling, who has four children and six grandchildren. "At first when people

would say they admire me I wouldn't think about it too much. But the more I

realize that people look up to me, it makes me feel good. It makes me feel

like it's worthwhile to continue doing this."

   Joanne Pulido, 32, of Boynton Beach, was a recreational swimmer who

gravitated to synchro because of her daughter's involvement with the

Coralytes. Pulido practices about two hours a week and would eventually like

to compete. But for now she is happy learning from Dowling and being inspired

by her.

   As a nurse who works with the geriatric population, Pulido says she has a

fuller appreciation of Dowling's commitment to fitness.

   "I admire Evelyn for her love of the sport, her vitality and

vivaciousness," Pulido said. "The benefits of exercise are so important as you

get older. People like Evelyn make synchronized swimming look so easy, but

it's very hard. It's very technical and artistic and requires you to have

total body control and awareness."

   Dowling, who played several sports in college, became hooked on synchro 25

years ago when she was living in the Washington, D.C., area and observed a

class.

   "What these girls were doing in the water looked so interesting to me," she

said. "I just wanted to learn it."

   Dowling and her husband moved to West Palm Beach in the mid-'80s and she

became assistant coach when the Coralytes were formed. Although Dowling says

teaching is very satisfying, she loves to compete and has traveled to Masters

competitions throughout the country. She won a duet gold medal in 1999 with

former partner Lori Taylor and in 2004 in Roseville, Calif., teamed with

Debbie Leatherman, then 53, of Miami for a silver medal in the 60-year-old age

group (their ages were averaged).

   Working out their routine was a challenge because Leatherman had to travel

from Miami to either Aquacrest pool in Delray Beach or Lake Lytal pool in West

Palm Beach, where the Coralytes practice.

   "We only got together for a few weeks," Leatherman said. "Evelyn mailed me

the choreography and a tape of our music so I had it memorized. We were able

to pull it together because we're both very experienced. You can't help but

love Evelyn. We're nicely matched even though our ages and skills are a little

different."

   Like Dowling, Leatherman has been a dedicated synchro swimmer for many

years, since her introduction to the sport in the seventh grade. During her

younger days she practiced up to five hours a day and her enthusiasm for the

sport has not diminished.

   "I'll be 80 and still be in the water," Leatherman said. "I love how

terribly complicated the sport is. You want it to look easy but it takes a

tremendous amount of training. You have to be creative and at the same time be

aware of where you are in the water. You have to learn how to spin and not get

off your vertical even though you can't see the bottom or the walls of the

pool. I think I'm actually better than I used to be because my training has

taught me technique. As I get older my abilities decrease a little, but my

knowledge of the sport has increased."

   Kathy Smith, 51, of Delray Beach, accompanied her daughter, Britt, 9, to

Coralytes' practice and ended up "jumping in the pool with Evelyn and having a

great time." A life-long swimmer who participated in water ballet during her

teen years, Smith finds synchro challenging and rewarding.

   "This is ballet in the water, except you're holding your breath and not

touching the bottom," she said. "You think you can handle two and a half or

three minutes but it's exhausting. I ride my bike all the time with my

daughter and I've taken yoga and Jazzercise, but this makes me feel so good.

You get a great workout."

   And, of course, Dowling is on hand to share her expertise and provide

support and encouragement.

   "It's a lifetime sport," Dowling said. "That's the wonderful thing about

synchronized swimming."

   Rick Adelman can be reached at

adelman7002@bellsouth.net