Have you ever seen that strange ripple in the pool, or maybe a fleeting image in the serene water — something you thought you saw, but upon a second look, it’s gone? Not to worry, it’s probably just Fiona Mejeau doing her good ol’ daily workout routine, at a speed few can manage to catch with the naked eye.

Maybe it’s just in her blood; after all, her parents met while swimming for the University of Washington, and her brother Carl captained the boys swim team last year to a very successful competitive season.

Or maybe it’s the practice schedule; Three days a week she rises at the ungodly hour of 4 a.m. to hit the lanes, in addition to practices six afternoons a week.

Or maybe it’s just her cultivated swimmer physique and blistering speed in the water. Whatever the factors may be, Garfield junior Fiona Majeau has risen to the top of the Garfield girls swimming totem pole, winning second place in both the 200 free and 500 free at the recent State Competition. She also helped the girls relay team secure first place in the medley (all stroke) relay, and second place in the 400 meter freestyle relay.

The training began at age five, when she started swimming for a Wedgewood swim team. In 4th grade, the Wedgewood pool became too small to harness Majeau’s growing skills, and she moved to the highly esteemed Cascade Swim Club. Since then her talent has blossomed into a bright and pungent flower of success, and has propelled the Garfield Bullfrogs into dominant seasons in her time at Garfield.

Like most high school athletes, who play a sport only seasonally, and partly just to say they play a sport, Majeau practices with discipline all year-round. However, commitment at this level does come with its sacrifices.

“Most of my time is spent at practice or doing homework and because of our similar schedules, I spend the majority of what free time I have, plus every workout, with swim friends,” Majeau says.

Through her recent performance at state, Fiona has qualified for the All American automatic cuts, which guarantees her a spot in the top 130 swimmers in the nation. However those who have witnessed her undiluted power in the water claim she’ll place near the top.

“She’s probably going to be in the top 30,” says Louisa Dunwiddie, a fellow junior and Cascade swimmer who also hopes to lead the lady Bullfrogs to a state title bid next year.

Success of this proportion rarely goes unnoticed, especially by the hungrily competitive eyes of Division I schools. Majeau has received countless letters, including some hand written, from the swimming coaches of very prestigious schools.

“I want to go to a Division I school that brings a big team to NCAAs,” she explains. “What is so fun about college swimming is that it has the excitement of high school swimming, but with the competition level of club swimming, so it’s the best of both worlds.”

Go Fiona!