After a long season swimming with a broken foot, Melissa Cooper got some redemption by finishing first in the Class 1A state title meet in the 100-meter breaststroke in 2008. In a matter of seconds, it was taken away.

``I looked up at the board after I just finished first and all I saw was `Ds' next to my name. I thought there was something wrong with the machine,'' said Cooper, a senior at American Heritage.

Turns out, there was no malfunction. Cooper was disqualified for a false start in the 1A finals, a poor finish to a tough and trying year. The senior will have another crack at that title starting Saturday when the state finals kick off in Orlando.

``I was heartbroken, especially after everything I had been through that year. I put my all into that race and thought I came out on top,'' said Cooper, who decided to keep swimming with the injury because she wanted to be a part of the 200-medley relay that had the potential to break a state record.

``The pain was really excruciating,'' Cooper said. ``With breaststroke kicking you use the tendon that's attached to the bone, so you can only imagine. On turns, I could only push off with one foot and for the start, I had to keep the pressure off my foot. It was red and swollen all the time and I had a brace the entire season.''

The shock of not medaling in the solo event stung Cooper. But the Clemson-bound swimmer had surgery on her foot three weeks after the season ended, and was back in the pool six weeks later.

``She came back to practice and was swimming the same times as the year before,'' Heritage coach Nobutaka Tan said. ``It was just amazing to see the amount of drive she had after that loss at states. Melissa was determined as ever to get another shot at it this time around.''

Cooper is seeded second in the state behind Jaki St. Louis, a senior from Northside Christian. Senior Brittney Evans and Kelly Schwantes of Cardinal Gibbons are seeded ninth and 11th.

Other South Florida swimmers in the event include Annie Valls and Ashleigh Johnson of Ransom Everglades and junior Ashley Hatcher of Miami Country Day School. Cooper is also set to swim in the 50-freestyle.

``I was upset about the incident last year for a while, but I got over it,'' Cooper said. ``Hopefully this year I'll be able to redeem myself and finish first again -- and actually get to stand on the podium this time.''

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