Naugy swimmer taking the plunge for charity

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Krystal Daymonde of Naugatuck trains for the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim March 19 at the YMCA. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

NAUGATUCK — Krystal Daymonde has been swimming marathons for charity since she was 11 years old.

Now, the former Naugatuck Greyhound long-distance swimmer and Southern Connecticut State University student is training for her next marathon.

Krystal, a 2009 graduate of Naugatuck High, has been involved with swimming for charity to benefit St. Vincent’s Medical Foundation of Bridgeport. On June 23, Daymonde will participate in the 28-and-a-half-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim to raise funds for cancer research.

As a Greyhound, Daymonde had her share of success in the pool as a member of the 2005 NVL champion team. Her versatility in swimming the 200 IM, 200 freestyle, and 500 freestyle along with the backstroke and the butterfly was perfect training for long-distance swims.

Krystal’s father, Ed Daymonde, also swims in the charity marathons and it was through his involvement that the father and daughter team began.

“My dad is the one who got me started,” Krystal said. “His cousin had cancer and later my uncle came down with cancer. We have been personally involved as several people in our life have been affected by cancer.”

Krystal is dedicating this year’s swim to her boyfriend Derrick Northrop’s grandmother, Cindy Buzgo of Oxford, who is a breast cancer survivor but now is battling lung cancer.

The St. Vincent’s Swim Across the Sound benefits 40 education, screening, prevention and support programs. More than 100 swimmers are expected to participate in the program that will benefit more than 20,000 people. Last year the event raised $2.6 million.

With the marathon coming up, Krystal has been training every morning at the Naugatuck YMCA.

“I work out at the Naugatuck YMCA every morning to prepare for this marathon,” Krystal said. “I have been swimming these marathons since I was 11 years old. I’m a swimmer, and I just want to do my part to try and help out.”

To donate to Krystal’s efforts, visit swim.stvincents.org/krystal2012. For more information, visit www.swimacrossthesound.org or call (203) 576-5451.