Olympic trials
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Olympic trials
| Sun, 06-29-2008 - 9:03pm |
Totally off subject.
Well, two local girls, who I've known since they were kids, are making their bids for making the US Olympic Swim team. Lacey Nymeyer and Caitlin Leverenz both have swam club with my boys. Let's say they could kick most of the boys butts since they were 8 yr olds. Caitlin just qualified for the 400IM finals tonight- with an awesome time of under 4:40- amazing, but because it is the US Olympic trials only good enough for 4th seed. S19 is cheering his brains out in Park City somewhere. IM and breast stroke are S19's events, too. He is very good, he always recognized Caitlin as great.
QB, starting again next summer as a swim mom with D4

Hi QB,
Oh wow - you must have a family of swimmers if D4 is following her brothers - and how fun that you know these olympic hopefuls.
I love it when the olympics are on - because it is so fun to turn those on and watch every day! Tour de France is also coming!!
I've always been an Olympics junkie, but since my boys became competitive swimmers I actually know what constitutes a great time, a great turn, a proper stroke, and all that goes into the training. Making the US team in swimming is one of the hardest things to do in sports. You have to be among the best in the world. My sons, particularly the older one, are gifted swimmers but neither has the kind of drive required to get beyond the Regional level. They both recognize what was different about these 2 girls, that the girls had a real passion for swimming and for winning.
Unfortunately, Caitlin finished 5th in the IM, in a race that set a new world record, so in spite of posting a great time, she won't go to the Olympics for that event. She also posted a decent time in the 100 breast, but no where near good enough for the top 8. She has one last shot in the 200 breast. Lacey is a freestyle sprinter who has been on the US team as a relay swimmer the last few years. She was part of the team that set the last world record so she looks likely to get on the team in the relay. Regardless, we'll be watching and cheering for them all, these young people (and not so young- Darra Torres in in her 40's) work so hard for such a rare payoff.
QB
Actually, I'm putting D4 into swim team because it is the absolute best lessons for swimming one can find. Here in AZ there are pools in most backyards so being a competent swimmer is a safety issue. It is also a good lifelong sport and D4 already loves it. She remembers being on the deck cheering for her big brother at all the state championships (HS and US Swim) he participated in. Our HS has won the 4A state title 7 years in a row. S19 has been offered a job to come back as an assistant coach for his HS this coming season. He's still weighing his job options for the Fall and Winter so we'll find out in mid July if he's coming home to do this. S17 dropped swimming just this summer because after age 11 he just was not as competitive as his big brother. Boys have that need for winning reward, they aren't just in it for the social aspect like many of the girls.
QB
Swimming is a great lifelong sport. I just got back in the pool at age 42 about 2 months ago. I am now up to 1800-2200 yds. 4 x a week. It is helping me get back into shape. My DD13 swims
"My DD13 swims and is very gifted but DS15 would rather shave his head than get into jammers and swim!"
LOL. My sons mostly wore the Speedo briefs, jammers only showed up later, and were reserved for the FastSkin jammers for big meets. S19 not only shaved his head for big meets but also shaved his legs, arms, and chest. It was a big right of passage done as a team in their hotel rooms the night before finals. For social swim parties they wear the biggest, longest swim shorts you ever saw. Go figure.
QB