Summer Olympics News » Olympic Trials

U.S. Olympic Swimmer Battling Cancer

Jill Manty — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:57:57 +0000

When you’re getting ready for your first Olympics, you would think that would be the most important thing going on in your life. But that’s not the case for U.S. Olympic Swimmer Eric Shanteau. A week before the Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, Eric got a call from his doctors telling him that a lump they thought might be a benign cyst was, in fact, testicular cancer.

Had he not made the Olympics, Eric would immediately have gone home and had surgery. But when he qualified for the Beijing Olympics in the 200-meter breaststroke, he faced a difficult decision. Fight on for his Olympic dreams or start the fight of his life. After doctors cleared him to compete as long as he is frequently checked to make sure the cancer hasn’t spread, Eric chose to continue his preparations for Beijing.

We wish Eric best wishes in his quest for the gold and with his health.

USA Swimming names Beijing Olympic Swim Team

Jill Manty — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:00:48 +0000

Swimming is one of the more well-known summer Olympic sports here in the United States. It’s also one where we usually do well. Hopefully, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing will be no exception. Yesterday, USA swimming posted the final roster of the swimmers who will be representing the United States in Beijing.

The men representing the United States are Michael Phelps, Larsen Jensen, Brendan Hansen, Peter Vanderkaay, Ricky Berens, Klete Keller, Aaron Peirsol, Scott Spann, Garrett Weber-Gale, Jason Lezak, Cullen Jones, Nathan Adrian, Ryan Lochte, Mark Gangloff, Matt Grevers, Gil Stovall, Eric Shanteau, Ian Crocker, Ben Wildman-Tobriner, Erik Vendt, David Walters and Mark Warkentin.

Swimming in the women’s events are Natalie Coughlin, Katie Hoff, Christine Magnuson, Jessica Hardy, Allison Schmitt, Julia Smit, Caroline Burckle, Elaine Breeden, Kathleen Hersey, Elizabeth Beisel, Margaret Hoelzer, Megan Jendrick, Kate Ziegler, Rebecca Soni, Amanda Beard, Dara Torres, Lacey Nymeyer, Kim Vandenberg, Christine Marshall, Emily Silver and Chloe Sutton.

Michael Phelps is no stranger, and he’s definitely on to watch, as he will be trying to break Mark Spitz’s Olympic record of seven gold medals. 41 year old Dara Torres is turning heads as the oldest woman in the pool. She’ll be competing in her fifth Olympics. That means she’s been competing at the Olympics since before I could drive a car— wow! These are only two of the many swimmers we’ll come to know better over the coming weeks and during the Beijing Olympics. I’m looking forward to seeing which of the many athletes competing will become household names.

Olympic Trials– Do They Mean What You Think They Mean?

Jill Manty — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:17:56 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I thought the Olympic Trials were the final hurdle for athletes wanting to attend the Olympics, and for some sports that may be true. But not for all of them. Take gymnastics, for example. When the gynmastics Olympic Trials were held recently, two gymnasts were chosen to head to Beijing. But ten others were chosen to head to attend a final selection camp being held later this month.

Similarly, this weekend is the second of a two-part selection process for U.S. divers. Those who came in first in last month’s “trials” automatically qualified to attend the Beijing Olympics as long as they are prepared at the final selection camp, which is being held this week. The top six finishers in each event qualify to attend the camp, where the second person who will compete at the Olympics in each event will be chosen.

Some sports, on the other hand, give you an automatic ticket to Beijing. Track and field and swimming are two of those. Top finishers automatically fill open slots for the Olympic team.

So, do the trials mean what you’d think they mean? Maybe. No matter what the sport or the process, the trials are a step towards Olympic dreams.