TEAM USA

TEAM USA, July 11, 2008
Last week, NBC and USA networks broadcast the US Olympic trials for both swimming and track and field. A number of spectacular performances were put forth by our Olympic team and we should all be excited about the Olympics when they start August 8, 2008.

Most of the attention at the swimming trials in Omaha, NE originally focused on Club Wolverine’s Michael Phelps and his quest for seven or eight gold medals in Beijing. Phelps did not disappoint. He won all five of his individual events while setting two world records. He will also participate in three relays in Beijing. Katie Hoff of the North Baltimore Aquatic Club also secured spots in Beijing in five individual events, while breaking world and American records. The other major point of discussion prior to the trials was that of the Speedo LZR Racer swim suit. A number of world records have been broken this year, 38 of the 42 records, by wearers of the suit. Speedo developed the suit with the help of NASA and debuted the suit earlier this year. California based TYR filed an anti-trust suit against Speedo, USA Swimming, national team coach Mark Schubert and Olympian Eric Vendt. The suit claims that Speedo and USA Swimming are encouraging athletes to use the Speedo suit over the TYR suits. Since Schubert is a paid consultant to Speedo, TYR believes he can exert too much influence over USA Swimming and participating athletes. Vendt, a former TYR endorser, switched to the Speedo suit. He has countersued TYR. A California court delayed the lawsuit until September, which effectively eliminates any opportunity for TYR to get relief prior to the Olympics. Other apparel companies such as Nike have given its athletes permission to wear the Speedo suit if they believe it will enhance their performance.

At the meet, the best story turned out to be the return to the Olympics for 41 year old Dara Torres. Torres, who first competed in the Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984, won the trials in both the 50 meter and 10 meter freestyles. She will also represent the US in relays. Torres, who has a two year old daughter, will be making her fifth Olympic appearance in Beijing. She is old enough that she could be the mother of a number of Olympians. The rumor at the pool was that her goggles were older than some participants. Another veteran qualifier for the Olympics is Amanda Beard, who qualified for her fourth Olympics in the 200 meter breaststroke.

There were a number of big stories at the track and field trials. From my point of view, the biggest was the running of 16 year old prep star Jordan Hasay. Hasay qualified for the finals of the 1,500 meters by setting a US high school record of 4:14.5 in the semifinals. While she did not make the Olympic team, she showed that she could in fact compete at the highest levels. The crowd in Eugene, sensing the magnitude of her run, started chanting, “Come to Oregon” following her semi-finals race. Another major story of the trials was that of Justin Gay, who set the American record and won the 100 meters but fell in the semi-finals of the 200 meters. Gay suffered a mild strain of his hamstring. He believes that he will be ready for Beijing. Another interesting story was that of Runners World cover story athletes, Kara and Adam Goucher. World class distance runners, Kara qualified for Beijing in the 10,000 meters for finishing second to Shalane Flanagan and then won the 5,000 meters. Following her 5,000 meter win, she was on the track as her husband competed in the finals of the men’s 5,000. Unfortunately for Goucher, he failed to make the Olympic team. A final interesting story from the trials was the men’s 1500 meters, where all three US participants in Beijing are immigrants. This story represents everything that is good with this country. Bernard LAgat, who won the trials came to this country to go to Washington State. He participated in two previous Olympics representing Kenya, but became a US citizen in 2004. Second place finisher, Leonel Manzano was born in Mexico and came to the US when he was four. He is currently a senior at the University of Texas. Third place finisher, Lopez Lomong has perhaps the most amazing personal story. Born in Kimotong, Sudan, Lomong, at the age of six, fled his hometown and spent ten years in a refugee camp in Kenya. In 2001, he wrote an essay on what he would try and accomplish if he were to live in the US. The essay drew attention and he was able to move in with a foster family in northern New York. He was one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan.” He went on to Northern Arizona University and became a US citizen last year. The fact that all three Olympic athletes are immigrants who came to this country looking for a better life, represent everything that is good about the US. Through hard work, each will represent our country at the largest athletic event in the world and we all should be proud to call them countrymen.