Groome Places at Beijing Open Water Test Event

By Chris Price
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

BEIJING, CHINA (June 1, 20087) Kirsten Groome of the First Colony Swim Team in Houston finished in 17th place at 10K Olympic Open Water Test Event in Beijing, China with the time of 2:05:05.5

Two-time National Champion Chloe Sutton won the 10K Olympic Open Water Test Event, qualifying for the Olympic 10K race later this summer and ensuring her spot on the U.S. Olympic Team roster. Her final time was 2:00:48.5.

“Because I did not know I would be coming here until 2 weeks ago, I have been training for the pool since earlier this year,” Sutton said. “I will try to do my best to qualify there [at US Olympic Trials], but open water is my priority right now.”

Sutton will join U.S. teammate Mark Warkentin at the Olympic Games. Warkentin qualified for the Olympic 10K race via a seventh-place finish earlier this month at the FINA 10K Open Water World Championships in Seville, Spain.

Groome Selected to Compete in Olympic Qualifer Event in Beijing

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (May 17, 2008) Kirsten Groome of the First Colony Swim Team in Houston, Texas)as been selected to represent the United States in Beijing, China in the final Olympic qualifier for the 10K open water swim on May 31-June 1, 2008. Chloe Sutton of Roseville, California will join Groome in Beijing.

While the U.S. will send both Sutton and Groome to the Beijing Test Event, only one U.S. swimmer can only qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games at the competition. Top finishers at the Beijing Test Event will fill the remaining places for the Olympic 10K marathon swim as only 25 women and 25 men can compete in the event’s Olympic debut.

Groome recently competed in the 5th FINA Open Water World Championships in Seville, Spain, where she placed 21st in the 10K open water swim. The top 10 swimmers in the 10K event at World Championships earned an automatic Olympic berth.