USA Swimming tops medal count at Paris 2024

Photo by Skylar Walker, Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

PARIS, FRANCE (August 5, 2024) USA Swimming had an incredible finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics, ending the pool competition with two world records and three medals on the final night. In an amazing performance, Bobby Finke from Clearwater, Florida, won the men's 1500-meter freestyle. He led the race from start to finish, earning a gold medal and setting a new world record with a time of 14:30.67.

Shortly after, the men’s 4x100-meter medley relay team added a silver medal to the tally. The team, consisting of Ryan Murphy, Nic Fink, Caeleb Dressel, and Hunter Armstrong, worked together to secure second place in a thrilling race.

The women’s 4x100-meter medley relay was the final event of the competition, and the American team did not disappoint. Regan Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh, and Torri Huske dominated the race, finishing over three seconds ahead of the Australian team. Their time of 3:49.63 set a new world record, highlighting the exceptional talent of USA Swimming.

USA Swimming finished the Olympics at the top of the medal table with a total of 28 medals—ten more than any other country. Here are some key highlights from their performance:

Total Medals: 28 (8 gold, 13 silver, 7 bronze)

World Records: 3

Olympic Records: 2

American Records: 3

Double Podiums: USA had two athletes on the podium in four races: women's 100m backstroke, women's 100m butterfly, women's 400m individual medley, and women's 800m freestyle

Katie Ledecky: With four medals, became the most decorated American female Olympian in history.

Torri Huske: She secured the most medals of any American swimmer in Paris with five (3 gold, 2 silver).

Other Standout Swimmers: Kate Douglass, Katie Ledecky, and Regan Smith each earned four medals.

Relay Success: USA Swimming won gold or silver in all seven relay events, with two relays setting new world records and one setting a new American record.

Milestone Achievement: USA Swimming surpassed 600 Olympic medals on day four and finished with 615.

USA’s 17 year old Katie Ledecky sets two world records in Pan Pacific Swimming Championship

Former Texas A&M swimmer Cammile Adams
took home the gold medal in the 200-meter
Butterfly at the Pan Pacific Championships.
Photo by Donald Miralle/USA Swimming

Texas natives Cammile Adams, Simone Manuel contribute to medal haul

By Mike Stockman

Staff Correspondent
Copyright 2014 TexSport Publications

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA (August 26, 2014) Led by Houston native Cammile Adams, Simone Manuel, and Katie Ledecky, the United States came away with two world records, 14 gold medals, 12 silver, and 14 bronze medals at the 2014 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Queensland, Australia’s Gold Coast Aquatic Centre from August 21-25, 2014

Katie Ledecky blew away the pool in the 400-meter freestyle and lapped the field in the 1500-meter freestyle on her way to set world records in both. Ledecky, only 17 years old, finished the meet with five Gold medals - four personal events (200, 400, 800, and 1500-meter freestyles) and the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

Former Texas A&M University swimmer, Cammile Adams, from Houston, Texas, won gold in the 200-meter butterfly in an excitingly close race with a time of 2:06.61. The silver medal went to Japan’s Natsumi Hoshi who finished a hair behind with a time of 2:06.68. Third place Katie McLaughlin, from United States was an arm length behind at 2:07.08.

Simone Manuel, from Sugar Land, Texas, received three medals. Simone won a bronze in the 100-meter freestyle and won silver medals on the 4x100-meter freestyle and 4x100-meter medley relay teams. Her lead-off time of 53.25 in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay makes her the second fastest American female swimmer.

Team USA finished the summer schedule winning the Pan Pacific Swimming Championship with a total of 40 medals. The host team Australia finished second with 26 medals. Third went to Japan who won 19 medals.

Houston Area Swimmers Compete at U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2012 TexSport Publications

OMAHA, NEBRASKA (June 25, 2012) Forty-five swimmers from the Houston-Gulf Coast area are competing at the 2012 United States Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Nebraska from June 25-July 2, 2012.

The trials are being held in CenturyLink Center in downtown Omaha and are featuring over 1200 swimmers from across the United States

The Gulf LSC, which is the local swimming committee of USA Swimming which oversees swimming in the Texas Gulf area, has ten teams represented at the trials.

Below is a list of the swimmers and their teams.

Live update of the trials can be found at Omega Timing while live webcast of selected heats and events can be found at the USA Swimming website.

AGGIE SWIM CLUB

Ashley Adams

Camille Adams

John Ariens

Kelli Benjamin

Alyssa Conner

Meagan Hairston

Anna Heller

Sarah Henry

Breeja Larson

Megan Latone

Caroline McElhany

Maureen McLaine

Emily Neubert

Christina Regone

Jaclin Rehring

BLUE TIDE AQUATICS

Jordan Jones

Julian Vitarius

CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS SWIM CLUB

Neil Caskey

Cole Cragin

Jonathan Edwards

Ellen Lobb

Chelsie Miller

Charles Moore

Anna Patterson

Catherine Wagner

FIRST COLONY SWIM TEAM

Daniel Graviss

Jordan Hancock

Romy Landeck

Simone Manuel

Brett Pinfold

Skylar Smith

KATY AQUATIC TEAM FOR YOUTH

Cameron McHugh

PEARLAND AQUATICS

Anthony Diers

PREMIER AQUATICS CLUB OF KLEIN

Casey Clark

Ryan Massey

MAGNOLIA AQUATIC CLUB

Cannon Clifton

Margaret Cooke

THE WOODLANDS SWIM TEAM

James Cooper

Jonathan Debaugh

Elliot Dewlen

Kelsey Leneave

Michael McBroom

Gray Umback

HOUSTON SWIM CLUB (UNATTACHED)

Jacob Ritter

UNATTACHED

Maria Sommer

Team USA Wins 2011 Mutual of Omaha Dual in the Pool

Three American records fall on the final night of competition

ATLANTA, GEORGIA (December 17, 2011) Team USA took home the overall team title Saturday afternoon at the 2011 Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool. The dual meet, taking place at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, saw three American records fall today, one in the women’s 4x100m free relay and the others in the men’s and women’s 200m butterfly. The final team score was Team USA - 181.5 to the European All–Stars – 80.5.

Team USA set American records in both portions of the 200m fly. In her hometown Kathleen Hersey (Atlanta, Ga.) went 2:03.49, nearly a second faster than the old record, which was a 2:04.26 held by Elaine Breeden (Lexington, Ky.). Breeden finished second to Hersey in this event with a 2:04.98 and Sweden’s Martina Granstroem came in third at 2:06.08.

Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh got on the medal stand as he finished the 200m fly in 1:51.18. Davis Tarwater (Knoxville, Tenn.) touched the wall with an American record time of 1:51.90. Hungary placed another on the stand as Bence Biczo took bronze in 1:55.26.

The women’s 4x100m free relay was won by the European Team with a time of 3:27.53. The time, which would have broken the world record, did not count as a record as the swimmers on the relay do not all represent the same country. The U.S. Team of Natalie Coughlin (Vallejo, Calif.), Jessica Hardy (Long Beach, Calif.), Dana Vollmer (Granbury, Texas) and Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.) finished second in 3:28.46 to set an American record in the event.

The U.S. men came from behind in the final 50 meters of the 4x100m free relay to win in 3:07.22. The team of Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill.), Garrett Weber-Gale (Milwaukee, Wis.), Nick Brunelli (Mansfield, Mass.) and Ricky Berens (Charlotte, N.C.) beat the European All-Stars, who finished in 3:07.98. Berens’ strong anchor leg put the U.S. Team ahead of the Europeans for the win in the final event of the competition.

Just as the U.S. swept the opening races on Friday night, the E-Stars did the same today with wins in the women’s and men’s 800m free. Denmark’s Lotte Friis won for the women’s in 8:04.77, just .24 seconds off the world record pace. Chloe Sutton (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and Great Britain’s Grainne Murphy went second and third, respectively, with 8:14.29 and 8:18.03 swims. Pal Joensen from Faroe Islands won for the men in 7:36.24. Michael Klueh (Evansville, Ind.) came in second with 7:39.90 and Denmark’s Mads Glaesner was third in 7:42.27.

The women’s 200m free saw the first all-U.S. podium as Missy Franklin took the heat in 1:53.19. Dana Vollmer stayed close to Franklin all race as she came in second with a 1:53.92. Katie Hoff (Towson, Md.) helped the Americans finish the medal stand sweep coming in third at 1:54.24.

Berens, Matt McLean (Sterling, Va.) and Conor Dwyer (Winnetka, Ill.) won gold, silver and bronze, respectively, for the U.S. in the 200m free. It was the second straight medal sweep by the Americans. Berens swam a 1:42.48 – the second fastest time in the world this year – as McLean went 1:44.26 and Dwyer went 1:44.45.

Jessica Hardy (Long Beach, Calif.) won the women’s 100m breast with the fastest swim of the year, a 1:03.33. Trojan teammate Rebecca Soni (Plainsboro, N.J.) comes in second in 1:04.53 and Denmark’s Rikke Pedersen finished third at 1:05.50.

Brendan Hansen (Havertown, Pa.) swept both the men’s breaststroke events at the Duel in the Pool with a win in the 100m distance Saturday. Hansen touched the wall in 57.47 as Hungary’s Daniel Gyurta was close behind in 57.62. U.S. teammate Michael Alexandrov (Champaign, Ill.) rounded out the podium with a 57.81.

The European women swept the 50m free with Marleen Veldhuis of the Netherlands winning in 23.43. Ranomi Kromowidjojo, also of the Netherlands, was second in 23.61 and Francesa Halsall of Great Britain was third in 23.73.

In other races, Elizabeth Simmonds of Great Britain won the women’s 100m back with a time of 56.82. Grevers led the men’s sweep of the 100m back, finishing in 49.85. Caitlin Leverenz (Tucson, Ariz.) won the women’s 200m IM with a time of 2:04.91. Nick Brunelli (Mansfield, Mass.) won the men’s 50m free in 21.29, beating Russia’s Vladimir Morozov by just .01 seconds.

Ariana Kukors Wins Gold as Santa Clara International Grand Prix Concludes

Missy Franklin is the 2010-2011 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series Champion

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA (June 20, 2011) Ariana Kukors (Auburn, Wash.) turned in the world’s fastest time of the year in the 200m IM on the final day of competition at the 2011 Santa Clara International Grand Prix. Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) picked up his fourth medal of the meet Sunday night while Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.) was named the champion of the 2010-2011 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series.

In addition to Franklin’s win as the Grand Prix Series Champion, she also took home the meet’s high-point award for female swimmers in Santa Clara. Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) was named the high-point award winner on the men’s side. Franklin will be presented with the Grand Prix Series trophy at USA Swimming ConocoPhillips National Championship which will take place August 2-6 in Palo Alto, Calif. As a high school student with collegiate eligibility, Franklin is unable to receive the Grand Prix Series prize money.

In the 200m IM, Kukors broke her own meet record set in 2009 by swimming a 2:09.53. Her time was also the fastest time in the 200m IM this year. Stephanie Rice from Australia took the silver medal by swimming a 2:11.39 and Caitlin Leverenz (Tucson, Ariz.) won the bronze with a 2:13.24.

Kathleen Hersey (Atlanta, Ga.) set a meet record in the first event of the night, the women’s 200m fly. Her time of 2:06.89 was nearly a second faster than the old record set by Mary Descenza in 2008. Stephanie Rice from Australia had the second fastest time at 2:07.54 and 2008 Olympian Elaine Breeden (Lexington, Ky.) placed third with a 2:08.14.

Phelps and Nicholas D’Arcy from Australia were neck-and-neck in the men’s 200m butterfly but in the end, D’Arcy touched the wall first by one-one hundredth of a second in 1:55.39. Phelps finished in 1:55.40 and Robert Bollier (Mission Hills, Kan.) came in third at 1:57.92.

In the women’s 100m breaststroke, Jessica Hardy (Long Beach, Calif.) took home the gold medal with a 1:07.45. Ashley Wanland (Long Grove, Ill.) beat out Amanda Beard (Irvine, Calif.) for second place with a time of 1:09.25. Beard finished in 1:09.46. During morning prelims Sunday, Rebecca Soni (Plainsboro, N.J.) swam the fastest time of the day, setting a meet record with a time of 1:05.83. Soni opted to not swim in Sunday’s finals.

In the women’s 100m back, Australia’s Emily Seebohm swam the fifth fastest time in the world this year with a 59.77. Franklin finished second to Seebohm in 59.98 while fellow Australian Meagen Nay swam a 1:00.96 for third.

Daniel Bell from New Zealand had a strong showing in the men’s 100m backstroke. His time of 54.70 beat Lochte’s 55.22 and Eugene Godsoe’s (Greensboro, N.C) 55.63. Lochte and Godsoe finished second and third, respectively.

Thiago Pereira from Brazil broke the third meet record of the night with a time of 1:57.63. The victory was Pereira’s second of the four-day meet. Lochte came into the wall next at 1:58.99 and Conor Dwyer (Winnetka, Ill.) finished third at 2:01.88.

In the women’s 800m free, Wendy Trott of South Africa finished first with a time of 8:32.27. Camryne Morris (Baltimore, Md.) was second in 8:35.14. Alexa Komarnycky of Canada finished third in 8:35.27. The men’s 1500m free was won by Michael McBroom in 15:23.43. Jackson Wilcox (Hixson, Tenn.) finished second in 15:32.11 and Mark Randall was third in 15:33.07.

The Santa Clara International Grand Prix was the seventh and final stop of the 2010-2011 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series.

GULF LSC SWIMMERS, RELAYS SCORE AT USA SWIMMING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 11, 2009) Two relays and three individuals from the Houston area made the finals and scored at the ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships held at the Indiana University Natatorium.

The Aggie Swim Club won the gold medal and the national title in both the 4 X 100 meter freestyle relay and the 4 X 200 meter freestyle relay. Hannah Kinder, Melissa Hain, Maria Sommer and Sarah Woods combined to swim the time of 3:49.29 in the 4 X 100 meter freestyle relay in route to their title. Megan Latone and Ella Doerge joined Kinder and Hain in the 4 X 200 meter freestyle relay, swimming the event in 8:17.80 to claim the gold medal.

Individually, Magnolia Swim Club's Cammile Adams placed 4th in the 200-meter butterfly (2:10.25) with Matthew Barber finishing in 7th place in the the 400-meter freestyle (3:56.53).

The Woodlands Swim Team's Michael McBroom swam to a 7th place finish in the 1500-meter freestyle.

DeScenza Wins 08-09 USA Swimming Grand Prix

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA (June 15, 2009) Mary DeScenza, representing the Athens Bulldog Swim Club, won the 2008-2009 USA Swimming Grand Prix at the Santa Clara International Invitational.

After winning her final event of the meet, the 200-meter butterfly, she received the $20,000 award, which is bestowed on the overall champion as determined by points from the result of the six Grand Prix Series meets.

DeScenza competed in all six meets (Minneapolis, Long Beach, Columbia, Missouri, Austin, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Santa Clara) winning a total of 20 gold medals, nine silver, and two bronze medals for a total of 129 points.

Narrowly missing a spot on the 2008 Olympic team in the 200-meter backstroke and 200-meter butterfly, DeScenza established a new American record in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2008 Short Course World Championships.

She will be an odd-on favorite for a sport on the 2012 Olympic team.

This is the second year that prize money has been offered to the winner of the Grand Prix Series. Last year, Michael Phelps took home the prize and DeScenza was the runner-up.

Swimmers earned points for each medal earned at a Grand Prix meet. Gold medals are worth five points, silver medals are worth three points, and bronze medals are worth one point.

The standings combine men and women competitors to determine the final champion.

Mark Schubert, USA Swimming’s National Team Head Coach and General Manager Mark Schubert, was quoted after DeScenza received the award, “We are happy to have had another successful Grand Prix Series this year. Mary did a fabulous job and proved that she’s a strong competitor in multiple events.”

DeScenza was ecstatic after her win.

“Winning the Grand Prix Series is one of my top accomplishments. I’d like to thank my family, friends, coaches, and sponsors. I planned to go to most of the Grand Prix meets this year, but it wasn’t until after the first few stops that I realized I had the opportunity to win.”

Michael Phelps A Sprinter? Perhaps for London 2012

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

Is Michael Phelps trying to make himself into a sprinter in preparation for the 2012 Olympics? He may just be doing so.

Phelps qualified for the finals in both the100-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix?

His time in the freestyle event was 50.07 seconds, placing him as the seventh seed in the finals. He is only .73 second behind the top qualifier; Canada’s Brent Hayden.

In the 100-meter backstroke, he goes into the finals with the fourth fastest time (55.46). Fellow Olympian Matt Grevers has the top preliminary time (:55.15) in the finals.

Phelps is not known as a sprinter, but may attempt to make the 2012 Olympic team in the sprint events. He has stated previously he would not attempt to swim eight events in London. Opting to chance his events list may make for a better chance of multiple Olympic medals.

On Saturday, Phelps held off a late charge by Canada’s Ryan Cochrane to win the 400-meter freestyle, an event he had not competed in since 2005.

Cochran, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist in the 1500-meter freestyle, pushed Phelps over the final 100 meters, but Phelps held on for the win. Phelps also won the 200-meter butterfly on Friday.

Controversy has followed Phelps since his eight gold medals in Beijing. Photos surfaced earlier this year showing him inhaling from a marijuana pipe. He was suspended from competition by USA Swimming this past February. He returned to competition last month at the Charlotte UltraSwim.

In Charlotte, he won both the 200-meter freestyle (1:46.02) and 100-meter butterfly (:51.72) while taking second place in the 100-meter backstroke.

Mary DeScenza Breaks Two Championship Records on Final Night of the 2008 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming Short Course National Championships

ATLANTA, TEXAS (December 7, 2008) Mary DeScenza (Naperville, Ill.) set two Championship records Saturday on the final night of competition at the 2008 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming Short Course Nationals Championships. DeScenza won both the 200y back and 200y fly to claim a total of five short course national titles, the most of any swimmer competing in the meet.

DeScenza and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) took home top honors at the meet, winning the women’s and men’s high point award, respectively. The 2008 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming Short Course Nationals Performance award went to Dagny Knutson, who set an American record Friday night in the women’s 400y IM.

DeScenza’s first win of the night came in the women’s 200y back when she swam a Championship-record time of 1:51:58. Julianne McLane (Concord, Calif.) was second in 1:53.52 and Teresa Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa.) was third in 1:55.55. DeScenza’s second win of the evening and fifth win of the meet was in the 200y fly. DeScenza won the event in 1:52.48, a new Championship record. Ava Ohlgren (Northville, Mich.) was second in 1:56.01 and Yumi So (Pasadena, Calif.) finished third with a time of 1:56.63.

Two-time Olympian Lochte placed first in the men’s 200y back with a time of 1:38.49. Lochte, who already owned the American record in the event, earned his fourth gold medal of the meet with the victory. Tyler Clary (Riverside, Calif.), who was fourth after the first 100 yards, had a strong second half to take the second-place spot in 1:40.85. Great Britain’s Andrew Hogson finished third in 1:41.99.

In the men’s 100y free, William Copeland (Lexington, Va.) took an early lead at after the first 50 yards and managed to hold off the field for the win in 41.75, a new Championship record. Olympic gold medalist Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill.) placed second in 41.85 and Australia’s Matt Targett was third in 41.93.

Georgia native and 2004 Olympian Amanda Weir (Lawrenceville, Ga.) claimed the top spot in the women’s 100y free with a time of 47.15. She was followed by Dagny Knutson (Minot, N.D.), who placed second with a time of 47.80. Tanica Jamison (Dublin, Calif.) was third in 49.03.

Ariana Kukors (Auburn, Wash.) took home her first win of the meet with a strong swim in the women’s 200y breast. Kukors took the lead in the second 50, and held on to it throughout the race to finish in 2:08.33. Christine Olson (Phoenix, Ariz.) placed second in 2:10.02 and Ashley Danner (Springfield, Va.) was third in 2:10.06.

Mike Alexandrov (Evanston, Ill.) placed first in the men’s 200y breast. Alexandrov, who won the men’s 100y breast Friday night, set a Championship record with his time of 1:51.96. Eric Shanteau (Lilburn, Ga.), a 2008 Olympian, was second in 1:52.27 and Bart Steninger (Elko, Nev.) rounded out the top three with a time of 1:55.38.

In other races Saturday night, Matt Patton (Charlotte, N.C.) took the top spot in the men’s 1650y free with a time of 14:50.34. Randall Mark (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) was second in 15:00.83 and Jason Taylor (Plant City, Fla.) was third in 15:07.05. In the women’s 1650y free, Laurabeth Guenthner (Wellington, Fla.) was first in 16:07.80, Amanda Smith (Cincinnati, Ohio) was second in 16:11.33 and Maggie Bird (Muncie, Ind.) was third in 16:13.63. In the final event of the night, the men’s 200y fly, Japan’s Hidemasa Sano finished first in 1:41.07 to set a Championship record. Ian Powell (Tallahassee, Fla.) claimed the second-place spot in 1:44.29 and Dan Madwed was third (Towson, Md.) in 1:44.59.

Gulf Swimming Holds Annual Banquet; Honors Many

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 22, 2008) The Gulf LSC held its annual awards banquet this past Sunday at the Marriott Westside Hotel in Houston. Olympian Jason Lezak spoke to the attendees about his Olympic experience in Beijing and the commitment it takes to make one's goals a reality.

Clayton Cagle of the Cypress-Fairbanks Swim Club (CFSC) was honored as the Coach of the Year and Shane McCauley of Premier Aquatics Club of Klein (PACK) was selected as the Age Group Coach of the Year.

Ryan Littlefield of First Colony Swim Team (FCST) was bestowed with the Pauline Phillips Award, while Ron Lusk (PACK) was honored as the Robert Stallings Official of the Year. Rick Tobin was recognized with the ConocoPhillips Outstanding Service Award.

Gulf Swimming is the governing body for competitive swimming in the Gulf Coast Area of Texas, and is a member Local Swimming Committee (LSC) of USA Swimming, the national governing body for swimming as recognized by United States Aquatic Sports (The United States=2 0Member of "La Fédération Internationale de Natation", or FINA) and the United States Olympic Committee.

1932 Olympic Swimmer Still Involved in Her Sport

(photo courtesy of the Library and Archives Division, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pa.)

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

PASADENA, TEXAS (August 3, 2008) The Summer Olympic Games come around every four years. I have been an avid fan, follower, and devotee of the Games since I was a child. I can remember my family gathering around the television and watching the old ABC broadcasts of the Games from far away places such as Tokyo, Mexico City, and Munich.

While searching the Internet on this warm and muggy evening for a story idea, I came across a piece that really exemplifies what the Olympic Games should be about.

It is a story about 92-year-old Anna Mae Gorman. She lives in Homestead, Pennsylvania and was a member of the 1932 USA Olympic swimming team. She qualified for the Los Angeles Games as an alternate and swam in the early heats on the United States' relay team.

Gorman, who now goes by her married name, Lindberg, still works out; swimming a half-mile three days a week, covering the 40 lengths in a half-hour. She also drives herself to the pool.

This is the Olympics and Olympians I knew from my youth. Not the high paid professional athletes of today. She was simply a 16-year-old girl who had a talent that took her to the Olympic Games.

She did not return from the Olympics with any high dollar endorsements. In fact, the few "perks" she received was given to her family.

When she and teammate Lenore Kight returned home after the Games, they joined town officials and the president of U.S. Steel's Homestead Works for a parade. Each woman received enough movie tickets for a year and $150 from local merchants.

"I didn't spend any of it," Lindberg said. "I gave that all to my mother. That was like a fortune to her in the Depression, to take care of the rent."

Lindberg says she will be watching US Olympic swimmer Dara Torres' performances in Beijing, but rejects the notion of a comeback of her own. "I'd go in the 90-and-over Olympics," she said.

She swims strictly for fun and fitness now. That is how a true Olympic should view their sport. A lifetime commitment born out of a young girl's talent. A talent that took her to the Olympics over 70 years ago.

There is a video clip on the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website. You can access the clip by clicking here. The complete article in the Tribute-Review by Andrew Conte can be viewed by clicking here.

Thoman and McGregory Close in on World Records at U.S. Open

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA (August 1, 2008) On the fourth day of competition, Longhorn Aquatics teammates Nick Thoman (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Hayley McGregory (Houston, Texas) closed in on the world records in the 100m backstroke at the 2008 U.S Open. Both swimmers lowered the meet record in the event and earned their second gold medals of the competition.

Thoman became the second person to ever swim under 53 seconds in the men’s 100m back when he stopped the clock at 52.92. His time was just .03 off of the world record, and is the second-fastest posted in the world this year.

“That swim came out of nowhere,” Thoman said. “I just wanted to go a best time. I felt great, so I just let it rip. I was lucky that I had some great guys to swim against. Without competition, you can’t do anything.

“At Trials I didn’t swim my own race. I stayed in my own head here rather than get in everybody else’s. The plan is to stick around for four years if my body allows it. I am just ecstatic. I am so excited.”

Japan’s Masafumi Yamaguchi and Great Britain’s Matt Clay finished second and third in times of 53.94 and 54.22, respectively.

McGregory flipped under world record pace at the 50-meter mark in the women’s 100m back. The three-time National Champion posted a final time of 59.20, to finish just .23 off the world record and collect her second gold medal of the meet. McGregory’s time of 59.11 in the preliminary session was a U.S. Open meet record and was .14 off the world record.

“It feels good to be swimming fast three weeks after Trials,” McGregory said. “There is a lot less pressure here. I am proving some things to myself and am having a lot of fun.”

Japan’s Aya Terakawa clocked a time of 1:00.68 for the silver medal, and Lauren Rogers (Concord, Calif.) swam the third-fastest time of 1:00.92.

Mary Descenza (Naperville, Ill.) and Kristen Heiss (Casper, Wyo.) kicked off the evening with a battle for the gold in the women’s 200m freestyle. In a sprint for the wall in the last 50 meters, both swimmers touched in at 1:59.43 to share the U.S. Open title. The win was Descenza’s third for the week. Descenza’s teammate Chelsea Nauta (Tampa, Fla.) took home the bronze in 2:00.22.

“I came in to the meet with an open mind,” Descenza said. “I wanted to get out there and race. I am coming back with four best times. That says a lot about my training.”

In a three-way race for first, Michael Klueh (Evansville, Ind.) got his hand on the wall first for the third time at U.S. Open when he stopped the clock at 1:47.66. Bobby Bollier (Mission Hills, Kan.) took second in 1:48.13, and Scot Robison (Charlotte, NC) was third in 1:48.48.

Turning third at the wall, Olympian Scott Usher (Grand Island, Neb.) hammered home the final 25 meters to pull out his second victory in the 100m breast in a time of 1:01.37. Kevin Swander (Carmel, Ind.) touched in a half second later at 1:01.75 to out swim Great Britain’s James Gibson by .06 for the silver. Gibson earned the bronze in 1:01.81.

In the women’s 100m breaststroke, Michelle McKeehan (Franklin, Ind.) picked up her first victory of the competition in a time of 1:08.61. Annie Chandler (San Antonio, Texas) followed in second with a time of 1:09.26, while Corrie Clark (Malvern, Pa.) rounded out the top three in 1:09.48.

The meet will conclude tomorrow with prelims beginning at 9 a.m., and finals beginning at 6 p.m., when the men’s and women’s 50m free and 200m IM will be swum, as well as the women’s 1500m free and men’s 800m free.

Six Olympians Headline Janet Evans Invitational

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO (June 5, 2008) Olympic gold medalist Dana Vollmer of Granbury, Texas along with five fellow Olympians, including Natalie Coughlin (Vallejo, Calif.) and Jason Lezak (Irvine, Calif.), are slated to compete in the Janet Evans Invitational at the McDonald’s Swim Stadium at the University of Sothern California on Friday through Sunday.

Vollmer, Coughlin and Lezak will be joined by 2004 Olympic teammates Tara Kirk (Bremerton, Wash.), Larsen Jensen (Bakersfield, Calif.) and Klete Keller (Phoenix, Ariz.) at the three-day competition. Also entered in the meet are USA Swimming National Teamers Ben Wildman-Tobriner (San Francisco, Calif.), Jessica Hardy (Long Beach, Calif.) and Rebecca Soni (Plainsboro, N.J.).

The meet will serve as one of the final opportunities for swimmers to compete prior to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials which will be held in Omaha, Nebraska on June 29 – July 6.