Nearly 20 Olympic Gold Medalists Descend on Irvine, Calif. for Nationals
July 28, 2006
Courtesy USA Swimming
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The top swimmers in America will vie for spots on five international teams at the 2006 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships, Aug. 1-5 at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center in Irvine, Calif.
The five-day event will feature nearly 20 Olympic gold-medalists, including Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md. / Club Wolverine), Aaron Peirsol (Irvine, Calif. / Longhorn Aquatics), Natalie Coughlin (Vallejo, Calif. / Cal Aquatics), Brendan Hansen (Havertown, Pa. / Longhorn Aquatics) and more. The meet will open with prelims each day at 9 a.m. (PST), followed by finals beginning at 5:30 p.m.
WHAT: ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships featuring nearly 20 Olympic gold medalists as well as world and American record-holders from across the nation
WHEN: Tuesday, Aug. 1 - Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006
Prelims begin at 9 a.m. (PST), followed by finals at 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center
4601 Walnut Ave.
Irvine, Calif. 92620
WHY: A total of 52 swimmers (26 men, 26 women) will earn spots on the U.S. National Team competing at the 2006 Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships, Aug. 17-21 in Victoria, British Columbia
TICKETS: Full-session passes: $55 for adults, $45 for seniors / students
Full-day passes: $15 for adults, $10 for seniors / students
Single-session passes: $10 for adults, $5 for seniors / students
MORE INFO: Log onto http://www.usaswimming.org/media for complete, updated information.
Here are the Top 10 Reasons to cover the ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships:
Michael Phelps, a.k.a Mr. Versatile: The reigning Olympic champion in the 200m and 400m individual medley will take on the best swimmers in America in his strong suit. World and American records could be in peril at the pool in Irvine, Calif. Phelps (Baltimore, Md. / Club Wolverine) is slated to swim in six individual events: 200m freestyle, 200m backstroke, 100m and 200m butterfly and both individual medley races.
Texas Trio: The might not be Texas natives, but the Lone Star State has adopted these three University of Texas grads. The trio of Aaron Peirsol (Irvine, Calif.), Ian Crocker (Portland, Maine) and Brendan Hansen (Havertown, Pa.) represent three-quarters of the world record-holding U.S. medley relay team. Along with their world-record relay mark, the trio holds an additional eight world records between them. Crocker (Texas ‘05) owns the world record in the 100m fly (long course) and three short course world records (100m free, 50m fly and 100m fly). Peirsol (Texas `06) swept the backstrokes at the 2004 Olympic Games and is the world’s fastest man in both the 100m and 200m backstroke races. Hansen (Texas `05) is the world record holder in the 100m and 200m breaststroke.
Katie Hoff Hopes To Continue “Phenom” Run: The youngest member of the entire U.S. delegation at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, the now 17-year-old Hoff is already the reigning American record holder in the 200m IM, a record she set at the 2005 FINA World Championships. Hoff will swim the 100m, 200m and 400m free, and the 200m and 400m IM at Nationals. Hoff (Towson, Md. / North Baltimore) solidified her place on the “one to watch” list after earning world titles in both individual medley events at the 2005 World Championships. She has also qualified to swim all 13 events at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb.
The All-Star Team in Michigan: If Texas has Longhorn Aquatics, then Michigan has its own version of the All-Star Team in Club Wolverine. University of Michigan men’s head coach Bob Bowman has collected a talented group of swimmers up in Ann Arbor, including Olympians Michael Phelps, Klete Keller, Peter Vanderkaay, Erik Vendt and Kaitlin Sandeno. Add to the mix National Team athletes Davis Tarwater, Hayley Peirsol, Chris DeJong and Justine Mueller, among others, and the competition is fierce in daily training.
The Peirsol Family Reunion: The world record holder in the 100m and 200m back, Aaron Peirsol says he’s just as excited to watch little sis Hayley take her turn on the national stage. Aaron, who swept the backstrokes at the 2004 Olympics and sparked the world record-breaking 400m medley relay by setting the 100m back world record, is fresh off of an “intense” training session: “It’s certainly the greatest training opportunity I’ve ever been in.” Hayley Peirsol has spent the summer training at Club Wolverine in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Orange County natives will return home for the 2006 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships.
“It’s cool to see [Hayley] swimming so well. She’s waited for this for a long time, and it’s really exciting. For the whole family.” - Aaron Peirsol
Here Come the Teen Speed Queens: USA Swimming’s youth movement remains in full-force with teenage stars Kate Ziegler (Great Falls, Va. / The Fish), Katie Hoff, Jessica Hardy (Long Beach, Calif. / Cal Aquatics) and Tara Thomas (Tustin, Calif. / Irvine Nova). The group, which includes two current high school students, will be swimming for national titles, positions on international teams and even world and American records. Thomas, a 4.0 student at Beckman High School and a member of the 2005 National Junior Team, can look for support from her classmates, who attend school just two miles away. Keeping with the trend, Hardy will be near her alma mater - Long Beach Wilson High School.
World-Class Facility: The William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center hosts USA Swimming’s marquee event for the second straight year. In 2005, the Woollett Aquatic Center hosted three events: the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool, ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships and the Speedo Junior Nationals.
USA Swimming, “Any Way You Want It”: USA Swimming has embraced “new media” as a route to a new and larger audience. The organization will offer live footage via the web; results, trivia and “The Buzz” via mobile text alerts; and a “behind the scenes” podcast to its fans worldwide. Through a partnership with WCSN.com, the organization will produce a live webcast of the final three days of competition (Aug. 3-5) and will produce a two-hour television show with highlights from Aug. 1-2. To reach its fans on the go, USA Swimming will offer text alerts of results, breaking news and trivia delivered directly to subscribers’ cellular phones. Speedo has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the text alerts. Fans may sign up for this free service through http://www.usaswimming.org/nationals, or by texting “SWIM” to USA Swimming’s short code: 62931. Also, in an attempt to reach the younger generation, USA Swimming will produce and upload a youth-themed podcast. The podcast, also sponsored by Speedo, will be available for download each night of the event.
Everyone Likes a Free Lunch: USA Swimming is proud to invite members of the local and national media to Media Day at Woollett Aquatic Center on Monday, July 31. The day will offer access to a variety of competitors between 10 a.m.-noon. Additionally, USA Swimming will host a media luncheon with newly-tapped Head Coach and General Manager Mark Schubert. Also attending will be Olympic gold-medalist and USA Swimming National Team Managing Director Lindsay (Benko) Mintenko.
This Time Last Quadrennial: Two world and five American records fell at the 2002 Phillips66 National Championships in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Michael Phelps and Erik Vendt waged an epic race in the 400m individual medley, as both were under the world record pace, with Phelps pulling out the victory. Natalie Coughlin officially became a part of swimming trivia, becoming the first woman to swim the 100m backstroke in under a minute. She was also the first person since Tracy Caulkins in 1978 to win five U.S. National titles at one meet.
2006 CSTV Networks, Inc.
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