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Show Tuesday, July 8, 2008 DAILY HERALD C7 2008 OLYMPICS IN BEIJING U.S. Swim: Phelps, new faces create buzz Beth Harris THE ASSOCIATED OMAHA, Neb. PRESS Elizabeth Beisel emerged as a rising star at the U.S. trials, earning a trip to her first Olympics at 15. Garrett Weber-Gal- e assumed the sprint legacy left behind by Gary Hall Jr. Then there's Megan Jendrick, back in the swim of things eight years after winning gold as a teenager. They are among the fresh faces joining Michael Phelps, Katie Hoff, Natalie Coughlin and Ryan Lochte in the pool at the Beijing Olympics. Beisel, for one, still can't quite believe kl Li it. stroke and 400 free relay. "I don't think if you had told me a month ago that I would make it in all three of these events that I would have believed you," she said. "I'm expecting good things for sure." Another newcomer is Elaine Breeden, an from Lexington, Ky., who will swim the 100 and 200 butterflys. Her relatives include cousin Diane Sawof ABC's "Good Morning yer, America," and actor Johnny Depp, which should make her very popular with her teammates. Cullen Jones made his first Olympic team, two years after coming to attention as the world's swimmer in the 50 free. He didn't qualify in any individual events, but he'll swim the 400 free relay. Jones helped the U.S. win gold in that .. event at last year's world championships. He became the first black swimmer to break a world record in 2006, again on the 400 free relay at the Pan Pa- w 200-met- big-tim- e. ere are so manv veterans ) f) X long-cours- e here that will help me out with nerves and stuff. I was not expecting this. I've been dreaming of this since I was a little MARK J. TERRILL Associated Press girl and now that it's true and I'm up here Elizabeth Beisel leaves the starting block with these guys, it's pretty sweet." in the women's backstroke Phelps was also 15 when he made his semifinal at the US Olympic swimming Olympic debut at the Sydney Games in trials in Omaha, Neb., on Friday. 2000, going all but unnoticed except for his status as the youngest male since 1932. He finished fifth in the 200 butterfly. He's not worried about Beisel handling a relay swimmer. Now he'll try to extend the the pressure. "She's been on a few national team defending legacy of Hall, the two-tim- e trips already, which is a few steps ahead Olympic 50 free champion who failed to of where I was in 2000," Phelps said. "The qualify at the trials. Weber-Galwhose name is a combiggest thing is just to have fun." bination of his mother's maiden name The bubbly Jendrick is back, this time with a different name after marrying (Weber) and his father's name (Gale), will compete in the 50 and 100 freestyles three years ago. She won two gold medhis first individual events in an internaals in Sydney under her maiden name of tional meet and the 400 free relay. Quann, becoming the youngest medalist "If you don't expect to do well, you're on the 2000 U.S. swim team at 16. Jendrick narrowly missed making the not going to swim fast," he said. "I trained hard all year. I was really conteam for Athens and then retired. She'll fident in my swimming and wanted the swim the 100 breaststroke in Beijing. best times. I want to keep my confidence "It just feels amazing to be back on top," she said. "My goal is to definitely high going to Beijing and set some goals break the world record and win the gold and expectations of swimming fast and winning some medals." again." Jessica Hardy has been around for Like Jendrick, Weber-Gal- e missed out a few years, but never in an Olympics. on making the 2004 team. The The from Long Beach, Calif., sprinter from Milwaukee is a veteran of two world championships, but as earned spots in the 50 free, 100 breast- 200-met- gold-med- e, Countdown cific Championships. 8 Towering above them all is Matt Grevers, the son of Dutch immigrants from suburban Chicago. He will swim the 100 backstroke and the 400 free relay. Another first time, Lacey Nymeyer, caught a break Monday when Dara Torres dropped out of the 100 free -- in Beijing. Nymeyer was only set to swim the 400 free relay, but now she'll compete in the 100 free while Torres focuses on the 50 free as her best chance for an individual gold. Torres will be the oldest American her ever to swim at the Olympics record fifth and she could potentially swim two relays. Lochte is back in his second Olympics, having qualified in three individual events as the runner-u- p each time, but Phelps is in two of them. He'll challenge Phelps in both the 200 and 400 individual medleys, while teammate and defending Olympic champion Aaron Peirsol awaits in the 200 back- stroke. ing the games. It is also makavailing "Free Tibet" able. Similar campaigns are under way in other countries. President Bush on Sunday said he will attend the opening gray-tinte- two-mont- h Associated Press photo provided by the French Olympic Committee VIA United States Olympic Committee Photo Archive shows a game of polo being played at the 1924 Olympics in France. There have been bigger, more mainstream sports dropped from the Olympic docket. Polo was part of five Games, rugby four, golf and lacrosse two each. BELOW: This 1924 photo provided by the French Olympic Committee VIA United States Olympic Committee Photo Archive shows a game of rugby being played at the 1924 Olympics in France. This 1924 Discontinued Continued from CI helped increase media interest, eventually turning the Olympics into the financial and political monster of today. Before all that happened, though, the Olympics were a more simple affair, filled with some, uh, interesting events. One was the dueling pistols at the 1906 Athens Summer Olympics. Despite the Wild West connotations, the participants didn't actually shoot each other; they fired upon mannequins dressed in frock coats s with on their chests. Running deer shoot, where participants shot at moving cutouts of animals, was another competition. For the authentic blood and guts, you'd have to go back to the 1900 Paris Games and live pigeon shooting. Nearly 300 birds were killed during the competition, leaving a mess of feathers and blood after an event that clearly wouldn't fly today. Less violent and perhaps more fun were some of the swimming events. There was the diving plunge the aforementioned coasting event and an underwater race, where swimmers earned points based on how long they could hold their breath and how far they could get before coming up for air. The swimming obstacle race in 1900 was another unusual one, with swimmers climbing up and down a pole, then over and under and boats in the Seine River. Surely, some kid at the local swimming pool made that one up. "It was probably tremendously entertaining," says Olympic historian John Lucas. "It was sort of like an X sport for the amusement of the mob." Club swinging, held during the 1904 and 1932 games, would certainly fall into that category. Like rhythmic gymnastics with bowling pins or juggling without letting go, club swinging featured competitors whirling clubs around their bodies in various patterns. The threat of getting donked on the head like the Three Stooges would have been enough to get people to watch. Maybe a bit less entertain bull-eye- release-and-sho- Lochte isn't fazed by either of them. "I think that I can win every time," he said. "I still have another month to correct things. Beijing is going to be a lot different." missiles are pointed skyward. d air is Beijing's expected to begin clearing this month as strict, pollution controls come into force July 20. Factories and heavy industry in several ceremony. Japanese Primer Minister Yasuo Fukuda is also provinces around Beijing will be shuttered, and up to 2 milcoming. However, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has lion vehicles will be taken off tied his attendance to progress the roads using an even-od- d in talks between Chinese ofplate registration system. In Qingdao, the venue for ficials and representatives of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spirisailing 350 miles ftqm Beijing, thousands are working to clear tual leader. an algae bloom that covers one China says it will deploy third of the sea area where the about 100,000 competition begins Aug. 9. The police during the games, with bloom may be caused by pollusome of the city's 500,000 tion, a persistent problem along Olympic volunteers also servPolice roles. the have highly industrialized east security ing coast of China. already begun bag checks in Beijing's subway stations, Rogge, the IOC president has said some outdoor endurleading some to dub these the ance events lasting more than "Killjoy Games." A blunt reminder of security an hour will be postponed if the air quality is poor. He has is visible just a half mile from the Bird's Nest National Stayet to comment publicly on the water quality in Qingdao. dium, where two ground-to-ai- r government will honor its commitments in the bid process ... to provide quality and conveCI Continued from nient services to the media in protest letter" to IOC president accordance with international practice and the successful exJacques Rogge, Beijing organizers, the Chinese Foreign perience from previous games, so as to satisfy the demands of and the European Ministry the media covering the OlymBroadcasting Union. "We are worried this situapic Games in China." Rocked by protests on intertion will continue and freedom national legs of the Olympic of journalists will not be guartorch relay following the outanteed here," Hano said. break of deadly rioting March Beijing Olympic organiz14 in Tibet, China has stepped ing officials have repeatedly be will that up security everywhere and reporters promised free to do their jobs and cover tightened visa rules. Even holders of Olympic tickets are the Olympics as they have at finding this is no guarantee of previous games. "During the Olympic Games a visa to stay in China. Chinese officials say terrorwe will help the media with ism is the biggest threat to the their interview requests," organizing committee spokes- games, although human-right- s man Sun Weide said Monday. groups say the threat is being used to dampen internal disChina is on the record promIn sent. unrestricted coverage. ising The Free Tibet Campaign a 273page guide to coverage has asked British athletes to for the foreign press, the inmake a "T for Tibet" sign dur troduction says: "The Chinese FILE co-ho- st top-rank- The teenager from Saunderstown, R.I., earned spots in the backstroke and 400 individual medley just two years removed from being on the national 'B' team, a step below the ii s Dretiv coo neins rne roome. 0 toss. ing was the This featured a weight 56 hooked to pounds, of course a handle that was tossed over a pole vault bar in an event that had to look similar to those strongman contests ESPN shows on slow weekends. "It was usually won by some gigantic, fellow," Lucas said. "A very bizarre sport." Of course, peculiar events weren't limited to the early days. For the 1984 Los Angeles Games, Olympic organizers introduced solo synchronized swimming. The idea was for the swimmer to synchronize with the music, but viewers couldn't get past the whole lack of a partner thing and the sport was dropped after the Barcelona Games in 1992. "What can I say?" says author of The Complete Book of the Olympics series. "I asked them 'how can you synchronize one person?' Well, you're synchronized to the music. In rhythmic gymnastics there's music but you don't call it synchronized gymnastics. I just never liked it." Certainly, there have been bigger, more mainstream sports dropped from the Olympic docket. Polo was part of five Games, rugby four, golf and lacrosse two each. Even cricket, croquet and Basque pelota had at least one shining Olympic moment. When baseball and Softball were dropped for the 2012 London Olympics, it marked the first time since 1936 an entire sport had been removed from the Olympic program. Adding an event is a bit easier cycling recently replaced the time trial with BMX but only as a replaceracing ment. The IOC is concerned about the Olympics becoming too unwieldy, so anytime a new sport or event is added, another has to be dropped, preferably for something more telegenic, like beach volleyball. Because of that, it's unlikely potential fan favorites like swimming obstacle course, and club swinging tugof-wa- r will ever make it back to the podium. "It's too bad," Wallechinsky says. "Some of them I pull for because it's funny and I think it's something people can relate to." So much for the dreams of those kids in the pit. d 1.000-met- tug-of-w- U.S. Olympic track team deep, but still looking for next big star for the Olympic spirit," said Dix, who won the 200 and was second in the 100. To think, Gay almost didn't make it in the 100 as well, coming close to a monumental Pat Graham THE ASSOCIATED PRESS EUGENE, Ore. Sprinter Tyson Gay elicited gasps and groans with his performance at the U.S. track and field tri- slip-u- p als. The crowd went "wow" time of over his wind-aide9.68 seconds in the 100 meters, then cried "whoa" a week later when he crumpled to the ground in the 200 quarterfinals with a strained left leg. Just like that, Gay lost his shot at the sprint double at the Beijing Olympics. As did Ally-so- n Felix, who made the team in the 200 but failed to qualify in the 100. Now, American track and field is still looking for its next big star. The sport lacks a superstar such as swimmer Michael Phelps, who will go for eight gold medals this August, or gymnast Shawn Johnson, who's being called the next Mary Lou. "I know all eyes are on Michael Phelps right now and a few other people," said sprinter Lauryn Williams, who qualified in the 100, the event in which she won a silver medal the 2004 Athens Olympics. "But I think track and field has always naturally been in the limelight at the Olympics. ... I can't understand why we wouldn't take the spotlight back." Sanya Richards certainly welcones the bright lights. d 1 .4jm,mr - h r ERIC GAYAssociated ...1 Press From left, Rodney Martin, Shawn Crawford and Walter Dix cross the finish line in the men's final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore., on Sunday. Dix was first, Crawford second and Martin fourth. 200-met- She returned to her dominant form in the 400 after a year of battling an illness that caused painful ulcers in her mouth and on her legs. the place where dreams can happen," Lagat said. "My goal now is to do my best for this in his opening heat. The sprinter eased up, had the field catch him and was forced to accelerate again, lunging across in fourth place, just good enough to advance. Pole vaulter Jenn Stuczyn-ski- , too, had a close call. She needed to clear her opening height on her final attempt just to make the team, and then went on to set an American record. Defending Olympic 400 champion Jeremy Wariner made the squad, but lost his cloak of invincibility when LaShawn Merritt won the final, his second upset of the year over the world's suprunposed fastest 400-met- ner. Still, some big names will be missing, most notably country." defending national That common goal is shared eight-tim- e Greer in Breaux Dix 200 Walter champion Then there's the shot-pchampion by the javelin, 2004 Olympic gold and 100 winner Muna Lee, trio of Reese Hoffa, Christian who will go for a double in the medalist Dwight Phillips in the Cantwell and Adam Nelson, 100 and 200 sprints events USA long jump, 1,500 runner Alan a for sweep. looking hurdler Webb and where a blazing run can creAnd distance runner BerAllen Johnson, who took first ate a lifetime legacy. the only athlete nard Lagat in the 1996 Olympics. to win two titles at the trials, Especially in the 100. The anticipated showdown Despite all the falls and close the 1,500 and 5,000 will coach Bubba Thornton Jamaican calls, and between time. of air Gay Lagat, get plenty has confidence in his team. who won has won bronze and teammates Asafa Powell and "There is no doubt this is goUsain Bolt in that event will silver in the 1,500 for his ing to be a very, very strong Kenya, will compete as an lose some of its thunder if team," he said. "They believe American Olympian for the Gay's health is in question in the magic they've been able 15. come in time first Aug. Beijing. to capture here." "We're going to need him "It shows that America is na-.ti- Diving team mixes youth, experience Bryant and Ariel Rittenhouse in Beth Rucker THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The KNOXVILLE, Term. synchro platform team of Hayley Ishimatsu and Mary Beth Dunnichay will join a veteran U.S. Olympic diving team. Determined to avoid another medal shutout, USA Diving mixed youth and experience Monday in selecting its Beijing squad. "Even though some of them may be young, they all have a lot of experience," said Bob Rydze, team leader of the selection committee. Three-tim- e Olympians Laura Wilkinson platform) and Troy Dumais anchor the team. They, David and Christina Boudia Loukas already had won spots during last month's trials. Joining the team is IOmeter platform diver Thomas Finchum and springboard divers Nancilea Foster and Chris Colwill. The synchro diving tandems will feature Boudia and Finchum in men's platform, Colwill and Jevon Tarantino in men's springboard and Kelci r r) women's springboard. "We will not be shut out at these Olympic games," Rydze said, referring to the 2004 Athens Olympics where the U.S. didn't medal for the first time in 92 years. The selection committee announced the team after five-da- y camp at the University of Tennessee. Dumais said the team dynamics that likely hurt the divers in Athens shouldn't be a problem in Beijing. "Just like a family being around each other, you learn how to support one another," he said. "I think our team building has been far, far better than what we've had in past (years)." After the Athens Games, USA Diving changed its selection format with the goal of building an Olympic team with divers who've shown the most consistency throughout the seasoa Selectors considered a number of factors in picking the Beijing squad, including results from previous international competitions, degree of difficulty of the dives and performance at trials and camp. |