University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Bring Strong Contingent To Olympic Swimming Trials In Omaha
6/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
There will be plenty of Maroon and Gold on the deck at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. as 24 current and former Gopher swimmers will take the blocks for a shot at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The week-long competition begins Sunday, June 29 and ends on Sunday, July 6. Minnesota has at least one entrant in each of the 13 events.
Leading the Gophers at Trials are 14-time All-American David Plummer and senior six-time All-American Jon Roberts. Plummer, who competed for Team USA at the 2007 World University Games and 2006 Pan Pacific Championships, takes the 11th overall seed into the 100-meter backstroke and the 16th seed into the 200 backstroke. Plummer received a confidence boost after winning the 200 back and taking second to Michael Phelps in the 100 back at the Mutual of Omaha Swimvitational two weeks ago in the same pool that hosts the Trials.
Roberts holds the Gophers' best seed in an event, holding the third-best time in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:00.82). Roberts posted his qualifying time, which was the second-best time in the nation at that moment, swimming for Team USA last summer at the Japan International Grand Prix. He also takes the 11th seed into the 200 breaststroke.
Junior Alex Wold will be one of the busiest Gopher swimmers at Trials, competing in the 200 and 400-meter individual medleys and the 200 butterfly. He holds the No. 22 seed in the 400 IM. Graduated senior Russ Payne will swim four events including the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly and the 200 and 400 individual medleys. He is seeded 22nd in the 200 IM. Former Gopher All-American Zach Wood will swim three times in the 200 and 400 freestyle and 200 butterfly.
Other Gophers competing at Olympic Trials are: Steve Miller (50 free, 100 free), Mike Woodson (100 fly, 100 free), Colin Lee-To (50 free, 100 breast), Dan Berve (100 fly, 100 back), Tyler Schmidt (100 free), Michael Richards (50 free), Anthony Portela (100 fly), Adam Weis (200 fly), Jason Timmer (100 breast), Mike Holmes (1500 free), Michael Daup (1500 free), Mark Solfelt (200 IM), Matt Engel (100 fly), Jared White (100 back), Kevin Baseheart (100 fly), Sean McCaffrey (200 free), Travis Beckerle (1500 free), Mike Natali (200 fly) and Erik Esbjornsson (50 free).
In addition to the American qualifiers, Holmes and Ray Betuzzi competed at the Canadian Olympic Trials in Montreal during April. Former Gopher All-American Mike Brown earned a berth on the Canadian Olympic Team in the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke events.
Since Dennis Dale became the head men's swimming coach at Minnesota in 1985, his swimmers have made 12 total appearances at the Olympic Games although none have been Americans. Justin Mortimer came the closest recently, finishing third in the 1500-meter freestyle at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials. Former Gopher All-Americans Igor Cerensek (Croatia), Mario Delac (Croatia) and Brown (Canada) competed at the 2004 Games in Athens.
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