Olympic Swimmer Wins US Triathlon Olympic Trials

Olympic Swimmer Wins US Triathlon Olympic Trials

Post by Beth » Fri, 02 Jun 2000 04:00:00


Quote:

> <<Actually, as I sit here, I can't recall for sure if it was
> Taormina or Annette Salmeen who made the 'A' Final to swim with the "Big 3."
> Can anyone help me here?)>>

> It was indeed Sheila who swam with Jackson, Thompson, and Teuscher, and
> interestingly enough, I believe she posted the second-fastest split of the
> four.

Another article I read said Shelia had the fastest time of the
prelim relay which was why she was chosen to swim on the final team.
I think it's great (and surprising!) that she managed to beat
all the long-time triathletes. Sometimes it seems that they
view the swimming portion as an obstacle to overcome to get
to the "real stuff." It would be great if Shelia got another medal!

That brings up another subject: do the prelim relay members still
get medals? I remember hearing that the IOC was going to halt that
practice but have still heard prelim swimmers from '96 referred
to as medalists.

Beth

 
 
 

Olympic Swimmer Wins US Triathlon Olympic Trials

Post by Swimr19 » Sat, 03 Jun 2000 04:00:00

<<Anyway, this is a MOMENTOUS story.  Hopefully, I remember this right.  I hope
that Josh will write a story about this for Swimming World.  Anyway, as I think
I remember, Sheila Taormina was a reputable but not world class 5'2" UCLA
middle distance freestyler, who sneaked her way on the US 4 x 200 freestyle
relay team, swam well enough in Atlanta to swim with the "A" team in the finals
(think the others were Jenny Thompson, Trina Jackson, and Christina Teuscher).
Well, they beat the Germans and the Chinese and everyone else and came home
with the Gold. (Actually, as I sit here, I can't recall for sure if it was
Taormina or Annette Salmeen who made the 'A' Final to swim with the "Big 3."
Can anyone help me here?)>>

Sheila actually swam for the University of Georgia, and was actually more of an
IM swimmer until I believe she had an injury to her knee that prevented her
from swimming much ***stroke, so she started swimming middle distance
freestyle and decided after a point that the 200 free would be her best shot at
making an Olympic team. Annette Salmeen, who was most definitely the surprise
of the 1996 Olympic Trials, swam for UCLA, and her biggest accolade prior to
the Olympic Trials was winning the 200 fly at NCAAs in 1996. I think you may
have confused the two. There is actually a story about Taormina in the May/Jun
issue of SWIM Magazine, about her foray into the world of triathlons and how
she has to seriously watch herself so that she doesn't push herself beyond
fatigue and into the valley of negative stress. Good article.

Josh

 
 
 

Olympic Swimmer Wins US Triathlon Olympic Trials

Post by Swimr19 » Sat, 03 Jun 2000 04:00:00

<<That brings up another subject: do the prelim relay members still
get medals? I remember hearing that the IOC was going to halt that
practice but have still heard prelim swimmers from '96 referred
to as medalists.

Beth>>

Yes, I've seen Ashley Whitney's gold medal from preliminaries of the 800 meter
freestyle relay in 1996. I don't know if this will change for this Olympiad,
but in 1996, prelim swimmers were awarded medals too.

Josh

 
 
 

Olympic Swimmer Wins US Triathlon Olympic Trials

Post by Derek McEache » Sat, 03 Jun 2000 04:00:00

Quote:

>Another article I read said Shelia had the fastest time of the
>prelim relay which was why she was chosen to swim on the final team.
>I think it's great (and surprising!) that she managed to beat
>all the long-time triathletes. Sometimes it seems that they
>view the swimming portion as an obstacle to overcome to get
>to the "real stuff." It would be great if Shelia got another medal!

>Beth

True.  In rec.sport.triathlon the general consensus is that swimming is
just an obsticle.  I've heard some triathletes say "You can't win a
triathon on the swim but you can certainly lose one"

--
Derek
derekm at airmail dot net

 
 
 

Olympic Swimmer Wins US Triathlon Olympic Trials

Post by RunnSw » Sat, 03 Jun 2000 04:00:00

Quote:
>>Yes, I've seen Ashley Whitney's gold medal from preliminaries of the 800

meter
freestyle relay in 1996. I don't know if this will change for this Olympiad,
but in 1996, prelim swimmers were awarded medals too.<<

Pretty sure I remember reading that, beginning in Sydney, prelim only swimmers
will no longer get medals.

- Larry Weisenthal

 
 
 

Olympic Swimmer Wins US Triathlon Olympic Trials

Post by Moby Dic » Sun, 04 Jun 2000 04:00:00


Quote:
> 96 Olympic Gold Medalist (4 x 200 Free Relay) Makes 2nd US Olympic Team:
> This Time as the Top Qualifier in Triathlon

That really is incredible.  If it weren't for Peris-Kneebone (of Hockey
and about to be athletics fame), I would have been able to exclaim about
the simple selection fact.  *BUT* after the absolute farse that were the
Australian Triathlon (Brad Bevan not going because he couldn't compete on
the day.. how ***y stupid is that... for those out of the know, Bevan is
to men's triathlon what Perkins was to the 1500m in the early-mid
90's.  No one in Australia and not too many people in the world can even
start to keep up with the guy) It looks like she'll be in with a *very*
big chance to take another Gold (instead fo just a good chance).

Now I don't think *that's* happened since about 1905.

Moby***.
<clapping>

 
 
 

Olympic Swimmer Wins US Triathlon Olympic Trials

Post by Simone Borghe » Mon, 05 Jun 2000 04:00:00


Quote:

> > 96 Olympic Gold Medalist (4 x 200 Free Relay) Makes 2nd US Olympic Team:
> > This Time as the Top Qualifier in Triathlon

> That really is incredible.  If it weren't for Peris-Kneebone (of Hockey
> and about to be athletics fame), I would have been able to exclaim about
> the simple selection fact.  *BUT* after the absolute farse that were the
> Australian Triathlon (Brad Bevan not going because he couldn't compete on
> the day.. how ***y stupid is that... for those out of the know, Bevan is
> to men's triathlon what Perkins was to the 1500m in the early-mid
> 90's.  No one in Australia and not too many people in the world can even
> start to keep up with the guy)

if with brad bevan you actually mean brad beven, then he is an exceptional
triathlete, but it is an heresy to compare him to perkins in the 1500.
not even simon lessing could be compared to perkins, and lessing is
defenitely a better triathlete than beven. besides in the early '90 there was
also a guy called spencer smith....

simone

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