U.S. Olympic Trials Begin in Swimming and Track and Field

The road to Beijing for many American athletes begins—or ends—this weekend. The U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field athletes start today in Eugene, Oregon. On Sunday, swimming trials begin in Omaha, Nebraska.
    Kara Goucher, who earned instant fame when she beat marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe at the Great North Half Marathon in England last year, is expected to speed past the competition in the 10,000-meter event tonight. (She ran 31:26.48 at a race in Portland earlier this month—25 seconds faster than the required Olympic qualifying time.)
    On Monday, American women compete in the steeplechase, a 2-mile running race that requires athletes to jump over 28 hurdles and seven water obstacles. This will be the first time women have been allowed to participate in this event in the Olympics. (Men have been competing in it for more than a century.)
    At the swimming trials, medal contender Katie Hoff will kick off her Olympic effort on Sunday with the 400-meter individual medley event. (2004 Olympic superstar Michael Phelps will compete in the same event that day.) Watch 3-time Olympian Amanda Beard try to earn another spot on the Olympic team on July 4th in the 200-meter breaststroke. (For an interview with Beard, pick up a copy of the July/August issue of Her Sports + Fitness.) On July 6, 41-year-old swimmer Dana Torres could make history in the 50-meter freestyle event. Already the winner of nine Olympic medals, Torres is out to best her own unusual record: to be the oldest woman to make the U.S. Olympic swim team, which she established at age 33 in 2000.
    Both Trials will be shown on the NBC and USA networks. Visit these USATF and the USA Swimming links for the TV schedule.

—Kristin Harrison

Comments

[Boy George]

Congrads to Torres! “40 is the new 20.″ I’m glad she made it, it gives people something to talk about. On another note, I just watched the "at home with Danica Patrick" talk show Video? www.motodanica.com Have you seen it? It's pretty funny. It would be cool if Formula 1 was part of the summer Olympics. I wonder what country would dominate.

[foodsafe panels]

this is nice information need to know more

Regards