Just a few final thoughts and stats from our trip to Omaha.
Amazing swimming, great venue, and overall a wonderful trip.
Ava's finishes:
400 IM:
ranked 12th out of 82 swimmers
200 IM:
ranked 4th (personal best swim: 2:12.28) after the prelims
ranked 5th (personal best swim: 2:11.96) after the semi-finals
ranked 6th out of 110 swimmers after the finals (came into the Trials ranked #7)
200 Fly:
ranked 15th out of 99 swimmers after the prelims
scratched from the semi-finals
100 Free:
ranked 60th out of 100 swimmers
50 Free: ranked 34th (personal best swim of 26.01) out of 89 swimmers
(came into the trials ranked #60)
Congratulations to Ava for earning Olympic Trial cuts in every event but the 800 Free! What a great accomplishment. We had a great time seeing you swim and getting your autograph and picture! And finally, congrats for the personal best swims you achieved at such at stress filled meet.
And, since I have been a Canton resident since 1985 I had to finish up with a Canton swimmer's results.
Allison Schmitt (Canton HS Graduate '08)
400 Free - came into the trials ranked #4
ranked #3 (personal best swim of 4:05.72)
200 Free - came into the trials ranked #4
ranked #2 after prelims
ranked #2 after semi-finals
rankded #2 after finals (personal best swim of 1:55.92) OLYMPIC TEAM
100 Free - came into the trials ranked #15
ranked #26 after prelims
50 Free - came into the trials ranked #48
scratched from this event
I hope you have enjoyed following the our trip to Omaha and back. I'm spending Sunday recuperating (lots of water, sudaphed, and motrin) and will hopefully make it to work tomorrow!
- C
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Saturday - home!
We had an uneventful trip home on Saturday.
Once we got to Canton I basically crawled into bed to get some much needed sleep and Amanda joined Tom and Sam at my folk's house to celebrate the 4th of July.
- C
Once we got to Canton I basically crawled into bed to get some much needed sleep and Amanda joined Tom and Sam at my folk's house to celebrate the 4th of July.
- C
Friday, July 4th
After checking out from our digs in western Omaha we started our hunt for a steak house. Since I forgot it was the 4th of July I was getting quite frustrated at all of the restaurants closed on a Friday at lunch! We finally ended up back in the Old Market area (next to the Spaghetti Works restaurant) at Upstream Brewing Company. All week I had promised Amanda a true Omaha Steak and now was our opportunity. Mine was delicious but Amanda decided that "her dad's steaks were better" and will stick to those. Well, it will save us some $$ when we go out to dinner :)
Next we drove to Council Bluffs and went to a Historical Center and learned about Lewis and Clark's travels. They had a really cool exhibit (many of the photos are from there). We also decided to take the 1/2 mile hike to see the Missouri River. Bad idea as I was still not feeling the greatest. My allergies kicked in high gear. The scenic overlook was okay but Amanda was happy that we got to see a deer in the woods.
Then we drove & drove & drove till we got to Ottawa, IL and spent the night in a hotel there. Amanda was thrilled when she discovered our room had a jacuzzi tub in the bathroom.
- C
Next we drove to Council Bluffs and went to a Historical Center and learned about Lewis and Clark's travels. They had a really cool exhibit (many of the photos are from there). We also decided to take the 1/2 mile hike to see the Missouri River. Bad idea as I was still not feeling the greatest. My allergies kicked in high gear. The scenic overlook was okay but Amanda was happy that we got to see a deer in the woods.
Then we drove & drove & drove till we got to Ottawa, IL and spent the night in a hotel there. Amanda was thrilled when she discovered our room had a jacuzzi tub in the bathroom.
- C
Friday, July 4, 2008
Thursday night at the trials
Wow! We were there for the shocker of the trials (so far). Not only did Brendan Hansen NOT win the 200 Breast, he didn't even finish 2nd or 3rd; he finished 4th.
I was happy to see Dara Torres make it into the 100 Free tomorrow night. Lacey Nymeyer will also return to swim in the finals. We saw her swim at the NCAA Meet and also got her autograph tonight.
We also got to enjoy seeing Aaron Peirsol and Ryan Lochte swim tonight in the 200 Back semi finals. I guess we'll join most of the US and watch the finals on tv tomorrow night :)
And we saw Amanda Beard swim in the 200 Breast semi finals and qualify for the finals tomorrow too.
After the awards ceremony we headed out to the front of the Qwest Center to seek out more swimmers for their autographs. We got Lacey Nymeyer's autograph as she walked by. Many of the swimmers are realizing that if they take off their swimmer credentials (a lanyard with their name and other info on it) nobody bothers them. Well, I figured if they had wet hair and a swim back pack on - they were swimmers. Since I have to admit to just wanting to fill my shirt, I'd ask anyone looking approachable. Lacey lucked out as nobody noticed Amanda and me getting her autograph and wasn't mobbed. Not so for other swimmers. Margaret Hoelzer (former Auburn Swimmer) signed many, many, many t-shirts, programs, pieces of paper, before everyone finally left her alone.
The weirdest thing (at least for Amanda and me) was the mob around Mrs. Phelps (yes, his mom). Michael wasn't there but everyone wanted her autograph. Okay, not everyone, because Amanda and I just gave each other a puzzled look - like "why do they want her autograph" so that was one crowd we avoided.
We finally got tired of hanging around and left. Got Arby's for dinner (10 p.m.) and I'm blogging and Amanda is watching tv. I can't wait to start eating at regular times again.
Tomorrow we will start our long journey home. First we plan to have a real "Omaha steak" lunch then if the weather cooperates head over to the Lewis & Clark area in Council Bluffs, IA.
- C
I was happy to see Dara Torres make it into the 100 Free tomorrow night. Lacey Nymeyer will also return to swim in the finals. We saw her swim at the NCAA Meet and also got her autograph tonight.
We also got to enjoy seeing Aaron Peirsol and Ryan Lochte swim tonight in the 200 Back semi finals. I guess we'll join most of the US and watch the finals on tv tomorrow night :)
And we saw Amanda Beard swim in the 200 Breast semi finals and qualify for the finals tomorrow too.
After the awards ceremony we headed out to the front of the Qwest Center to seek out more swimmers for their autographs. We got Lacey Nymeyer's autograph as she walked by. Many of the swimmers are realizing that if they take off their swimmer credentials (a lanyard with their name and other info on it) nobody bothers them. Well, I figured if they had wet hair and a swim back pack on - they were swimmers. Since I have to admit to just wanting to fill my shirt, I'd ask anyone looking approachable. Lacey lucked out as nobody noticed Amanda and me getting her autograph and wasn't mobbed. Not so for other swimmers. Margaret Hoelzer (former Auburn Swimmer) signed many, many, many t-shirts, programs, pieces of paper, before everyone finally left her alone.
The weirdest thing (at least for Amanda and me) was the mob around Mrs. Phelps (yes, his mom). Michael wasn't there but everyone wanted her autograph. Okay, not everyone, because Amanda and I just gave each other a puzzled look - like "why do they want her autograph" so that was one crowd we avoided.
We finally got tired of hanging around and left. Got Arby's for dinner (10 p.m.) and I'm blogging and Amanda is watching tv. I can't wait to start eating at regular times again.
Tomorrow we will start our long journey home. First we plan to have a real "Omaha steak" lunch then if the weather cooperates head over to the Lewis & Clark area in Council Bluffs, IA.
- C
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Grand Traverse Light House - Please vote
Hi All,
I realize this has nothing to do with Omaha or the Olympic Trials, but it is very important for Michigan - and any Lighthouse enthusiast!
The Grand Traverse Point Lighthouse has been nominated by Jeld Wen windows to receive free windows. We are one of 12 lighthouses nominated. They allow one vote per email address. Please spread this to your email lists and ask them to vote for our own Grand Traverse Light House. Go to this link:
http://www.jeld-wen.com/lighthouse/index_vote.cfm
-C
I realize this has nothing to do with Omaha or the Olympic Trials, but it is very important for Michigan - and any Lighthouse enthusiast!
The Grand Traverse Point Lighthouse has been nominated by Jeld Wen windows to receive free windows. We are one of 12 lighthouses nominated. They allow one vote per email address. Please spread this to your email lists and ask them to vote for our own Grand Traverse Light House. Go to this link:
http://www.jeld-wen.com/lighthouse/index_vote.cfm
-C
Thursday - our LAST day of prelims
Wow - time has flown this week. I can't believe we saw our last prelims this morning. Our pile of tickets, which seemed huge earlier this week, has dwindled to our last two tickets.
Thanks to some O-T-C medicine I'm making it through the day. But, instead of going to the Lewis & Clark exhibit today we are back at the hotel room. Hopefully we'll check it out tomorrow before we leave Omaha.
Unfortunately Ava's 100 free time didn't get her back into the semi-finals tonight. Amanda saw her in the stands while we were still at the prelims and got to chat for a few minutes. Ava said she has been enjoying the Olympic Trials experience, but is ready to go back to Auburn. It sounds like the team will be leaving together on Sunday. There were quite a few swimmers from Auburn who had qualified to swim this past week.
Personally, I'll be cheering for Dara Torres in the 100 free tonight. She is 41 years old and looked good in this mornings swim. I wish I could get her autograph tonight! Once again we're expecting some good swims tonight - as we've seen all week.
- C
Thanks to some O-T-C medicine I'm making it through the day. But, instead of going to the Lewis & Clark exhibit today we are back at the hotel room. Hopefully we'll check it out tomorrow before we leave Omaha.
Unfortunately Ava's 100 free time didn't get her back into the semi-finals tonight. Amanda saw her in the stands while we were still at the prelims and got to chat for a few minutes. Ava said she has been enjoying the Olympic Trials experience, but is ready to go back to Auburn. It sounds like the team will be leaving together on Sunday. There were quite a few swimmers from Auburn who had qualified to swim this past week.
Personally, I'll be cheering for Dara Torres in the 100 free tonight. She is 41 years old and looked good in this mornings swim. I wish I could get her autograph tonight! Once again we're expecting some good swims tonight - as we've seen all week.
- C
Wednesday night report - continued
Here's the rest of Wed. night.
Congratulations to Allison Schmitt (Canton HS graduate/Club Wolverine) as she finished 2nd in the 200 free at 1:55.92 and just being out touched by Katie Hoff at 1:55.88 - so she will swim at the Olympics! Allison looked great and we actually thought she was going to beat Katie.
Michael Phelps won the 200 fly. Katie Hoff won the 200 IM with a new American Record.
After all of the FAST swimming we walked out front of the Qwest Center. "We hit the motherload," as far as autographs went. We got Cullen Jones, Ryan Lochte (a real cutie), Kate Ziegler, and former Olympians Summer Sanders and Mel Stewart (1992 200 Fly Gold Medalist and set the Olympic record in that event, a Gold Medalist in the 4X100 relay, and a Bronze medalist in the 4X200 relay). We each got a picture HOLDING Mel's Gold Medal - with Mel. I never imagined I'd get to HOLD a gold medal. Visit http://www.swimnetwork.com/ as I promised to post this on my blog if Mel let ME hold the gold medal and get a picture too.
We finally left at 9:30 p.m. to head back to our hotel room.
- C
Congratulations to Allison Schmitt (Canton HS graduate/Club Wolverine) as she finished 2nd in the 200 free at 1:55.92 and just being out touched by Katie Hoff at 1:55.88 - so she will swim at the Olympics! Allison looked great and we actually thought she was going to beat Katie.
Michael Phelps won the 200 fly. Katie Hoff won the 200 IM with a new American Record.
After all of the FAST swimming we walked out front of the Qwest Center. "We hit the motherload," as far as autographs went. We got Cullen Jones, Ryan Lochte (a real cutie), Kate Ziegler, and former Olympians Summer Sanders and Mel Stewart (1992 200 Fly Gold Medalist and set the Olympic record in that event, a Gold Medalist in the 4X100 relay, and a Bronze medalist in the 4X200 relay). We each got a picture HOLDING Mel's Gold Medal - with Mel. I never imagined I'd get to HOLD a gold medal. Visit http://www.swimnetwork.com/ as I promised to post this on my blog if Mel let ME hold the gold medal and get a picture too.
We finally left at 9:30 p.m. to head back to our hotel room.
- C
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