NBAC Swimmers Leave for Olympic Trials

By: Keith Mills

The U.S. Olympic swim trials will begin Sunday at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb., and the North Baltimore Aquatic Club will be sending its largest group of swimmers ever. A total of 14 swimmers (15 if you count former NBAC champion Michael Phelps who trains in Ann Arbor, Mich.) left for Omaha Thursday in hopes of landing a spot on this year's Olympic Team.

Phelps (Towson High) and Katie Hoff (Fallston) will swim in a total of 16 events in the meet and will be joined in Omaha by an impressive list of young athletes who could have a big impact on qualifying for the Beijing Games: Liz Pelton, Felicia Lee, Michele King, Courtney Kalisz, Kailey Morris, Natalie Beale, Amanda Dunnigan, Ashley Knapik, Dan Madwed, Ian Rowe, Connor Wills, Andrew Cosgarea and Austin Surhoff.

It has been a busy week at the Meadowbrooke Swim Club, and that has nothing to do with the upcoming trials. The NBAC Competitive Swim Camp is going on in addition to normal North Baltimore activities.

"We have 42 of the best swimmers from around the country here this week," said Meadowbrooke general manager John Cadigan. "So yeah, it's a little crazy."

North Baltimore co-founder Murray Stephens and coaches Paul Yetter and Scott Armstrong will lead the team into Omaha while Hoff, and Phelps will endure one of the most ambitious schedules in Olympic Trials history.

Issue 3.26: June 26, 2008