Thirty Current and Former Gator Swimmers Take on U.S. Olympic Trials
Saturday, June 28, 2008 | Men's Swimming & Diving
A total of 30 current and former UF men's and women's swimmers look to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb., as an opportunity to take their swimming careers to the next level. The trials begin June 29 and continue through July 6 at the Qwest Center in Omaha.
Florida legends Ryan Lochte (Class of 2006) and Dara Torres (Class of 1989) look to repeat in the Olympic realm. Lochte, who still trains with the Gators, has been a major force on the international swimming scene since his two-medal performance at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, where he struck gold as a member of the United States' 800-meter free relay team and earned a silver medal individually in the 200 IM. Lochte most recently led his U.S. 400 free relay team to a world record-setting gold medal, while additionally capturing gold in the 200 and 400 IM events and setting world records in the 100 and 200 IM races at the 2008 World Short Course Championships in Manchester, England.
Torres will embark on the journey to her fifth Olympic games in Omaha. Torres was the first swimmer from the U.S. to make four Olympic teams (1984, 1988, 1992, 2000). Should she carry on the tradition in the 2008 games, Torres would be the first swimmer to make five Olympic Games and also the oldest swimmer, at 41, to swim in the Olympics. Torres will swim the 50 and 100-meter freestyle events at this year's Olympic Trials. She holds the American Record in the 50 free (24.53), set in 2007, and the Olympic Trials Meet Record (24.90), set in 2000.
Eighteen current Florida swimmers made qualifying cuts for the trials, while 12 UF alumni swimmers met the standards to continue to Omaha. Aside from the 30 Gators participating in the U.S. Olympic Trials, nine Gators have already qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as members of their countries' swimming teams.
On the women's side, soon-to-be junior Gemma Spofforth (West Suxxex, England) will represent England. Representing the Florida men, 2008-09 senior Bradley Ally (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) will compete in his second Olympics (first in 2004) for Barbados, while brothers Brett and Shaune Fraser (George Town, Cayman Islands) will carry on Olympic dreams representing the Cayman Islands, Shaune Fraser in his second appearance for the team. Colombia native Omar Pinzon (Bogota, Colombia) rounds out the current Gator Olympic qualifiers as a two-time (first in 2004) member of the Colombia team. Former UF men Gabriel Mangabeira (Brazil, 2004 Olympian), Ricardo Monasterio (Venezuela, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympian), Adam Sioui (Canada) and 2008 graduate J.B. Walsh (Philippines, 2004 Olympian) stand a chance at Olympic medals with their respective teams in Beijing in August as well.
Among the former Gator swimmers competing at U.S. trials are nine 2008 graduates in addition to Walsh, including Caroline Burckle (Louisville, Ky.), Kyle Deery (Daytona Beach, Fla), Tim Hughes (Winter Park, Fla.), Grant Johnson (Clearwater, Fla.), Kim Larson (Longwood, Fla.), Dustin McCLarty (DeLand, Fla.), Dan Penniman (Pensacola, Fla.), Samantha Vanderbilt (Nashville, Tenn.) and Tobias Work (Falmouth, Mass.).
Burckle finished her senior campaign as a Gator reeling in 2008 NCAA Swimmer of the Year accolades as a two-time NCAA champion in the 200 and 500 free events and the NCAA record holder in the 500 free. Burckle competed at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 200, 400 and 800-meter free events. Alongside Burckle, both Larson (200 free) and Vanderbilt (100 back) took part in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials four years ago. Deery, Hughes, Johnson, McClarty, Penniman and Work all have experience and success on the national and international scene as participants in at least one of the 2005, 2006 or 2007 ConocoPhillips U.S. National meets.
Current UF swimmer Sarah Sykes (Jacksonville, Fla.) will be making a repeat appearance at the U.S. trials. The remaining current Gators, who additionally achieved success at the 2006 and 2007 ConocoPhillips U.S. National meets, join Sykes looking to make their debut appearance as members of the U.S. Olympic team pending qualification at the Trials.
For news on qualifications and results following each day of trials, visit Gatorzone.com or USASwimming.org. U.S. Olympic Trials action will be broadcast each evening June 29-July 6 from 8-9 p.m. (ET) according to the following schedule:
Sunday, June 29: NBC
Monday, June 30: USA
Tuesday, July 1: USA
Wednesday, July 2: USA
Thursday, July 3: USA
Friday, July 4: NBC
Saturday, July 5: NBC
Sunday, July 6: NBC
Gators Qualified for 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials
| Swimmer | Years at UF | Country | Events |
| Jenne Ballatore | 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 200m back |
| Caroline Burckle | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 400m free, 200m free, 100m free, 800m free |
| Clark Burckle | 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 100m breast, 200m breast, 200m fly, 200m IM, 400m IM, 1500m free |
| Kyle Coan | 2006-07 | U.S. | 200m free |
| Christopher Crete | 2007-08 | U.S. | 400m free, 1500m free |
| Ashley Carusone | 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07 | U.S. | 200m IM, 400m IM, 200m fly |
| Kyle Deery | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 200m breast |
| Elizabeth Goldson | 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 800m free, 400m free |
| Laurabeth Guenthner | 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 400m free, 800m free |
| Tim Hughes | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 100m fly, 200m fly, 100m free |
| Grant Johnson | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 100m back, 200m free |
| Mike Joyce | 2007-08 | U.S. | 200m IM, 400m IM |
| Elizabeth (Liz) Kemp | 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 100m free, 200m free |
| Cody Kauffman | 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 1500m free |
| Kim Larson | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 200m free, 400m free, 800m free |
| Ryan Lochte | 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 | U.S. | 100m free, 200m free, 400m free, 100 breast, 200 breast, 100m back, 200mback, 100m fly, 200m fly, 200m IM, 400m IM |
| Dustin McLarty | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 400m free, 200m fly, 200m IM, 400m IM |
| Stephanie Napier | 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 50m free, 100m free |
| Joey Pedraza | 2007-08 | U.S. | 400m free, 1500m free |
| Dan Penniman | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 100m free, 200m IM, 100m fly, 200m free |
| Sarah Peterson | 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 200m free |
| Eric Shrestha | 2005-06 (RS), 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 1500m free |
| Jos Smith | 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 50m free, 100m free |
| Kelsy Smith | 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 100m back, 200m back |
| Sarah Sykes | 2007-08 | U.S. | 200m fly |
| Dara Torres | 1985-86, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89 | U.S. | 50m free, 100m free |
| Rexford Tullius | 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 100m back, 200m back, |
| Samantha Vanderbilt | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 100m back, 200m back |
| Lindsay Woodward | 2007-08 | U.S. | 200m fly |
| Tobias Work | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | U.S. | 1500m free, 400m IM, 400m free |
*Shading indicates current Florida swimmer
Gators Going to 2008 Olympic Games with Other Countries
| Swimmer | Years at UF | Country |
| Bradley Ally | 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | Barbados |
| Brett Fraser | 2007-08 | The Cayman Islands |
| Shaune Fraser | 2006-07, 2007-08 | The Cayman Islands |
| Gabriel Mangabeira | 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 | Brazil |
| Ricardo Monasterio | 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01 | Venezuela |
| Omar Pinzon | 2006-07, 2007-08 | Colombia |
| Adam Sioui | 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 | Canada |
| Gemma Spofforth | 2006-07, 2007-08 | Great Britain |
| J.B. Walsh | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | Philippines |
*Shading indicates current Florida swimmer
