Making the Teams

A look at the U.S. Olympic trials

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At 41 years old, most athletes would be happy to kick up their feet and enjoy retirement. Not Dana Torres. The superstar swimmer is looking for a chance to shine at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Torres will get her chance, thanks to her remarkable performance at the recent U.S. swimming trials in Omaha, Nebraska.

"I can't sit here and say I'm just glad to be going," says Torres. "I have a lot of work to do. I want to win a medal."

With the Games less than a month away, Torres and America's other top athletes are competing in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Their prize? A ticket to Beijing—and a shot at Olympic glory.

In the Pool

Torres came out of retirement after giving birth to her daughter, Tessa, two years ago. She has trained hard ever since, with the goal of competing again. On July 6, she didn't just compete. Torres set an American record in the women's 50-meter freestyle, finishing the race in just 24.25 seconds.

While she'll be the oldest U.S. swimmer in Olympic history, Torres says her age won't be a factor in Beijing. She's got plenty of room on her shelves for more medals. She already has four golds, one silver, and four bronzes from her participation in four Olympics.

Torres may have made the biggest waves at last week's trials, but there's no disputing who's the prince of the pool. Swimming superstar Michael Phelps heads to Beijing with one thing on his mind—winning gold.

The 23–year-old powerhouse will compete in eight events—five individual and three relays. Should he win all eight events, Phelps would break Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven gold medals at a single Olympics. Phelps won six golds and two bronzes at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

U.S. Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps with Scholastic Kid Reporters Gabyliz Machado and Rudy Marschke at the Olympic Media Summit in Chicago, Illinois, April 17, 2008. (Photo: Suzanne Freeman)

While Phelps expects to deliver in Beijing, winning will be a team effort, he says.

"Hopefully, we can come back in a month and show that the U.S. is the best swimming team in the world," Phelps says.

Joining Phelps and Torres in Beijing will be Olympic veterans Aaron Piersol, Natalie Coughlin, Amanda Beard, and Katie Hoff. Like Phelps, 19-year-old Hoff will compete in eight events and is expected to be in contention for a medal in several of them. In all, 43 swimmers will represent the U.S. at the 2008 Games.

On the Track

The hopes of the U.S. track and field team were temporarily dashed in early July when Tyson Gay had to be carted off the track at the U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon. A day later, however, the news on Gay's leg was better than expected.

The world-champion sprinter was diagnosed with a mild strain in the muscle in the back of his left leg. Despite the setback, Gay says he'll be ready to go in Beijing.

"I'll be 100 percent for the 100 and 400 relay," he told reporters.

While the world's eyes will be on Gay's leg next month, there are several other American athletes looking to make a name for themselves in Beijing. Among them are Reese Hoffa, Christian Cantwell, and Adam Nelson. The trio hopes to make it an American sweep in the shot put.

Team USA has the speed it needs in Florida State star Walter Dix. The 22-year-old is determined to leave his competition in the dust in the 100 and 200 sprints. Teammate Sanya Richards plans to do some damage on the track in the 400 meters. She's already a proven winner, having earned a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in the 4 by 400m relay.

Pole vaulter Jenn Stuczynski hopes to soar to new heights in Beijing after setting an American record at the trials. She cleared a gravity-defying 16 feet, 1¾ inches to secure her spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

"This is a huge relief," she said. "It was a huge relief. It was exciting because I knew I was on the team at that point."

On the Mat

Both the U.S. Olympic men's and women's gymnastics teams took home silver in Athens. Will either squad strike gold in Beijing? Only time will tell.

Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin earned a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic women's gymnastics team after delivering top-notch performances at the Olympic trials, which were held in late June in Philadelphia.

U.S. Olympic Gymnasts Shawn Johnson (top) and Nastia Liukin (bottom) with Scholastic Kid Reporters Gabyliz Machado and Rudy Marschke at the Olympic Media Summit in Chicago, Illinois, April 18, 2008. (Photos: Suzanne Freeman)

Both Johnson and Liukin are expected to be in the hunt for the all-around title in Beijing. Johnson is sometimes called the "next Mary Lou." The nickname refers to Mary Lou Retton, who was the first American woman to win a gold medal in gymnastics when she won the all-around title at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Making the Olympic team was twice as nice for Johnson because she will head to Beijing with her close pal Liukin.

"We're such good friends, and we've shared so many different experiences," said the 16-year-old reigning world champion. "To finally know, as teammates, we're going to Beijing together and we're on the same path is a great feeling."

Johnson and Liukin won't find out who their teammates in Beijing will be until later this month. A final selection camp is being held now through July 20 to determine the other members of the U.S. women's Olympic team. A total of 10 gymnasts have been invited to the camp at the Women's National Training Center in Huntsville, Texas.

Six male gymnasts will represent Team USA in Beijing—Joseph Hagerty, Morgan Hamm, Paul Hamm, Jonathan Horton, Justin Spring, and Kevin Tan. Paul Hamm won the Olympic all-around title when he earned the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

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Karen Fanning is a contributing writer for Scholastic News Online.

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