Granted I can watch endless heats of swimming whether I know any of the competitors or not. There are always strokes to admire, turns to marvel at and times to be impressed by. But when you have someone to cheer for, it’s so much more fun, and cheer I do, unabashedly.
That was the case this morning when Mark Dylla laid down the gauntlet in the 200M fly. Now I don’t know Mark personally, but of course I know of him. He was a state champion several times over at Heritage High and then as a Georgia Bulldog freshman this spring, he captured 2nd in the 200M fly at the NCAA Division I championships.
During prelims this morning he was two lanes over from Michael Phelps in lane 6 of the final heat, and he obviously came ready to race. He out touched the field at the 50 and then again at the 100M mark. Phelps caught up with him at the 150 and just out touched him at the wall. Nonetheless, Dylla qualified 4th overall (he was ranked 11th going into the event), so we’ll see what happens tonight when he swims in one of two semi-final heats.
As if that wasn’t enough, Colorado Stars Missy Franklin made her Trials debut this morning as she dove in in lane 4 for the 8th heat of the 200M IM. The barely 13-year-old, a school chum of my daughter’s, posted a personal best with a 2:18.77 to finish 40th. She, too, was ahead at the 100M mark, and finished second in her heat. We caught up with her about an hour after the race, and, as usual, she was all smiles as she signed autographs in the hallway. She truly seemed to be embracing every minute of the experience, and although she said it was a bit daunting walking out to see about 8,000 folks as she stepped up to the blocks, she remained collected. (Fox News 31 featured Missy in a piece a few days before she left for Omaha. View the interview here.)
This morning during those heats where I didn’t really “know” a swimmer, I tried to pick someone to cheer for. Maybe they were an impressive 14-year-old, or an aging athlete or from some club I’ve heard about. Having someone to root for – personal friend or not – notches up the excitement.
