The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
USA Swimming Olympic Trials
Weber-Gale sets 50 freestyle American record at U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials
07.05.2008 | Men's Swimming and Diving
OMAHA, Neb. -- Texas-Ex Garrett Weber-Gale set an American record for the second time in three days to secure his second Olympic berth, and Texas-Ex Ian Crocker secured his first 2008 Olympic berth by taking second in the 100-meter butterfly Saturday evening on day seven of the U.S. Olympic Trials-Swimming at Qwest Center Omaha.
Weber-Gale (2004-07), who set an American record in the 100-meter freestyle earlier in the week that was later broken, landed a second event on what is becoming a busy Olympics schedule by winning the 50-meter freestyle in 21.47 and breaking Cullen Jones' one-day-old American record mark of 21.59. Weber-Gale's stint at the Beijing Olympics will include individual competition in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle events and the 400-meter freestyle relay.
Crocker (2001-04) made good on his last opportunity to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, as he placed second behind Michael Phelps in the 100-meter butterfly in 51.62. Crocker, the world record holder in the event, joins Aaron Peirsol in earning his third trip to an Olympic Games (2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens).
A pair of Longhorns competed in the 1500-meter freestyle preliminary round earlier in the day, as UT rising junior Michael Klueh placed 17th in 15:35.03 and incoming freshman Jackson Wilcox took 22nd in 15:36.84.
2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming
Day Seven Finals (all distances in long-course meters)
100 Butterfly
2. Ian Crocker - 51.62
50 Freestyle
1. Garrett Weber-Gale - 21.47 (American record)
1500-Meter Freestyle - Preliminary Round
17. Michael Klueh - 15:35.03
22. Jackson Wilcox - 15:36.84
POST-MEET QUOTES
GARRETT WEBER-GALE
On his 50m freestyle win and new American record: I knew if I had a good start I was going to make the Olympic team, but I didn't know I was going to do quite that fast. That's the exciting thing about this sport; you don't ever really know how fast you can go, and it's the best feeling in the world when you go faster than you ever have before. I felt good. I never felt like anything was rough or anything. It felt really clean. It was the best race of my life.
U.S. sprinting has been ready to go on top for a long time. I think Ben (Wildman-Tobriner, the second-place finisher) and I and Cullen Jones and all the rest of the guys are ready to take on the competition and represent the U.S. in Beijing and win some gold medals.
Realistically, I wanted to go my best times in everything. A great coach, Jack Nelson, told me once that if you're going best times, everything's going alright. I wanted to come here and have my best times and stay positive and have fun. I'll just take a step back this next week and do a couple of different things in the water and do whatever Eddie (Reese) tells me to do. My dad tells me Eddie is the zen master of swimming, and I agree with him.
IAN CROCKER
On his wait in making the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team: This whole week has been interesting, an eye opener. There were a lot of young wolves coming here to eat the older wolves, and I'm one of the older guys, especially in the 100 fly. If you look at the way the field has progressed this week, it has been pretty amazing. So, I'm just really thankful to be on the team. I've got a couple of more weeks to do what I need to do and take it upon myself to swim faster because I'm not really happy with how fast I went.
It had my heart rate up over the last couple of days, just because the field has advanced so quickly. We all talk about how the U.S. Olympic teams are so hard to make because there is so much depth -- this is more than I've ever seen. At this point, I'm relieved and thankful to be on my way to Beijing instead of being on my couch to watch the Games.
