The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Swimming Notebook: U.S. Olympic Trials Day Three
06.28.2016 | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
Former Longhorn Karlee Bispo finds herself in familiar territory; Texas-Ex Michael Klueh hopes to put off medical school in favor of a trip to Rio.
OMAHA, Neb. – Karlee Bispo found herself in familiar territory Tuesday morning.
As a former U.S. National Team member back in 2013, she helped the United States to gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the FINA World Championships.
She completed her eligibility in 2012 at Texas with the school's top-10 times in the 200-yard freestyle. She set the national high record in the 200-yard freestyle before arrived on the Forty Acres in 2008.
And here she was Tuesday morning all set for a preliminary heat of the 200m freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
"I got on the blocks and was thinking that I had trained at The University of Texas, one of the best programs in the country," she said. "I had lot of training and knowledge under my belt, and I knew I was prepared to do this race.
Bispo placed fourth in her heat at 1:59.29 and qualified 12th overall for tonight's 200 freestyle semifinals. If that wasn't enough, she hopped in a little while later and qualified 12th for tonight's 200 individual medley semifinals where she will join UT rising senior Madisyn Cox.
Bispo continued training in her native California upon graduation from UT before electing to relocate once more on the Road to Rio.
"After I moved back to California, I was training with a club team, which I loved," Bispo said. "But, I wanted to get back into the college environment, so moved in with my brother in Minnesota. I trained with six other pros, shared my knowledge with some of the young swimmers there and learned from some new people."
Bispo might be far from Austin these days, but she takes her time at Texas with her wherever she goes.
"In so many ways, I feel like where that's became who I am. "The other day I finished my medical school application, and all I was writing about was my experience there. I'm forever grateful to The University of Texas. I was just thinking last week of how great of an experience that was."
Former Longhorn Michael Klueh is set to begin medical school at The University of Michigan in a few short weeks, but he would be happy to put that off a little while.
Klueh, who trains at Michigan and lives in Ann Arbor with his wife, former Michigan swimmer Emily Brunemann, very nearly found himself in tonight's 200 freestyle final with four fellow Longhorns. He just missed out on the final after placing 10th in the semifinals at 1:48.14.
"It stung to miss out on finals, but it's just really cool to have 4 Longhorns in that heat. "It's amazing that Eddie (Reese) and Kris (Kubik) are still doing this kind of thing year in and year out. I've talked with all of those guys (in tonight's final) since last night. I told them to stay 'Texas Tough' and get their hand on the wall."
Undaunted by his fate in the 200 freestyle, Klueh took on the 200 butterfly in this morning's preliminaries.
"It wasn't the event I wanted to swim today. I hoped to be in the final of the 200 free tonight, but this wasn't all that bad of a back-up."
The back-up worked out nicely in the form of a seventh-place entry into tonight's semifinals – where he'll join UT rising senior Jack Conger – at 1:57.59.
One door closed but another opened this morning, and the former Longhorns All-American hopes to open one more door tonight in his chase for a U.S. Olympic Team berth.
"I don't have too many races left in my career, so I'm just going to go out and race tonight."
