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Friday, June 22, 2012

Emily Update . . .









Emily McClellan . . .
I just received this article from my cousin regarding an interview with Emily. I am passing it on through my iPad. Picture will be small, although the article is informative and nice to read Emily's comments.


Thank you to those of you who have stayed with me the past few weeks. Grandson Tyler's open house is tomorrow and the granny's have been busy helping.


Amanda's Open House is next weekend and then I will sit back and enjoy summer, read some books and connect with each of you! PROMISE!
Love, Lynne
(photo was taken last year when Em was swimming in a meet not far from where we live)


~ ~ ~


Swimming alumni McClellan heading to Olympic Trials
Posted on June 22, 2012 by ddschools


UWM sophomore and 2010 DDHS graduate Emily McClellan earned trips to the NCAA Nationals her first two years on campus. (UWM Photo).


Next week, 2010 Delavan-Darien High School graduate Emily McClellan and two of her University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee swim team teammates will head to Omaha, Neb., to swim in the United States Olympic Trials in search of a chance to swim for Team USA at this year’s summer Olympics.


McClellan will be joined by fellow UWM Panthers Jordan Diel and Becky Yokosh will all compete next week with the Olympic dream in mind.


UWM sports information staff sat down with McClellan, who is ranked ninth overall in the 100 breaststroke, to talk about what it’s like to get this far and what it would mean to represent the US at this summer’s games.


This is obviously an exciting time for you. What are your emotions and what is your mindset going into next week?


“I’m so excited. It’s a huge opportunity and I’m really looking forward to going out and seeing what I can do and trying to stick with the girls. I don’t have anything to lose because just being here is an accomplishment in itself, just like (nationals). This is just one of biggest goals ever, so I’m just going to soak it all in and be happy that I’m there.”


How big of a goal was it to earn your Olympic trial cut last summer and were you surprised at all with your times?


“Last summer it was a goal to get my cut and make this meet. So, last summer when I accomplished that and got my cut I was very happy but it wasn’t necessarily a surprise.”


Now, most people watch the Olympics but these trials are a little less well-known. Can you explain what it’s all about.


“Olympic trials are basically the tryouts for the Olympics. People just think, `Well, aren’t the Olympians just the Olympians?’ Well, they have to earn their spots, too. You kind of know who’s amazing, like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, but at the same time they still have to earn their spot on the team, and that’s what this is.


“There are probably about 1,500 girls that have cuts, so about 150-200 girls per event. There are prelims for all these events, so all the girls that earned their cuts will swim in prelims and then they’ll take the top 16 finishers into the semifinals. Semifinals are swam later that night, so both of the first two swims are on the same day. And the top eight from semifinals will move to finals the next day, and after they swim finals, the top two make the Olympics and will be added to the Olympic team. It’s a lot of racing.”


Most of the year you swim wearing the Milwaukee black & gold uniforms. Talk a little bit about what it would be like to swim wearing the US uniform and represent your country.


“Oh my goodness. That would just be a total dream. I think it’s kind of everyone’s dream to represent their country and wear the colors.”


I’m sure you watched the Olympics plenty when you were younger. Growing up, did you ever think you would have this opportunity?


“No, not really. I mean, I can remember watching and saying `Mom, I want to go to the Olympics,’ but I didn’t really think this would happen. It’s kind of funny, if anything I thought it would be for gymnastics, not swimming. Swimming has always been one of my favorite events to watch at the Olympics, but if you would have told me four years ago that I’d be trying out for the Olympics I probably would have laughed in your face. But now here I am and I can’t wait.”


With Becky, Jordan and (hurdler) Durell Busby all also trying to make the Olympics, have you all kept in touch and talked with each other as this is going on?


“With Durell being in a different sport, I haven’t really talked with him much, but Becky and I were roommates the past year and Jordan’s sister Diana Diel is our other roommate, so Jordan and I are pretty close. We’ll text each other and we’ve all been counting down the days. We’re all so excited. We’re swimming in less than one week so we’re all really looking forward to it.”


***


Check out this related feature article on McClellan in the Janesville Gazette.


For more on the U.S. Olympic Trials, click here.


Swimming Information


Milwaukee’s three swimmers will compete in the massive meet over multiple days. Prelims for each event start at 10 a.m., with the fastest 16 advancing to the semifinals. From there, the top eight will swim in the finals where the top two swimmers in each event will punch their tickets to London.


Yokosh will be the first Panther in the pool at the elite meet, competing in the 100m backstroke Tuesday, June 26. She is currently ranked 112th out of 167 in the event. Yokosh will swim again in the 200m backstroke Saturday, June 30th.


McClellan will also swim on Tuesday, as she is ranked 10th in the nation in the 100m breaststroke. The sophomore will compete again Friday, June 29, in the 200m breaststroke where she is currently seeded 40th out of 133.


Diel is seeded 73rd overall in the 100m butterfly and will swim Saturday, June 30.


All information about this year’s Olympic Trials can be found here.


Live results from the swimming Olympic Trials can be found here.


All but the fastest heats of preliminaries will be webcast live at usaswimming.org. June 25-July 1 beginning at 10 a.m. central time. The fastest 2-4 heats of preliminaries will be broadcast on tape delay by NBC Sports. See the schedule below for further information.


June 25
Prelims, 5:30-7:00pm, NBC Sports
Finals, 7:00-8:00pm, NBC


June 26
Prelims, 5:30-7:00pm, NBC Sports
Finals, 7:00-8:00pm, NBC


June 27
Pelims, 6:00-7:00pm, NBC Sports
Finals, 7:00-8:00pm, NBC


June 28
Pelims, 3:30-4:30pm, NBC Sports
Finals, 7:00-8:00pm, NBC


June 29
Prelims, 3:30-5:00pm, NBC Sports
Finals, 7:00-8:00pm, NBC


June 30
Prelims, 5:30-7:00pm, NBC Sports
Finals, 7:00-8:00pm, NBC


July 1
Prelims, 5:00-6:00pm, NBC Sports
Finals, 7:00-8:00pm, NBC


July 2
No Pelims
Finals, 7:00-7:30pm








- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Home

14 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

the pressure on these young adults is tremendous! go, emily!

Barb said...

Best of luck Emily!

Pondside said...

I'll be watching - what fun to 'know' someone!

Anonymous said...

Oh what an exciting time for Em! A time she will always look back on with love. Wishing her all the luck in the world!

Pamela Gordon said...

That is so exciting Lynne! I wish Emily all the best in the trials. Blessings, Pamela

MarmePurl said...

GO EMILY!

Raindrops and Daisies said...

Wishing Emily the very best of luck.

Well done to her so far
and wishing her the best in the future.

Have a lovely weekend Lynne

Fiona x

Sandra @ Thistle Cove Farm said...

Prayer are with you, Emily!

laurak/ForestWalkArt :) said...

yay!! GO Emily!!
like she said...just BEING THERE is an accomplishment!

we'll ALL be rooting for her! best of luck! :)

At Home in English Valley said...

I love stories like this, of dreams realized! Champions like Emily are calm in the thick of it.. Lynne, now you and your family are on the edge of your seats, and now all of your friends here in the land of blog too!!! GO EM! Love, Penny

Anonymous said...

Go Emily Go!! About those business cards for Haven, I hope to share them soon. Haven was great and I have tons of good info to share. Maybe the next one I can meet YOU!

dee dee said...

Cheering Emily on!
dee dee

dee dee said...

How exciting! Wayne and I just watched her race on TV! She did great and we saw that she will be advancing to the next race! Way to go girl!
dee dee

Nancy said...

Wishing Emily well in Omaha! :)