Swimmers tread water between trials, NCAAs
Salmeen deserves break after winning Olympic team spot
By A. CinQue Carter
Daily Bruin Contributor
With the U.S. Olympic Trials finally over and senior Annette
Salmeen found guilty of "being the hardest worker alive," according
to UCLA swimming coach Cyndi Gallagher, the UCLA swimmers and
divers can now focus on upcoming meets.
The swimmers have the NCAA championships March 21-23 in Ann
Arbor, Mich., while the divers first have Zone E qualifying March
15 and 16, followed by the championships in Michigan.
Salmeen having already qualified as a relay team member for the
Olympics, swam a 2:12.39 to win the 200 butterfly at the trials
Tuesday.
"I was shocked after the relay result but I relaxed and knew the
200 fly would be the icing on the cake," said Salmeen. "I’m looking
forward to NCAAs for our whole team."
Said Salmeen’s roommate, senior diver Erin Simmons: "I’m so
proud of (Annette). It’s great living with her because she has so
much drive and is so dedicated it kind of rubs off on me."
Simmons, the 1995 Pac-10 champion on the one-meter board, feels
confident about diving’s chances going into the zone qualifier.
"Everybody on our team has the skills to qualify," she said.
Salmeen and sophomores Jill Jenkins, Lindsay Etter and Cindy
Bertelink along with first-timers Shawna Larsen and Amanda Hall
will represent the Bruin swimmers in Michigan. UCLA’s fate,
however, rests on the success of the relay teams.
"Individually, we’re tough," said Gallagher. "We’ve got to be in
the top eight on relays, though, to finish in the top eight
overall."
Throughout all the euphoria surrounding the trials, it’s a
wonder the Bruins in Los Angeles were able to stay focused. They
did this despite the head and assistant coaches being gone for 10
days just before their biggest meet of the year.
Though the squad will have to refocus their energies from the
trials, Gallagher feels that the experience will only help her
squad going into the NCAAs.
"With Annette and all the other swimmers doing well at the
trials, and with everyone being so supportive here, we have a lot
of momentum."
SUSIE CHU/Daily Bruin
Annette Salmeen and her teammates are preparing for the NCAA
championships, March 21-23 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
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