Bravo Dara!!

[Grace]

Dara Torres, age 41, is going to her 5th Olympics. That's the most ever for an American swimmer.

She just won the Women's 100m Freestyle in Omaha.

In the stands, cheering her on, her husband, her mother and her 2 year old daughter - along with many other fans.

[RICHARD]

Dara Torres, age 41, is going to her 5th Olympics. That's the most ever for an American swimmer.

She just won the Women's 100m Freestyle in Omaha.

YOU BEAT ME TO THE POST!

Good on her!

ANd what about all the records set?

[lizbud]

She is an awesome athlete. I saw her being featured on a local sports
report.

[RICHARD]

DT is a local girl from up the road.

Studio City, CA!

----------

Did anyone see the 16 y.o. gal that set the high school record -1500 meters-in the Oly track qualifiers?

[lizbud]

I read another report on this event today that discribed the scene after
her win. I really would have loved to be there.

(good choice of the song they played too)


Amanda Beard, Dara Torres
Tribune newspapers
9:26 AM CDT, July 6, 2008

OMAHA — They blasted "American Woman" over the public-address system here Friday night after 41-year-old Dara Torres took what had been an intriguing story line and turned it into a comeback story that surprised even her.

This mother of a 2-year-old girl looked like a kid again herself—waving an American flag on the pool deck—in making an unprecedented fifth Olympic team, winning the 100-meter freestyle in 53.78 seconds at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. American record holder Natalie Coughlin was second in 53.83.

Not only did Torres deliver the bombshell moment of the trials, there was a resurgent sidekick on the deck, a yin to the Torres yang, in the form of 26-year-old Amanda Beard, who made her fourth Olympic team. Beard placed second in the 200 breaststroke in 2:25.13 behind Rebecca Soni's 2:22.60.

"I knew I could make the team, but I knew it was a long shot," Beard said.



The women defied age at Qwest Center. And the men were taking down records, and equaling them. Michael Phelps broke his second world record here, this time in the 200-meter individual medley, and it had striking similarities to his first, in the 400 IM.

On both occasions, he was pushed to the limit by runner-up Ryan Lochte. Phelps won in 1 minute 54.80 seconds, under his old mark of 1:54.98, set at the World Championships last year. Lochte was second in 1:55.22.

"I just tried to hang on," said Phelps, who won his fourth individual race.

[RICHARD]

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_9798207

In depth story about Torres.

[RICHARD]

Won another event last night and qualified for three races in Beijing!

--------

Anyone remeber the story about a woman runner who lost her husband during a marathon.....I can't remember her name now....
It happened during a race back east.

[boomersooner]

wow...that is amazing....I'm only 6 years older, but I probably couldn't swim 10 feet....in fact, I know I couldn't swim 10 feet....not without having a coronary first!!

[lizbud]

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_9798207

In depth story about Torres.

Good article. Thanks for sharing it Richard.

[lizbud]

wow...that is amazing....I'm only 6 years older, but I probably couldn't swim 10 feet....in fact, I know I couldn't swim 10 feet....not without having a coronary first!!

I was amazed when I read that she had lifted weights and had a normal
workout the same day she gave birth to her daughter. Wow. I wish I were
half that active.

[RICHARD]

I was watching "Rome is Burning" a sports show where the host is Jim Rome.
Wuss and sports underacheiver. He had some ding dong filling in for him and her take on the DT events was there might be something more to her performances.

Two other dimbulbs that were on the panel suggested-but didn't want to accuse her directly-that a 41 year old woman making the U.S. Oly team was kind of suspect.

In typical media fashion, they take what has happened to all the other athletes that were caught doping and have to paint everyone with the same brush.

I highly doubt that anyone would, with today's doping standards, would take the chance to gain and then lose all the attention, just for a medal.

This gal has a future, family and possibly tons of endorsement money to gain, it don't make sense.

[Grace]

She has also volunteered to have as many different types of drug testing as they can think of. And take a lie detector test.

Someone on ESPN Sports Center, earlier today, said that what she does is NOT unusual in a person who swims and works out every day for years - which is what she has done. Also, she started setting records when she was 15, so that is nothing new.

That's what happens when all those others drug themselves. Everyone else becomes suspect.

[cassiesmom]

Go Dara, go!


- from another 41-year-old

[Grace]

Read online this morning that she has opted out of the 100 freestyle. As it stands now she will compete in the 50 Free, which is her best, and in both 400 IM.

[RICHARD]

I have always thought the it's harder for a woman to dope in athletics.

Of course, some women marry a dope.....but I digress.

If they do the steroids they either have to cycle or take a masking agent to keep from getting caught. HGH/testosterone usage is easier to check for because there are "standard levels" found in the blood samples of women.

I really couldn't get over the smarminess of the TV host/woman-instead of elevating DT's accomplishments she's been a suspect, accused of cheating and the jury is out, deliberating on the what the sentence should be.