Sports
Catch Tinley Olympian on NBC This Week
Tinley native and medalist Christine Magnuson will flex her 'fins' for chance to join the 2012 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team this week. See what she had to say about time trials, which kick off tonight, and get the NBC scheduling rundown.
When native and dives into the pool as time trials kick off today, she'll know it's now or never.
The 26-year-old has decided she will only continue her professional swimming career if she qualifies again for the 2012 U.S. Summer Olympic Swimming Team, she said. But she's not letting that weigh on her.
"I've enjoyed swimming my entire career and if the Olympic trial is going to be last meet, I want to enjoy it with my friends," she said. "… I've done everything I can to put myself in the game. That's really all you can do."
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Magnuson will participate in six days of the eight-day meet, which starts tonight and is televised on NBC from Omaha, NE. She said her coaches estimate that around 2,000 swimmers will be vying for a spot on the Olympic team.
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"Prelims are going to be interesting and I'm sure the pool is going to be a little more crowded than everybody likes," she said, with a laugh. "The majority of people only make it in one, maybe two events."
Magnuson, however, is swimming three. And she starts on the first day.
"I don't mind that," she said. "I kind of like to get in there."
She'll swim for a potential two days each while competing in the 100-meter butterfly, 100-meter freestyle and 50-meter freestyle races. She said swimmers will use all 10 lanes of the 50-meter pool in the morning.
"They'll also be doing flyover starts," she said. "That's when you don't wait for the person to get out of the water before starting your next heat."
Magnuson said many swimmers were slightly concerned with preliminary races running late, giving those who are swimming later in the evening less time to recover before morning competition. But she's trying her best to approach the meet with as few concerns as possible, she said.
"I'm sure I'll be a little bit nervous when I get there," she said, cheerily. "Obviously, you hope for the best."
Catch the Olympic Swimming Time Trials June 25-July 2 on NBC. Find the full schedule on the network's website. Below is a list of the schedule for the days Magnuson will be competing.
100-Meter Butterfly
- June 25 and 26: Heats will be televised from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.; finals, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. each night.
100-Meter Freestyle
- June 29: Heats will be televised from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; finals, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- June 30: Heats will be televised from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.; finals from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
50-Meter Freestyle
- July 1: Heats will be televised from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.; finals, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- July 2: Finals will be televised from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
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