SMU sends (mostly) swimmers to Beijing for Summer Olympics

by PegNews wire

There are some Track & Field competitors involved, too - and one Triathlete.

Not to be outdone by their froggie friends across the Trinity pond (if you'll permit the egregious stretching of a shaky metaphorical construct), SMU Mustang fans will be watching the Bejiing Olympics closely, as no fewer than 14 Southern Methodist alumni will be competing.

not provided by SMU

It's not widely known that SMU swimmers used to compete in the nude. (Because it's not true.)

The swim team makes the biggest showing, with the following alumni participating for the countries indicated: Camilo Becerra '05 (Columbia); Anja Carman '08 (Slovenia); Lars Frolander '98 (Sweden); Petra Klosova (current) (Czech Republic); Martina Moravcova '99 (Slovakia); Sara Nordenstam '06 (Norway); Flavia Rigamonti '06 (Switzerland); Angela San Juan Cisneros '08 (Spain); and Denisa Smolenova (incoming) (Slovakia).

Laura Bennett '97 will compete in Triathlon for USA; Libor Charfreitag '00 will perform in Track & Field for Slovakia; Gaelle Niare '07 will also compete in Track & Field for France; Michael Robertson (who attended classes at SMU in '03 and '04) will do Track & Field for USA; and Aleksander Tammert '96 is on the Track & Field team for Estonia.

In addition to competitors, there will be two 'stangs serving in support roles: Steve Collins (former SMU coach) will coach the Slovakian swim team, while Eddie Sinnott (also a former SMU coach) will manage the USA swim team.

posted by JM