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By JO-ANN BARNAS
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
Free Press sports writer Jo-Ann Barnas lends her views on
Olympic sports:
GOLD: USA Swimming should send Michael Phelps and NBC a couple of
gift baskets following the organization’s announcement last
week that its swimming membership grew 11.2% this year -- the
largest increase in its history.
The decision to broadcast swimming in prime time at the 2008
Beijing Olympics meant morning finals for the athletes, but it turned out
to be a ratings bonanza for the network. I was among those
skeptical about the plan at first as Phelps’ pursuit for
eight gold medals accomplished what he said always was his top
priority: to grow the sport.
Since we’re on the topic, here’s an event to put on
your calendar: Oakland University’s Aquatic Center in
Rochester is hosting two "Fitter and Faster" clinics Oct. 3. The
event features three-time Olympic medalist Peter Vanderkaay and his brother, Alex
Vanderkaay (three-time NCAA 400 IM champ), and two-time Olympic
gold medalist Megan Jendrick. It’s geared for those ages 5 to
18. Go to swimchampions.com for more
information.
SILVER: Kudos to Rockford native Dathan Ritzenhein, who
became the third American to run under 13 minutes in the 5,000
meters Aug 28 in the IAAF Golden League meet in Switzerland.
Ritzenhein’s 12:56.27 beat his personal best by nearly 20
seconds and beat Bob Kennedy’s 13-year-old American record by
almost 2 seconds.
Ritzenhein and his family recently relocated from Eugene, Ore.,
to Portland, Ore., to be coached by Alberto Salazar. Next up for
Ritzenhein will be the World Half-Marathon Championships on Oct. 11
in Birmingham, England.
One last running note: Paul Aufdemberge of Redford will try for
his second USATF national title Monday at the USA Masters 15K
Championships in Buffalo, N.Y. Aufdemberge claimed the USA Masters
Half-Marathon Championship earlier this year.
BRONZE: Chicago will have a concentration of Olympic
hopefuls at this week’s USOC Media Summit for the 2010
Vancouver Games. Athletes with local connections who have been
invited to the event include figure skaters Jeremy Abbott, Alissa
Czisny, Meryl Davis and Charlie White; hockey players Ryan Miller
and Angela Ruggiero, and luger Mark Grimmette.
Skate Canada is holding its High Performance Camp in Vancouver
beginning Thursday. Among Canada’s top Olympic hopefuls
attending include two-time ice dance world medalists Tessa Virtue
and Scott Moir of the Arctic FSC in Canton.
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