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Over the weekend, a swimmer qualified for the Beijing Olympics. Actually, a number of swimmers did, but this one is 41 years old. This will be the fifth Olympics for Dara Torres.
We spent the afternoon at a local pool and found the single mother is all the talk among older athletes.
Nicole Hamory, a swimmer with Master's Club, said, "It's so inspirational."
The major topic of discussion at today's Utah Master's Club swim practice was Dara Torres' victories.
Swimmer Monte Still said, "I think it's great, fantastic. It's bringing attention to swimming, and we don't get that much attention to swimming."
Liz Abel said, "It's not like I think 41 is ancient, because I'm older than that, but I cannot believe someone that age can beat these young athletes."
Dara Torres said, "I'm proving that you can be 41 and you can follow your dreams and that age is just a number."
Over the weekend in Omaha, Torres won, and set American records in both the 100-meter and 50-meter freestyle races. She qualified in a total of four events in the upcoming Beijing games.
It will be her fifth Olympics. Her first was in 1984 in L.A., before many of the athletes she's competing against were even born.
Tara Kirk, a 25-year-old swimmer, said, "I'm pretty impressed. I hope when I'm 41 and have had a kid that I look as hot as her."
But not everyone is happy she's going to the Olympics, again.
Priscilla Kawakami coaches the Master's Club at Steiner Aquatic Center. She said, "I think she needs to get a life."
Kawakami says she would like to see someone younger compete.
"We need to promote swimming for the up and coming generations, not for the people who have already been to the Olympics four times," she said.
Whether you're a fan or not, Torres has definitely got people thinking that age is just a state of mind.
Nicole Hamory said, "Absolutely. Anything is possible. It's mind over matter."
Monte Still said, "I'm pretty old too. I'm only 37, so maybe I can go for it when I'm 41."
Torres announced today she has dropped the 100-meter freestyle from her Beijing Olympic schedule. She said racing in two individual events, and possibly two relays over eight days, would be too hard on her body.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
