After 19 years of practicing breaststrokes and backstrokes, one UND student hopes to fulfill her dreams of making the Olympic swim team -- a dream she has followed since she took her first swimming lesson as a four-year-old in Williston, N.D.
Carissa Gormally, 23, recently qualified to compete in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, scheduled June 25 to July 2. The meet will determine the members of the Olympic Swim Team.
Gormally will represent UND even though she now competes as an individual independent from the UND swimming and diving team. Gormally, who completed her eligibility in 2010, will also be competing for an Olympic berth on a very special day -- the last day of the Trials falls on her birthday.
"Getting onto the Olympic swim team would be a great present," she said.
With the Olympic Swim Trials more than a year away, her trainer Lucas Baarlaer believes more preparation is needed.
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"We've got a lot of work to do before we start thinking about that (Olympic Swim Trials)," he said.
This means increasing Gormally's practice time. She currently spends 16 to 20 hours training each week.
Gormally, however, is no stranger to hard work. She began to swim competitively at the age of five and continued all through elementary and high school.
While competing at Williston, Gormally captured her first state title as a junior in the 100-meter breaststroke. She took the title again as a senior and claimed the 50-meter freestyle title as well. For her accomplishments, she was named the 2005 Outstanding Senior Athlete of the Year.
"Coming from such a small town, it's amazing to be where I am," Gormally said.
Gormally also holds Williston records in the 50, 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
Road to the Olympics
Increased practice will assist Gormally in facing her next challenge: The ConocoPhillips National Championship, scheduled Aug. 2-6 at Stanford University.
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"She'll be facing stiffer competition there," said Baarlaer, who also is a UND assistant coach. "And we need to get her more comfortable."
At her most recent meet -- the Eric Namesnik Michigan Grand Prix meet -- Gormally placed 14th in the 50-meter freestyle.
That meet, held at the University of Michigan, is the fifth leg in the USA Swimming Grand Prix series. Swimmers from all over the world competed.
"There were 25 athletes representing 20 countries," Gormally said. "Some pretty big names were there to compete."
Fourteen-time Olympic Gold medalist Michael Phelps and 11-time Gold medalist Natalie Coughlin were two of those big names.
"It was really cool to watch them compete," said Gormally, who managed to get a few photos taken with some of the famous athletes.
Making a splash
Since her arrival at UND, Gormally has received numerous awards for her athletic performance.
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She was named Freshman Athlete of the Year after she helped break the UND record in the 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay.
She also holds school or conference records for the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay, and the 400 medley relay.
Gormally's sophomore year brought national championships in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. She was recognized as UND Swimming and Diving Most Valuable Female Athlete her senior year and was voted All Decade Performer.
"I give it my all during practice," Gormally said.
Baarlaer agrees.
"She's a positive role model for the team," he says. "The girls look up to her."
