12 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 12, 2004 SPORTS Eurotrip a happy venture ,,,f W or is * br Willis By Sharad Mattu DailySports Editor As Nick Willis and Nate Brannen have traveled to Oregon, Canada, Eng- land, Croatia and Italy, one thing has become abundantly clear: Qualifying for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, - Greece, is not easy. "There's a lot of luck involved in making the Olympic team and the timing matters," Michigan coach Ron Warhurst said. "Everything has to be just right." For Willis, everything was just right on July 2 in Rome. At the Golden Gala, he hit the Olympic 'A' standard in the 1,500 meters with a time of 3:32.68. Willis, who received one of the few wild card entries, felt fortunate to even be in the race. "It was a really big relief," Willis said. "I knew once I got into the race it wouldn't be too much of a problem. I really didn't have to do too much work. I just had to get into the pack and get tagged along for the ride. I was really lucky to get into the race." It was an especially big relief because Willis hit the necessary time in his first race following the Norwich Union Super Grand Prix on June 27. Willis was among the leaders in that race, but was tripped up with just 350 meters left. "I may have hit (the time)," Willis said. "It would have been borderline. I was really frustrated for the entire week after that. But, in the end, it worked out, so I suppose it happened for a reason." Now, after more than a month on the road, bored by living in hotels and "watching foreign TV" Willis is glad to be back home in Ann Arbor with his Olympic berth secured. Later this month he will go to New Zealand's training base in France and will likely run in two races before the Olympics. "He's just two races from the Olympic finals," Warhurst said. "It's really incredible. The preliminaries, the SWIMMING Continued from Page JI ably the best swimmer in the world right now, so that feels good to be on the same team with him." The reigning three-time individual NCAA Champion - Vanderkaay won the 200-meter, 400-meter and 1,500- meter freestyle races in addition to his 800-meter relay title - will also com- pete in the 1,500-meter freestyle on Tuesday and Wednesday. "I'm thrilled with the race I swam, but I have to refocus now for Athens," Vanderkaay said. "I will still try my best to make the team in (the 1,500-meter freestyle) but the pressure is definitely off a little bit now that I have already qualified. This opportunity is a real honor." One. Two. Three. Four? If having three Wolverines on the U.S. relay team weren't enough, Michigan will actually have four swimmers in the pool for the 800- meter relay. Junior Andrew Hurd all but assured himself a ticket to Athens with an impressive perform- ance at the Canadian Olympic Trials. Hurd won the 400-meter freestyle race with an Olympic qualifying and Canadian record-time of 3:49.67, which should put him on the top of the nomination list of athletes to represent Canada at the games. In addition, Hurd placed third in the 200-meter freestyle, which earned him a spot on the Canadian 800-meter freestyle relay team and in the pool to compete against his Wolverine teammates. "Andrew did a super job. He made up his mind to swim the 200- meter freestyle and 400-meter freestyle and he medaled in both," outgoing Michigan head coach Jon Urbanchek said. "Both (Ketchum) and (Vanderkaay) were expected to make the team, so it's not really a surprise. But just because they were supposed to make it on paper, it doesn't mean they were going to. You have to do it in the water. (Making the Olympics) was theirO goal and now they have done it. I'm very happy for them." After numerous attempts that fell just short, Michigan sophomore Nick Willis earned a spot on New Zealand's Olympic team that will head to Athens later this summer. semi-finals, and he's there. He'll be able to do it too. The times won't be too fast. He's just got to beat the others." Willis' training partner, Brannen, also returned from Europe last week. But he was still seeking an Olympic berth in the 800 meters. He hoped to get it yesterday at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Victoria, B.C., but his dreams may be on hold for four years. Brannen entered the weekend having to finish in the top four and hit the Olympic 'A' standard of 1:45.71. "I'm confident I'll run well there and finish in the top four at least," Brannen said before the weekend. "Hitting the standards is the tough part. It's not easy to go out there and run a 1.45 by myself. I'm going to need someone to help me through the first 400 or 600. It just takes a lot of energy to go out on my own from start to finish." Warhurst told Brannen that if the weather was good, he should consider going for the time in the preliminary heat to get it over with before the finals. While he did finish second in the heat, Brannen's time was just 1:49.84. In the finals, Brannen's worst fear came true. He came in fourth place but struggled to keep up with the leaders and finished with a time of 1:48.23. Warhurst had hoped that with a top 4 finish and a time close to the 'A' stan- dard, Brannen could petition for addi- tional opportunities to hit the time. But, since he finished well short of the time, it is unclear whether a petition is being planned. For Brannen, what is most frustrating is the fact that the first-place finisher in the race ran a fast time of 1:45.34, and he was unable to keep up. Ever since an ankle injury about two months ago, Brannen has had trouble getting back to his earlier form. "I was really fit before the injury. I think I could have run a 1:45 by myself at that point," said Brannen, who has been receiving treatments daily ever since. "Now, with this nagging injury, I've just been a lot more down." Warhurst has tried to help Brannen keep his confidence up, but it hasn't been an easy task. "When you're limited to doing one thing in 1:45 and you get three opportu- nities and you train six months for it, it can be frustrating when your ankle is sore and it hurts and you just can't do it," Warhurst said. "It's just been a real tough time for him." Andrew Ellerton, who did not red- shirt the outdoor track season as Willis and Brannen did, was in the same situation as Brannen before and after the weekend. Ellerton finished in third place in the 800 finals with a time of 1:47.68. COURTEsY OF DANNY MOLOSHOK Peter Vanderkaay (left) and Klete Keller after the 400-meter US Olympic qualifying race. OLYMPICS WILL BE BLUE When the flame finally makes its way into Athens Olympic stadium, marking the beginning of the 2004 Olympic games, Maize and Blue will be one of the most prominent colors. Four current Wolverines have spots and the number will con- tinue to grow with five Michiga0 athletes still looking for a ticket to Athens. ATHLETE EVENT COUNTRY Andrew Hurd Swimming - 400m freestyle Canada Swimming - 800m freestyle relay Dan Ketchum Swimming - 800m freestyle relay United States Peter Vanderkaay Swimming - 800m freestyle relay United States Nick Willis Track - 1,500m run New Zealand MICHIGAN ALUMNI AND CLUB WOLVERINE OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS Kate MacKenzie - W Rowing pair (US), Kate Johnson - W Rowing eight (US), Ste phen Warner - M Rowing tightweight four (US), Klete Keller - Swimming 40Gm freestyle, 200m freestyle, 800m freestyle relay (US), Tom Malchow - Swimming 200mbreaststroke (US) STILL IN THE RUNNING Peter Vanderkaa - M Swimming 1,50Gm freestyle (US), Lindsey Gallo - Track 1,500m run (US) ,Vera Simms - rack 400m hurdles (US) ,Melissa Bickett - Track discus (US), Nick Brannen - Track 800m run (CAN) P9 0 Autumn Woods Condominiums: ufttFOu l lfltI1 A 8101 Au umm Woods Trail )peoallzing in Ilomestyle(cooking Bring this ad in during the Art Fair and receive 10% oft 1 FREE smoot $2.00 OFF with $10 minimum purchase any meal Not valid with other offers / $10 Minimum Purchase - Not valid with other offers S With Coupon - One Coupon per Table With Coupon - One Coupon per Table ' King of Queens - Expires 8/31/04 , King of Queens - Expires 8/31/04 , "Don't let your get ahead of you DASCOL.A 8 1AIttAS 99 304 1/2 S. 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