Olympic Team Updates

We had so much fun at the USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials that the anticipation for the Olympic Games is building rapidly. Here is a photo I took at the Trials as they set off four big cannons filled with confetti and blanketed the arena.

Some Olympic team updates:

• While the US women’s gymnastics team has named two members to its squad (and will announce the rest after July 20), the Aussies are set! The AustralianOlympic Gymnastics team will consist of Dasha Joura, Shona Morgan, Lauren Mitchell, Ashleigh Brennan, Georgia Bonora and Olivia Vivian, and alternate Emma Dennis.
• The first nine members of the US Women’s Olympic Basketball squad was named last month with Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie leading the list.  Others include Sue Bird, Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi, Katie Smith, Tina Thompson, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles. The remaining three members have not yet been named.
• The US Swimming Olympic Trials are happening as I write this and these athletes are fast! Records are falling! The world record in the women’s 100m backstroke fell twice in prelims Monday when Hayley McGregory broke the record with a time of 59.15 followed by Natalie Coughlin breaking McGregory’s record with a time of 59.03 in the next heat.
• Nine members of the 2004 gold medal winning women’s soccer team have been named to the 2008 Olympic Soccer team – that is half of the team! Just the experience alone will give the team such an advantage.