Ohio senior swimmer Lauren Funk will try to conquer the road from Nebraska to London this weekend and hopefully have time for a pit stop swim at the English Channel.
Funk will compete at the USA Olympic Trials this weekend in Omaha. She aims to nab one of the 52 spots on the team and represent her country on sport’s biggest stage. She will race in the 50-meter freestyle on Sunday.
Funk posted five top-ten finishes at the Mid-American Conference tournament and made the cut time for the trials at the Bobcat Spring Fling at the Ohio University Aquatic Center in May.
“I feel honored just to be granted this opportunity to represent Ohio,” she said. “I didn’t ever see myself in this position but I’m more than happy to be here.”
Funk is only partaking in one event but that does not deter her focus.
“Right now I’m just focusing on the 50 and that’s all I have to do,” Funk said. “That’s not as much as other people but at the same time it’s pretty intimidating.”
Funk said the experience has not sunk in yet, and said her goal is to not only keep or improve her time but also make her teammates proud. She is seeded 107 out of 164 girls competing in her event, and Olympian Dara Torres is also competing as well.
“I’m just squealing every time I pass an Olympian, even though they’re like on the same level as I am right now,” Funk said.
Funk has tried to stay loose, arriving in Omaha early Friday to get the jitters out of her system, and slowing down her training regimen so she is ready for Sunday. She watched Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte battle in the water Friday night and said the rivalry between them is good for the sport.
“I think its great,” Funk said. “Swimming, it’s an individual sport, you play for your team when you need to, but when it comes down to it, it’s all about you and to have Phelps be on top for the longest time but Lochte keeps coming after him so no holding back, its been exciting. I like it.”
Anthony Harris, Ohio’s assistant swimming coach, traveled with Funk to Omaha said she is excited for the experience.
“She’s getting the opportunity to swim with some of the world’s best when they’re at their best and its really kind of an eye-opening experience,” Harris said.
Harris said the pool is a very fast pool designed for this atmosphere and competition. While Funk isn’t used to this type of event, Harris said she has swam in similar style pools.
“It’s definitely going to make her feel comfortable,” Harris said. “A pools a pool and water is water when it comes down to it, it’s just her and the water that’s in front of her between the two lane lines. So she can use that as comfort to get in there and swim with everybody else.”
mk277809@ohiou.edu
