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Simi duo glad to get warmups out of way
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More from SwimmingOMAHA, Neb. — Two Simi Valley swimmers competed in the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials on Monday morning.
Emily Bibb, a La Reina High graduate, finished 36th in the preliminaries of the 400-meter freestyle with a time of 4 minutes, 16.57 seconds, while Kara Denby was 65th in the preliminaries of the 100-meter breast stroke.
"It was my best time, so I'm happy with it," said Bibb, who is competing in her first Trials.
The large, boisterous crowds at the Qwest Center, an arena normally used for basketball and concerts, have enthralled Bibb.
"It was pretty surreal," she said. "Before I got on the blocks, I was thinking I can't believe that I'm here. It's really energizing and exciting to see where the sport of swimming is going and everyone is stepping up and doing their best."
Bibb has one more event at the trials, the 200 freestyle, which begins this morning.
"This race is kind of a warmup swim for the 200," she said. "Now I know what it's like, and I'll be ready. I want a best time and to make it back (to the evening's semifinals)."
Denby also treated her race like a warmup. Her time of 1:12.28 was just off her qualifying time of 1:11.85.
"It wasn't too great," said Denby, an Auburn student who competed in the 2004 Trials in Long Beach. "I haven't been focusing on the breast this summer. It's just good to get into the meet and go out and get ready for the freestyle."
Denby is seeded 13th in the 100-meter freestyle, which begins Wednesday morning. She is also seeded 18th in the 50 free, which begins Saturday.
"I hope to go real fast and get myself in a final," she said.
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