Ziegler Doesn't Qualify for Final
Kate Ziegler, the 20-year-old from Great Falls who came here as a potential contender for two medals, swam well off her personal best time in preliminary heats of the 400-meter freestyle, failing to qualify for Monday's final.
Ziegler, who is better at longer distances and has the 800-meter freestyle remaining, has a best time in the 400 of 4:03.92, set at this year's U.S. trials, in which she placed second to Katie Hoff. But in the preliminary heats tonight, she came in at 4:09.59 -- 14th-fastest in an event in which only the top eight advance.
Ziegler tried to remain positive about her first Olympic experience.
"Obviously it was, you can see from the time it wasn't very good," she said just now.
"But I had this realization right before the race. I was like, 'I'm swimming at the Olympics.' So while I'm really disappointed, I'm also like that was the coolest experience of my life. I'm not going to look back on it and remember the time. I'm going to look back on it and tell my kids, 'I swam at the Olympics.'"
Italy's Federica Pellegrini posted the fastest time of 4:02.19, breaking Janet Evans's 20-year-old Olympic record. Reebecca Adlington of Great Britain was second, with Hoff third (4:03.71).
Ziegler, who has been training hard here despite the enormity of the meet, said she was nervous prior to the race.
"I think I tried to tell myself I wasn't nervous, but I was," she said. "Yesterday, I went through a little period of mid-taper slump kind of feeling, but the past two days I felt great. And then today I got back in the water and was like, 'Ugh. I'm tense.' I think that was nerves coming through."
The 800 freestyle prelims come Thursday night. Ziegler is the 2007 world champion in that event, though Hoff beat her at trials.
By
Barry Svrluga
|
August 10, 2008; 8:58 AM ET
| Category:
Swimming
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Posted by: swimfan | August 10, 2008 11:48 AM
Clearly, Ziegler is in a world of hurt and denial. Anyone who has watched her swimming career over the last couple of years can see the pattern. She breaks world records at international meets where no one challenges her...then can't handle it when there is pressure from a stiff field.
I put a lot of the lack of mental preparedness on her coach. The guy is clearly taking a very talented athlete, physically over training her, and hoping for the best. If Kate sticks around for another 4 years I hope she can find a coach, like Rick Curl, who will nurture her physical talent and provide the support she needs to see that she has worth beyond the pool.
Posted by: swimfaster | August 10, 2008 1:19 PM
Swimfan's comments are ridiculous. It's so easy for "FANS" to judge someone's metal toughness, when they have experienced nothing close to those they presume to judge. I've played basketball at every level, and I've always found it disturbing that "FANS" can have so little understanding of the sport they follow and the true essense of competition. Results vary, sometimes you have your best at the right time and sometimes things just don't go your way. I've seen and played against the best and I've seen them falter at the most critical of moments as well as excel beyond their bounds of expectation. What we've come to see as athletes, is that you struggle against adversity and appreciate it when things come easy, becuase those moments are rare. While mental toughness is essential for an athlete, it's not judged by a "silly FAN's" estimation of a athlete's post game comments or their belief that an athlete's not succeding to their expectations is due to some type of weakness. This is why fan's WATCH and world class athlete's DO. Maybe swimfan should develop some mental toughness and learn to shut her mouth until she has accomplished something in life.
Posted by: swimfansuks | August 10, 2008 1:33 PM
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No doubt Ms. Ziegler has all the talent in the world.But... her comments after the race indicate that she doesn't have the mental toughness to play on this stage. Some day she may - hopefully as soon as Thursday (800 FR) - but not right now. I feel bad for the girls who finished behind her at the trials who may have handled the pressure better and swam up to their potential.