Long Beach Grand Prix

Local athletes swim with the stars

While Lodi City Swim Club members Lori Scheideman, Mary Griffith, Daniel Bowman, Devin Nishizaki and Kayla Smith have all swam in some prestigious meets in their careers, last weekend's USA Swimming Southern California Grand Prix in Long Beach featured something a little unusual.

Namely American Olympic gold medalists and world record holders Michael Phelps and Rebecca Soni as well as Japan's Kosuki Kitajima. American world record holders Jessica Hardy and Adriana Kurkors and numerous other Olympians were also on hand in the star-studded meet.

"We had a great weekend," said Lodi City Swim Club head coach John Griffin. "Our swimmers were able to compete with the best in the world, to see how these swimmers prepare for races and to talk to the best swimmers in the USA and all of the world. It was quite a thrill."

While swimming in the 100 butterfly, Griffith was lane neighbors with U.S. Olympian Margaret Hoelzer. The Lodi swimmers walked on the same pool deck as Phelps. Bowman said he got a kick out of sitting a few rows behind American Olympic silver medalist Matt Grevers.

"It was really exciting," said Bowman, a senior at Pilgram West Academy in Victor. "It is really motivating to be around people who are so skilled in what they do."

Things were just as exciting in the pool for the Lodi swimmers, who qualified for the meet with fast times at meets last year. Four club records were broken and numerous lifetime-best times were shattered. Lodi High's Scheideman set new club records in the 1,000-yard freestyle (10 minutes, 11.01 seconds) and the 500 free (5:00.94). Griffith, a Tokay High sophomore, finished 13th in the 200 fly with a record-breaking 2:02.59 and also placed 13th in the 100 fly (55.09). Bowman broke the Lodi record in the 200 fly with a 1:54.58.

"We were definitely successful," Bowman said. "I think every one improved their times."

All five Lodi swimmers, in addition to five more of the club's swimmers who are yet to be named, will head to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. in March for a week. They will also compete in another USA Swimming Grand Prix in Santa Clara in May.

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midtowner wrote on Jan 21, 2010 6:50 AM: