LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A former Western Kentucky University swimmer has made team USA and will compete in London.
Just getting to the US Swimming Trials is amazing for the Kentuckiana swimmers who competed Tuesday and Wednesday. That is because they all finished near the top out of 1,500 swimmers competing in Omaha, Nebraska.
Claire Donahue became a first-time Olympian Tuesday night, beating the odds up against swimmers from top programs like Texas and Stanford.
Watching the Western Kentucky swimmer turn on her jets at the end of the Women's 100 meter butterfly to make the Olympic team was a Hilltopper dream. "I looked up and saw number two and that's all I was looking for," Donahue said after her swim. "I'm so happy!"
The WKU faithful shouted from the hilltops and all over Facebook, thrilled that Donahue proudly wore her Hilltopper swim caps and raised the WKU flag before millions.
"It's like a family," Donahue said by phone Wednesday. "You want to show them what you have and kind of show them (Western) off ."
"She's got the spirit and the spirit makes the master and that's our slogan down there," said Louisville's Western Alumni President Thad Fine.
Fine said it is the kind of promotion you just cannot buy. "With an Olympiad in London, to see WKU and the towel, maybe even Big Red , that's going to be tremendous for our university," he said.
We asked Donahue if it had sunk in yet that she is on the Olympic team, "There are definitely moments every few hours, when it's like wow, I'm actually going," she laughed.
Louisville's own gold and silver medalist Rachel Komisarz, who is now a swim coach, was in Omaha to see Donahue make the team.
"It was awesome," she said. "I got a little teary-eyed and I'll be honest with you, watching the 100 fly and seeing Dana (Vollmer) win and Claire get second, it brought back so many memories and just pride you know."
Komisarz also knows Jeffersonville, Indiana swimmer Ben Hesen who competed in the 100 meter backstroke Wednesday night.
"I got his autograph on one of my swim caps," said young Jeffersonville swimmer and fan Kali Crace.
How proud is Jeffersonville of Hesen? The All-American has his own sign outside the city's aquatic center touting his accomplishments.
Aquatic Center Manager Emily Collins said, "We sent pictures to him on his phone and all the kids are real excited just because they know of him and it's kind of a big deal to them."
Hesen was so close to his dream. He placed fourth with an amazing time just .17 of a second from making the team.
Komisarz said it is tough to come so close, but she knows he gave it everything. "I know he won't have any regrets because he's trained really hard," she said.
Two other Jeffersonville swimmers, Zach Blakenbaker and Ariel Martin also made it to the US Swimming Trials. Both are grads of Jeffersonville High School.
Copyright 2012 WAVE News. All rights reserved.
Claire Donahue
Rachel Komisarz
The sign in Jeffersonville.
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