WRITTEN BY SHARON ROBB
February 9, 2012
The USA Swimming Missouri Grand Prix will provide another stepping stone for the South Florida Aquatic Club at the national level.
Two-time Olympians Alia Atkinson of Jamaica and Vlad Polyakov of Kazakhstan, both working toward their 2012 Olympic qualifying cut times, head SOFLO’s six-swimmer contingent for the meet that begins on Friday at the Mizzou Aquatic Center on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia, Missouri
Sisters Marcella, 17, and Melissa Marinheiro, 14, and Marc Rojas, 18, will pick up invaluable experience and confidence racing against some of the nation’s top swimmers, according to SOFLO CEO and head coach Chris Anderson.
The trio of high school swimmers will also use the meet as a tune-up for the Feb. 17-19 Florida Gold Coast Senior Championships in Plantation.
SOFLO teammate Jessie Alcaide, a veteran at 27, is looking to zero in on U.S. Olympic trials cuts in the 50- and 100-meter freestyles and 100-meter butterfly. The trials are June 25-July in Omaha, Neb.
Atkinson, 23, is entered in five events, 50- and 100-meter freestyles, 100- and 200-meter breaststroke and 200-meter individual medley.
Polyakov, 27, will swim the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke against a strong men’s field that features Japan’s Olympic gold medalist Kosuke Kitajima, U.S. Olympian Eric Shanteau, Mark Gangloff, Mike Alexandrov and Henrique Barbosa of Brazil.
Marcella and Melissa Marinheiro are each competing in five events. Rojas is also entered in five events.
All six SOFLO swimmers compete on the opening day of competition. Alcaide in the 100-meter butterfly; Atkinson and Polyakov in the 100-meter breaststroke; Marcella and Melissa Marinheiro in the 200-meter freestyle; and Rojas in the 200-meter freestyle and 100-meter breaststroke.
The meet is the third of seven stops on USA Swimming’s 2011-2012 Grand Prix Series.
The USA Swimming Grand Prix Series will give swimmers an opportunity to race against top swimmers from around the world in preparation for the U.S. trials and London Olympics.
Other top swimmers entered are 2008 Olympic gold medalist Rebecca Soni, 2008 Olympic gold medalist Matt Grevers, 2004 Olympic silver medalist Amanda Weir, 36-year-old 2008 Olympic gold medalist Jason Lezak, 2008 Olympic and world champion Cesar Cielo of Brazil and former world record holder Frederick Bousquet of France.
It may be a brisk 29 degrees outside the aquatic facility but inside the pool is a comfortable 79 degrees.
Prelims are 9 a.m. and finals at 5:30 p.m. The meet will be webcast at usaswimming.org.
Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
