What We Can Look Forward To In Swimming For The 2016 Summer Olympics

Rio is a city most well-known for lavish Carnival celebrations, is the host city for the next Summer Games. We know they can throw a great party in Rio! It is after the originally Copacabana that inspired Jimmy Buffet! It is a beautiful seaside, and mountainous city, with many natural wonders a short distance from the Olympic Events. As evidenced by its widespread coverage, one of the most popular sports is swimming. The USA swimming athletes and teams who will compete in Brazil have a lot of weight to carry. Take a look at what new blood we have to look forward to.

Swimming Team Trials

Omaha will again be the site of the final team trials as it has been since 2008 when they were moved from their brief home at Long Beach. The dates have not yet been announced, but the previous pair of trials were the last week of June, and beginning of July in 2008 and 2012. According to professionals in swim lessons in the Houston area we will not know who will represent America in the Summer Olympics until after this step, but we do have some clues.

Amanda Beard

This athlete came out of retirement in 2012 to compete, and being middle aged in modern swimming, she became an inspirational figure. Most experts thought she was too old to make Team USA at that time, but after another four years, she will likely stay retired this Olympics.

Amanda Wier (or Younger Amanda)

The Iowa native that won the silver medal in Freestyle Swimming in 2012 hopefully will be competing for us in that event. She was also an important part of the bronze medal winning 4x100 freestyle relay event in 2012. She is a young and strong swimmer and has continued her training between Olympic Games, so we can pray she is again in our relay!

FINA 2010

FINA is the other twos even, for off Olympic Year Competition in Swimming, our team in 2010 was composed of many unknowns that may not make the cut for Olympic Trials. It also did have some familiar names for everyone that watched Swimming at the last pair of Summer Games. The athletes below are taken from the 37 member America FINA Team, as past and future Olympic Swimmers.

Natalie Coughlin

As former Gold Medalist, and World Swimmer of the Year, we can only hope she adds her record breaking skills to Team USA once again. Her presence in the FINA Team does gives us great hope that she will again make trials in 2016.

Nathan Adrian

Three time Gold Medalist, and record holder in 50 and 100 Freestyles, this athlete is one of the best Swimmers in the country. Like Coughlin, he is well-known, and a powerhouse in his events, and like Wier an important member of the Team Relay.

Tyler Clary

The reigning Gold Medalist in 200 meter Backstroke, also made the FINA Team. He is also the highest performing man in his event in the world, and still very young. All told, he should most definitely make the team for 2016, and maintain his golden reign.

Teammates

The 37 Members of the FINA Team, are not all as well-known as Clary and Coughlin. Many of them are rising stars, we will grow with through the broadcast 2016 trials in Omaha, through the epic events of the Summer Games. We will likely need to adjust to new teams in all the swim relays this Olympics, but the young bloods will make us proud!

The summer of 2016 will be a test not only for the country of Brazil to host the games as well as the recent World Cup, but also for the swimming athletes and teams in each country. There's a lot to prove and we will see these amazing athletes work to win gold!