The race began for Crippen with an error that threatened his chance at a spot on the podium. Misreading the current in the open water, he found himself a couple hundred of meters behind the pack at the first buoy.

“I spent the next two and a half kilometers working really hard to catch up,” shared Crippen on his tactical error. “I kept telling myself that if I caught the pack I could get right back in course.”

Crippen did just that-joining the lead group of swimmers and then settling until a breakaway seemed possible. That came with 75 meters to go.

“I was able to get myself in a good position for the final sprint and I felt really strong in the end. I took the lead and the win.”

Accepting the only medal for the USA on the men’s side, Crippen shares plans for the upcoming months.

“Right now my focus is to get into heavy training and prepare for the summer season. This was a nice accomplishment for this point in the season.”

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Competing from July 7th to July 11th, the three sponsored athletes had tremendous success from the start and as a result will race in a total 10 combined events at the championships.

Three-time 2008 Olympic medalist Grevers will represent the US in the men’s 100m backstroke, 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, 400m medley relay, and 400m freestyle relay. At the national championships, he had two personal best times, most notably in the 100m freestyle. Wearing the new TYR Tracer Sayonara, Grevers came out of lane eight in the finals to secure a spot on the 400m freestyle relay team by touching the wall in 48.27, capturing fourth.

Coming off of an impressive year of swimming that included being named the 2008-2009 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series winner, DeScenza added yet another achievement, qualifying to compete in the stars and stripes in Rome swimming the women’s 200m butterfly. Wearing the TYR Tracer Rise, she went a lifetime best by using her signature back-end speed to come from behind to clinch a second place finish in 2:07.13.

“I am so excited I am going to Rome,” DeScenza exclaimed. “It has been a really hard week and I am happy I was able to come out on top!”

Weir is no stranger to competing for the U.S. at the World Championships. The two-time Olympic medalist made her first appearance on the World Championship team in 2005 when she took away two medals as a relay member. At the 2007 World Championships, she earned three medals with team USA, setting an American record as a member of the 400m freestyle relay team.

At this past week’s national championships, Weir wore the new Tracer A7 and had stand-out results. With a lifetime best time by dipping below the 25 second barrier in the 50m freestyle, she secured her first individual spot on the championship team. In the 100m freestyle, she came from behind on the back half and claimed second-adding another event to her meet line-up. In total, she will represent the US in the women’s 50m and 100m freestyle as well as the 400m freestyle relay and 400m individual medley relay.

“I have never done that much swimming at worlds before so it should be fun,” she said. “I’m really excited for a chance to prove myself again and get back up there on top.”

In addition to the three athletes representing TYR at the championships, swim coaches Bill Rose of the Mission Viejo Nadadores, Sean Hutchison of King Aquatics club, and diving coach Jeff Huber of Indiana University will guide team USA as members of the coaching staff.

Hutchison will bring extensive experience on the coaching level after most recently serving as assistant women’s coach for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team in Rome. His trip to Rome will be his second time serving on the World Championship coaching staff, after previously being named assistant coach of the 2007 team.

Not new to coaching at international competitions, Rose has been a USA coach for multiple World University Games, Pan American Games, and USA Open Water teams. He successfully placed two athletes on this year’s world championship team.

“I feel absolutely great about being asked to coach for the USA, “said Rose. “The whole key is any time I can be there representing the United States and taking in that kind of atmosphere there is nothing better. That’s the gold medal coaches get. We don’t get anything else. We get that and I win.”

Having placed one of his divers on every Olympic team since 1992, Huber is recognized globally for his coaching talent. He has been the USA diving coach for the past three Olympic Games, and will use his expertise to guide the US championship team against the world’s best divers. One of his own Indiana University divers will compete for the team in Rome.

Be sure to check back to TYR.com throughout the entire 2009 World Championships to follow Grever’s, DeScenza’s, and Weir’s performances as they go for gold in Rome. Receive updates quickly by adding your email address to the TYR mailing list provided on the top of this email and on the site’s homepage.

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In the final of the men’s 100m freestyle, Grevers arrived from the ready room dressed in TYR’s
new Tracer Sayonara™. After placing eighth in the preliminaries in a 49.01, he stepped on the blocks of lane eight ready to be the heat’s outside smoke. Going out in a blazing 22.89-the fastest in the field- he did just that.

“I knew I had to race with nothing to lose. So I did, “said Grevers. “I went out fast trying on the new Sayonara and it worked out great. I felt so much better tonight in the water.”

Grevers held on the second fifty to place fourth overall, touching in a lifetime best 48.27. The time positioned him on the men’s 400m freestyle relay in Rome, Italy at the World Championships- the same event he is a 2008 Olympic gold medalist in.

“I wanted that so bad tonight,” Grevers said of making the relay team. “Being a part of the relay team in Beijing was incredible and I knew I wanted to be a part of that again. This is awesome.”

Immediately following Grever’s performance, DeScenza entered the final heat of the women’s 200m butterfly seated third. Already dropping half a second three nights before in the 100m butterfly (57.77) where she placed fourth, it would take another personal best to make the team.

DeScenza entered the turn at the 150m in third place, and used her back end speed to close in on the competition, splitting 33.21 on the last 50m. The effort resulted in the fastest time of DeScenza’s career- 2:07.13. Touching second, she reached her goal of making the U.S. roster for the championships.

“I am so excited I am going to Rome,” DeScenza exclaimed. “I just wanted to swim my own race and not worry about what was going on around me. It has been a really hard week and I am happy I was able to come out on top!”

Also excited and relieved after the race was University of Texas’ head womens coach Brackin, who watched as her swimmer finished first, also securing a spot on the World Championship team roster.

“It felt great to watch her make the team,” Brackin said. “She deserves to be in Rome. She works hard and is a talented kid. Right now I feel excitement, relief, and pride for her.”

With only one more day left at the championships, sign on to TYR.com to share in the enthusiasm of TYR’s swimmers and coaches as they look to add more swims to their trip in Rome.

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Weir arrived at the IUPUI pool in Indianapolis, IN, for Thursday’s finals ready to take on the country’s fastest talent on the women’s side after dipping below the 25 second barrier in prelims, entering finals in third place.

“I was so fired up after this morning. I had never been under 25 so I just wanted to get here and do it,” Weir said.

The two-time Olympic medalist Weir will compete in Rome, Italy with experience at the world championship level already under her belt. Her first appearance on the World Championship team came in 2005 when she took away two medals as a relay member. At the 2007 World Championships, she earned three medals with team USA, setting an American record as a member of the 400m freestyle relay team.

Despite her past successes, tonight’s performance is a feat Weir has been looking to accomplish.

“I have been working so hard this summer and have had a lot of fun. My mindset is to go out there and have fun and race,” said Weir. “When I got here for finals, all I wanted to do was get on this team.”

With the 50m freestyle behind her, Weir will now focus on the 100m freestyle race scheduled for Saturday. She is a former American record holder in the event.

Continue to visit TYR.com to follow Weir as she looks to add a second event to her list at in Rome as well as all of the other TYR-sponsored athletes at the 2009 national championships.

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