Sven Campbell and Steven Stumph will advance to the 2012 US Olympic Swim Team Trials this June. Held in Omaha, Nebraska, they will compete alongside notable US swimmers such as Natalie Coughlin and Michael Phelps in qualifying events. The top two in each event will represent the US Olympic Swim Team in the upcoming London 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Stumph qualified in the 400 IM, 200 IM, and 200 Breaststroke, and Campbell qualified in the 200 Back and 100 Free.
Head Coach of Varsity Swimming, Ron Heidary, was impressed with the swimmers’ accomplishment. “They are fairly extraordinary, the two fastest swimmers on the team, part of the top recruits to the schools in the country, team captains of the Orinda Aquatics team, and talented swimmers who have worked very hard to get where they are,” said Heidary. “Steven made an extraordinary comeback from a double hip surgery and is swimming just as well as he ever has. Sven has improved every year, and this is his best year of swimming since he’s grown as a person and athlete.”
Stumph looks forward to competing in the Olympic Trials, especially after a grueling series of injuries. “I pulled my groin so I couldn’t swim the majority of last year, and then in August I had both of my hips redone through surgery so I didn’t train from August to December, but now I’m training full force,” said Stumph.
Campbell, on the other hand, is focusing more on another meet: the Junior Nationals in August. “I’m not shaving down for it since it won’t be a peak meet for me. I’m there to enjoy the experience since I have a better possibility of going to the finals at the Junior Nationals,” said Campbell.
Campbell and Stumph have been swimming since they were six years old. Stumph likes the sport because “it’s stubborn, and what you’re willing to give is what you get.” Campbell enjoys the “feeling of empowerment” he feels while training as well as being part of a team.
According to Heidary, top college scouts have been eyeing Campbell and Stumph, including representatives from schools such as USC, CAL, Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia.
