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Fifty swimmers from the Rochester-based Med-City Aquatics swim club participated Saturday in the opening ceremonies of the U.S. Open Swimming Championships finals, an event that brought many of the world's Olympic-level athletes to the Twin Cities. Well-known American swimmers included Kristy Kowal, Lenny Krazelburg, Misty Hyman, Neil Walker, Diana Munz and Tom Malchow.
Swimmers from MCA -- along with clubs from Minnetonka, Edina, Red Wing and St. Croix -- combined to form the five Olympic rings in the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center pool. They were accompanied by 100 flag-bearers and a fireworks display.
3rd trip back
This is the third time in less than two years that MCA has participated in the opening ceremonies of a major swimming event at the university. MCA swimmers took part in the 2001 NCAA Men's Championships and in the 2002 Phillips 66 National Championships.
The National Open is a high level swim meet that drew many Olympic caliber swimmers from across the nation, and from Canada, Costa Rica, Scotland and Australia.
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"This is a perfect example of giving kids an opportunity to see the swimmers, who are role models, set goals and dreams, and enjoy the water in a different way," said MCA representative Natalie Kuramoto, of Rochester.
