WTJU Scores Interview with Cavalier Gold Medalist
This morning, U.Va. community radio station WTJU got a chance to interview U.Va. fourth-year swimmer Lauren Perdue, who on Wednesday won a gold medal in the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay by virtue of swimming in the preliminary heats. (Sure, it may not be as glamorous as swimming in the final, on TV, in prime time, but if Perdue hadn’t done her job, the Missy Franklins of the world wouldn’t have gotten a chance to do theirs. And her medal is the same one the others received!) To hear the interview, click here: Lauren Purdue interview.
Perdue was the second Cavalier swimmer to earn a gold medal. One night earlier, Matt McLean (right), a 2011 graduate, grabbed one as part of the men’s 4×200 free relay team, having also swum in the prelims. This is the first time that two Cavalier swimmers have won medals in the same Olympics.
So far, none of the other Cavalier athletes have yet brought home medals. The best remaining bet appears to be women’s soccer player Becky Sauerbrunn (a 2007 alumna), whose U.S. team swept its three games in pool play. The U.S. faces New Zealand tomorrow in the single-elimination bracket.
The two current Cavaliers on the U.S. field hockey team, Michelle Vittese and Paige Selenski, are facing an uphill battle. They are 1-2 in pool play after losing 1-0 to Australia today, and will need to win their remaining games against New Zealand and South Africa to have a shot at advancing to the medal round.
Several other Cavalier swimmers bowed out in preliminary rounds, including Yannick Kaeser (incoming first-year, competing for Switzerland), Katya Bachrouche (2011 grad swimming for Lebanon) and David Karasek (May grad, swimming for Switzerland).
2006 grad David Coleman and his horse, Twizzel, placed 37th individually in the equestian event and helped the U.S. to a seventh-place team finish.
Finally, men’s tennis player and 2008 grad Somdev Devvarman, a former NCAA champion, bowed out in the first round. Representing India, he lost in straight sets to Finland’s Jarkko Nieminin.
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WTJU Scores Interview with Cavalier Gold Medalist | | August 2, 2012 @ 9:34 pm
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Margie Speth | August 4, 2012 @ 8:42 pm
Please check the first sentence of the second paragraph.
Hoo’s the Cavalier swimmer?
Dan | August 4, 2012 @ 11:27 pm
Thanks, Margie. I fixed it!