BonnerSprings.com

Two Olympic swimmers visited Bonner Springs Sunday for a youth breaststroke clinic and left with some inspiration in their wake.

Jessica Hardy and Eric Shanteau, who both competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, led the clinic for youths from throughout the Kansas City area.

Shanteau, 26, told the youths in attendance that he started swimming at the age of 5. It wasn’t until age 10, however, that he got the idea that one day he was going to be a great, Olympic swimmer.

“You get to represent the United States on the biggest stage in the world at the biggest meet in the world,” Shanteau said. “If this is something you really want to do, you can do it.”

Shanteau got a chance at his dream in 2000 when he went to the Olympic trials. A swimmer must get first or second place in an event to make the Olympic team. Shanteau missed out with 10th- and 11th-place finishes in his events.

Four years later in 2004, Shanteau tried again. This time, he said, he knew he had a better shot.

“I was the dark horse,” he said. “I was the guy lurking right on the edge of making the team.”

Once again, Shanteau narrowly missed making the team with a third-place finish.

Then came 2008.

With one week to go before the trials, Shanteau was diagnosed with testicular cancer. With a new roadblock in his way, Shanteau said he was hungrier than ever to accomplish his dream. He decided to delay treatment and go to the trials anyway.

“I made the team,” he said of finally finding success. “From there I went to the world championships in Rome where I broke a record, and I did it all with cancer.”

Shanteau said he was no different than the youths who attended the clinic. He said it takes hard work and determination to accomplish anything in life.

“Success is defined by the obstacles we had to overcome,” he said. “Life is not always easy, especially in the sport you’re in.”

Hardy also had a message for the youths in attendance. She said she started swimming at the age of 5 and played several other sports. It wasn’t until age 16 when she decided to put all her focus on swimming.

She said she started training and practicing everyday. She got on a team filled with successful swimmers and watched and learned from their techniques.

Within a year, she qualified for the national team. At her first Olympic trials in 2004, she finished fifth, which she said was an accomplishment considering she’d only started seriously swimming a year ago.

While still a high school senior, she ended up setting a world record in the 100-meter breaststroke. It was her first international competition and throughout the entire race, Hardy said she thought she was in last place.

With tears starting to come, Hardy said she swam as fast as she could, scared about how far in last place she would finish.

When she finished the race and raised her head from the water, she was greeted with a pleasant surprise. She had not only won the race, but she set a new world record.

Since that point, she’s gone on to several more world records and six international medals before qualifying for the Olympic team in 2008.

Hardy said her success came from watching other swimmers and learning from them.

“You have to pay attention to how good people do it,” she said. “Today you’ll get to see Eric and I do things. It’s a cool opportunity so I urge you to ask questions.”

Following their talk, Shanteau, Hardy and the youths in attendance got in the pool for some training about breaststroke technique.

Drew Connors, 10, a member of the Olathe Dolphins swimming team, said he loved the whole experience.

“I just loved it,” he said. “Swimming with Olympic swimmers, I was just really excited.”

Even though Connors has been swimming for only a short time, he said the clinic taught him valuable techniques. He said he got into the sport because he enjoyed swimming on hot summer days, but after hearing Shanteau and Hardy speak, he said he might consider getting more serious about the hobby.

Whitney Johnson, 8, with the Swim Academy Blue Wave, also attended the clinic. While she attended a similar event last year with two different Olympic swimmers, she said she enjoyed the day’s lessons.

“It was cool,” she said. “I learned a lot. I think it helped me get my kick better.”

Comments