Focus on the Olympics: Ben Wildman-Tobriner (2008 Swimming Hopeful)

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

24 May 2008 03:13 PM

Welcome to our Focus on the Olympics articles that introduces you to our Olympic athletes and hopefuls that will be competing in Beijing this summer. Ben decided to postpone his medical school in order to make his first-ever U.S. Olympic team this year.

Meet Ben Wildman-Tobriner

Ben majored in Biomechanical Engineering at Stanford. He boasted an incredible 3.68 GPA and earned 20 All-American honors over his four years at Stanford. As an advocate for the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, where he first began swimming at age 12, Ben remains involved with the chapter's swim program. His sister, Becky (24), played collegiate water polo. His hobbies include golf, wood working and photography. His last name, Wildman-Tobriner, is a combination of his mother's maiden name and his father's name.

Why Root for Him?

Ben is a three-time Pac-10 Academic All-Conference selection and a 2007 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient. He set the American record in the 50m freestyle at the 2007 NCAA Championships with a time of 18.87, while also setting school records in the 50m freestyle (18.87), 100m freestyle (41.90) and 100m butterfly (45.36) in 2007. Ben won three individual and four relay Pac-10 titles in 2007, and he went on to win two gold medals at the 2007 FINA World Championships in the 50m freestyle and the 400m freestyle relay.

At the 2007 World Championships, Ben edged out his more heralded teammate Cullen Jones and defending champion Roland Schoeman of South Africa in the 50m free with a time of 21.88 seconds.

Performance Record

• 2007 Pac-10 Swimmer of the Year
• 2007 NCAA Championships - American record in the 50m free
• 2007 FINA World Championships - gold in the 50m free and 400m free relay

The U.S. Swim team trials take place from June 29th to July 6th in Omaha, Nebraska.

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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