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26 May 2008 10:31 AM

Focus on the Olympics: Brendan Hansen (2008 Swimming Hopeful)

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

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. Brendan had the honor of being selected captain of the U.S.A. team captain at the Melbourne World Championships in 2007. A college graduate, swimming runs in Brenden's blood.

Meet Brendan Hansen

Brendan has been swimming for the major part of his life earning a spot on the Junior Nationals team at the age of 12. He is one of three siblings that swim. His older brother Sean swam for Lafayette (Pa.) College and now coaches for Haverford Academy. His younger sister Megan swims for Southern Connecticut. "I'm still learning something new every day. There's no such thing as the perfect race. There's always something to improve. I've been solid the last few years, but I don't think I've had that one great meet yet. I'm still getting better. It can all come together during that one given race." Currently, Brenden attended the University of Texas majoring in kinesiology and communications. In his free time, Brendan enjoys hunting, fishing and wake boarding (a sport that combined the ideas of water skiing and boarding.

It's so sweet to represent the United States. I can't begin to talk about the adrenaline this brings. I'm definitely riding a wave. But I have to look at this like any other meet. Afterward, I'll look back and take everything in. - on swimming in the Olympics.

Why Root for Him?

Brendan had the honor of being elected USA Team Captain by his teammates at the 2007 Melbourne World Championships were he went on to win Gold in the100m breaststroke event and finish 2nd by hundredths of a second in the 50m breaststroke. He came down with an unfortunately timed virus and was unable to compete in the 200 Breaststroke, where he was favored to win.

While recovering from the virus that took him out of Worlds, Brendan won the 100m and 200m breaststroke events and the 4x100 Medley Relay at 2007 Duel in the Pool in Sydney, Australia.

Performance History

• Three-time Olympic medalist
• Won gold in 400m medley relay (world record), silver in 100m breaststroke (Olympic record), bronze in 200m breaststroke at the 2004 Olympic Games
• Set world records in both the 100m and 200m breaststrokes at the 2004 Olympic Trials, becoming the first American to hold both records since 1974
• 2005 World champion in the 100m, 200m breaststroke and 400m IM

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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