The Red and Black

Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: JAKE DANIELS Sprinter Michael Proctor, a junior from Jonesboro, jumps a hurdle during track and field practice at Spec Towns Track Wednesday. [Click to enlarge]

Two University swimmers and one signee will be busy this summer as they compete in the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Troyden Prinsloo, Neil Versfeld and incoming freshman Wendy Trott will be representing their native country of South Africa after qualifying on Sunday in Durban, South Africa.

Prinsloo, a sophomore from Durban, will be competing in the 1,500-meter freestyle. Versfeld, a junior from Umhlanga, will be competing in the 200-meter breast stroke. Incoming freshman Trott, a Capetown native, will be competing in the 400- and 800-meter freestyle.

"We're really proud of everybody," said associate head swim coach Harvey Humphries.

"There's a lot of excitement around here. We're just waiting to find out how many of our athletes will be in the Olympics."

Also in swimming, U.S. swimmer and former Georgia student-athlete Mary DeScenza won the 200-meter butterfly at the FINA World Short Course World Swimming Championships in Manchester, England on Wednesday.

In doing so, DeScenza set an American record with a time of 2:04.27.

"This is a tremendous accomplishment for Mary," said Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle. "She has always been a hard worker, but she has trained exceptionally well this year. Mary has brought so much notoriety to the United States and to the University."

Track and field teams to begin outdoor season

The University men's track and field team will be hosting the Bulldog Decathalon today and Friday at Spec Towns Track. The ten-event competition will begin today.

The first five events will be 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400-meter dash. The event will conclude on Friday with 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500-meter dash. Each event awards points to the top finishers, and the team with the highest point total after all ten events wins.

Starting on Saturday and concluding Sunday, the women's track and field team will host the Bulldog Heptathlon, a seven-event competition featuring 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin and an 800-meter dash. The events will be the first for the Bulldogs in Athens as part of the outdoor season.

- Marshall Duncan

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