Where Were You on July 11, 2004?
I know where Brendan was. He was breaking his second World Record in three days and putting his name in the books as the greatest Breaststroker out there. It was Olympic Trials, and he was on fire! All the work he had put in, bit by bit taking down all the guys who beat him at trials in 2000, ended with these immaculate swims. He has since taken down both of those records. One of them twice. There isn't really any Brendan news right now, but there is history.
I would love to hear from people who were either there, or remember these swims. I was a wuss and didn't go because I am afraid of Long Beach bleachers.
Also, Happy Birthday to Blair!
posted by lala at
7/11/2007 03:39:00 AM
10 Comments:
I WAS THERE....albeit with a few drinks in me and a med or two from MrsH...it is truly an event I will never forget on many different levels (literally). Here are a few things I remember: We could kiss the sky or at the very least the flags at very top of the seating area, standing during the national anthem and hearing my sister's frantic voice as the stands sway telling Sean to 'stop it', as if he alone was making this happen, my poor niece in tears climbing the steps to our seats, my hero Megan holding my shaking hand (and legs) as we went up and down the stairs, cell phones out during the race and my sisters yelling into them giving others at home the 'play by play' so they would be a part of it all. And then there was Brendan during the final, he knew we there as we were in 2000....how he must have felt the energy from that section of the stands, so many family members, and so many friends wanting to cheer him towards making the Olympic team. As it was happening all you could do was scream, cry, clap and sway and one of things I remember most clearly was Sean's voice with the video camera in hand, he was standing in front of me to the left, at the start of the race Sean is giving his commentary....went something like this...'he is off to a good start...nice going there buddy'...the his voice changes slightly as Brendan hits the turn, Sean said 'omg, omg he is taking this out really fast, omg I hope not too fast' After he finishes the turn Sean is not able to contain himself 'OMG... he isn't slowing down, omg....omg' Then there are Over 10,000 people on their feet...literally screaming and the announcer doing the same...at the finish of the race seeing Brendans hands cover his face, knowing that a huge weight had just been lifted off his shoulders, then later hearing his comments to Eddie as he got out of the pool...Prior to the race we were just hoping that he would make the Olympic team...never dreaming or even considering world records....but apparently Brendan had other plans...Truly this was an experience I will never forget but then again who could when you are watching someones dream come true.
By
Kathy, at 7/11/2007 9:57 AM
Very well told, Kathy. Could not have said it better. Your story gave me chills again. How about our letters we were holding up and someone dropped one all the way down the bleachers and poor Megan had to run down all those steps and back up again in time for Bren to see what we were holding up. My poor baby!
Happy Birthday Blair, even though you are a wuss, too, for forgetting your license on the night that Lauren took you out. No worries, we will take good care of you at Nationals. hahaha For now enjoy "Your Day".
By
Mrs. H, at 7/11/2007 12:08 PM
Happy Birthday to Lala and Blair! I don't remember where I was on that date but it was just a couple of short months later that I started BHO. It's been almost 3 years! Unbelievable.
By
Michelle, at 7/11/2007 4:57 PM
I have no idea where I was 3 years ago today, other than living in Indiana at the time.
I love the picture you paint of Sean with the video of Brendan's race, Kathy. That image is so clear.
Happy Birthday, Blair!!!
By
AimsRos, at 7/11/2007 5:04 PM
Aww...Kathy that was such a wonderful story. Thanks so much for sharing. I don't quite remember where I was either but I'm sure I was happy. Gott a love birthdays. Thanks for all the birthday wishes. :) I know Mrs.H...I wish I hadn't forgotten it because a few drinks would have made my flight home alot better...lol.
By
blairbecky, at 7/11/2007 7:26 PM
And Thank Goodness that you did Michelle! We really miss you and want you to come home soon!
Thanks for sharing your memory Aunt K. It was perfect. Exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to read. I can totally see MrsH yelling at Sean for moving the grandstands. He is mighty, but I am not sure he is not quite that mighty.
I have so many regrets for not being there. Worse still is that fact that I didn't see it on TV. They were sharing the time on TV with track and field trials, I believe. Everytime I turned it on, they were showing track. I only got to see post race interviews. I really blew it.
MrsH, sending your youngest child down those stairs to retrieve a sign was like sending her into the 5th ring of hell, I am sure.
I know Long Beach had great pride in holding those trials. I would wager that we would love to have them here again. Our newspapers here were all about the swimming! I had a client who brought them all to me the following week. I swore then and there to not let scary bleachers keep me from going to see swimming. The rest is history.
Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone. Blair and I had a nice little party while she was still In Cali and then tried to celebrate with a little Long Island Iced Tea at Tequila Jacks.. Some girls forget how young they look. The rest of us don't get carded anymore. ::sigh::
We need some of the people who heard that "play by play" let us know how fun it was to listen to MrsH tell Sean to "Stop it". How easy was it for them to figure out what was going on? And what was MrH up too while all this mahem was going on?
By
lala, at 7/11/2007 11:08 PM
I wanted to add that the moment Kathy mentioned above, where Brendan put his head in his hands, is Here.
We also have more photos from that event in the Olympic Trials Gallery.
By
lala, at 7/11/2007 11:34 PM
Such a beautiful memory ...
... and so many more to come.
Megan, next time maybe people need strings to tie their letters to their wrists. ;)
See you all in less than 3 weeks!
Dana and John
By
Dana, at 7/13/2007 11:02 AM
*Sigh* A lot can happen in 3 years, eh?
July 11, 2004 -- that was the day I learned who Brendan Hansen was. Seriously.
On that day, nearly 12 years since I'd quit swimming, I was busy trying to get over my shock that Ryan Lochte had used the intervening decade to transition from a 7 year old rascal to a rockstar adult athlete. Wait, could I really be that old that I remember an Olympic swimmer before he was able to swim (er, walk)? Yes, yes, it was official, I was that old.
My observational bias was definitely toward Ryan, but I left some room to soak up the whole day's worth of races. I think it must have been the 200 breast that I saw that day, not the 100, because I remember Amanda Beard was up first, and she obliterated the field, and it was all very exciting.
And then the men's race came up. And there was some guy named Brendan, and he was swimming off the hook. And I'd been to a LOT of swim meets, but none where 10,000 people simultaneously stood up and shrieked their heads off. Also none where I had to hold onto the bench for fear of being shaken through the rafters into a 100 foot free fall.
So that's where I first learned about the wonder of Brendan. And if I hadn't seen him break his own WRs again at Nationals last year, it would still be the most exciting swim race I've ever seen live.
By
crackinup, at 7/16/2007 12:42 AM
I knew there were more people out there who had seen that! Thanks for posting everyone. Great stories.
By
lala, at 7/16/2007 7:42 PM
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