Vandenberg talks Olympic preparation at Colgate

HAMILTON >> On Wednesday afternoon the Colgate swimming and diving teams welcomed Olympic medalist Kim Vandenberg to Lineberry Natatorium for an interactive discussion and to be part of training.

Vandenberg discussed her Olympic quest and race preparation. She talked about visualizing the race before it happens and also being mentally prepared prior to every competition.

She grew up in California swimming for Campolindo High School and Orinda Aquatics. She started swimming when she was eight years old and has been competing for 20 years. She qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials when she was 16 and swam against some of the best competitors in the country.

She was a member of the bronze medal-winning U.S. team in the women’s 4x200meter freestyle relay at the Beijing Summer Olympics. She also won a silver medal at the 2007 World Swimming Championships in the women’s 200-meter butterfly.

Vandenberg graduated from UCLA where she was an All America while competing for the Bruins women’s swimming and diving team.

She has earned numerous National Championships and World Cup victories. She graduated from UCLA in 2007 and presently resides in New York City.

She has been all over the world training and will continue to do so as Vandenberg is headed to Brazil and Russia in the coming months.

SUBMITTED PHOTO – BOB CORNELL