Mania Qualifies For Olympic Games
June 08, 2004 | Men's Swimming & Diving
University of Wisconsin swimmer Adam Mania finished first in the 100-meter backstroke at the Polish Nationals and Olympic Trials last weekend and thus has qualified to compete in the 2004 Olympic Summer Games in Athens, Greece this August.
Mania, who will be a senior in the fall, has dual citizenship in Poland thanks to his parents emigrating from the country just prior to his birth.
He will compete in the 100 back at the Olympics after winning the event in a time of 55.45. A time of 55.74 placed eighth at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Mania also won the 50 back in a time of 25.69.
'It really hasn't hit me yet,' Mania said. 'I felt really confident that I'd be able to get the time that I need, so it was actually a bit of a relief. I was ecstatic. I was really happy to be able to do it for my parents, (UW head swimming coach) Eric (Hansen) and my teammates.'
'We are all very proud of Adam achieving an Olympic 'A' cut standard,' Hansen said. 'He has come quite a way in just three years. The next step will be to refocus on making it through the preliminary round to the semifinals and then from the semifinals to the finals. Once you reach the finals, anything can happen.'
The week proved to be a roller-coaster ride of emotions for Mania. Prior to heading to Poland to compete, Mania was busy assisting with cleanup efforts from a horrific tornado that passed near his hometown of Hickman, Neb., on May 22. The tornado rated as an F-4 at times (an F-5 is the strongest) along its path that stretched 52 miles through Southeast Nebraska. The storm produced winds in excess of 200 miles-per-hour and caused over $100 million worth of damage, including destroying 158 homes.
While his parents' house survived the storm, Mania knew many other people that lost their homes. The Norris Public School buildings that he attended growing up also suffered a great deal of damage.
'It was quite amazing how everyone in the community came together,' said Mania who took a day off from training to help out a friend who had lost her home in the storm. 'It was really emotional. So it was nice to be able to do something positive following such a difficult situation.'
Mania, along with a number of other Badger swimmers, will compete in the Janet Evans Invitational in Long Beach, Calif., this weekend prior to participating in the U.S. Olympic Trials July 7-14. However, Mania will not rest for the U.S. Trials but will instead use it as continued preparation for the Olympics.
'We are very excited for Adam and are really proud of him, ' said Hansen.
