Olympic Swimmers: “We’re Just Absolutely Normal People”

“We were in their shoes.”

Maybe that should be “in their swim fins.”

Olympic gold medalist swimmers Ian Crocker and Alyssa Anderson were in Hays Friday for a Mutual of Omaha Breakout Swim Clinic.

Despite some travel snafus and starting the clinic three hours late, the host team Hays Hurricanes and more than 80 other young swimmers from western Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle, were thrilled to finally meet and work with Anderson and Crocker.

“I was actually here last year, and I think they’ve improved since then,” said Crocker. “It was awesome.”

22-year-old Alyssa Anderson, Granite Bay, California, has just joined the breakout clinics, and won her first Olympic gold medal last year in London.

30-year-old Ian Crocker, Austin, Texas, is a three-time Olympian with five Olympic medals. He participates in breakout clinics around the country nearly every weekend.

The clinic participants practiced champion performance techniques of all four swim strokes in the Fort Hays State University Cunningham Hall pool.

After all their hard work, the young swimmers got to pose for pictures with their idols and even don their Olympic gold.

Olmpic gold-medalist swimmers Alyssa Anderson and Ian Crocker sign autographs at the Mutual of Omaha Breakout! Swim Clinic in Hays.

Hays Hurricane swimmer Gabe Stanton poses with Olympic swimmers Alyssa Anderson and Ian Crocker. Gabe is wearing Alyssa’s London gold medal.

Crocker instructs clinic participants in the FHSU pool

Olympian swimmer Alyssa Anderson talks with the swim clinic participants after the training.

Ian Crocker’s gold medals from the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Olympics.

Watch the story tonight/tomorrow morning on Hays Post News, Eagle Community TV Channel 14.