Dara Torres promotes exercise, embraces role model status

Dara Torres has been an inspiration to many in her return to the pool and recent Olympic success.  She authored her own article for the USA Weekend newspaper insert where she talks of being a role model and provides motivational tips.

The important thing to remember is that you can always find time to exercise. If, say, you’re a working mom, instead of taking the elevator in your building, take the stairs. You can always try to find little ways to do a little bit of exercise each day or every other day.

And then there’s diet. When I wake up, I have this nutritional drink, which I had before each one of my races. It has every single nutrient and protein that I need in a meal. The point is that getting the right nutrition is essential to your health and fitness, even if you aren’t an Olympic athlete.

The active lifestyle is one that she is already introducing to her 2 1/2-year-old daughter, Tessa.

Exercise was very important to me growing up, and I am already trying to teach Tessa how important it is. The funny thing is, she already loves it.

Read the entire USA Weekend article “You can always find time to exercise.”

Here are some other relevant Dara Torres articles:

Dara Torres: 2012 Olympic Games a ‘possibility’ - MSNBC
Dara Torres throws out first pitch at Yankees game - AM New York
Dara Torres Walks The Runway At Fashion Week - NY Post
Doctor dives in to repair swimmer Torres’ shoulder - CN

Open-water swimmer Chloe Sutton, 16, heads to Beijing

You will be hearing a lot about Chloe Sutton, the 16-year-old swimming pioneer.  She is likely the youngest member of the US Olympic team, and she is forging ground in a new Olympic sporting event - open water swimming.

Her teammates have taken a keen interest in understanding not only the event, but also Sutton’s motivation for participating in a swimming event outside the traditional olympic pool.

“They’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh, it’s so crazy; I would never do that,’ ” Sutton said. “At the airport, I was sitting on the ground and they were all in chairs. They’re like ‘How does it work? How do you start? Is it really physical? Do you eat during a race?’

“They’ve never seen it before. It’s so new, so different. They’re really interested in what I go through out there.”

“In open water, you don’t know what’s out there. … You never know if you’re going to have a bad turn and get stuck in the pack and have to battle your way out.

“It’s such a thrill. It makes you feel so alive. It’s a great experience.”

John Schumacher of the Sacramento Bee wrote a great article on Chloe in today’s paper.  Please read it here.

41-year-old Torres makes US Olympic Team

OMAHA, Neb. Forty-one-year-old Dara Torres completed her improbable Olympic comeback, making the U.S. team for the fifth time by winning the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials. Read more