Local quartet in swim trials

Aaron Peirsol, a former Newport Harbor High standout and the

world-record holder in the 200-meter breaststroke, headlines a group

of four locals who will compete in the U.S. Olympic swim trials

Wednesday through July 14, in the newly built Charter All-Digital

Aquatic Centre in Long Beach.

Peirsol, along with his younger sister, Hayley, as well as Newport

Harbor product Nicole Mackey and Corona del Mar sophomore-to-be

Stephanie Gabert will be vying to make the U.S. Olympic team and

compete in the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece in August. Team USA will

take the top two in each event.

Aaron Peirsol, who has been training at the University of Texas,

where he recently finished his sophomore year, will be competing in

the 100 and 200 backstroke at the U.S. Olympic swim trials.

The 2000 Olympics silver medalist will be in the 100 back

preliminaries in the morning session that starts at 9 on July 8. The

100 back semifinals are scheduled for July 8 after 5 p.m. The 100

back final is after 5 p.m. on July 9.

The 200 back prelims are July 11 in the morning session, and the

semifinals in the night session. Aaron Peirsol plans to be in the 200

back final after 5 p.m. July 12.

If Peirsol wins both events, which he is capable of doing, he will

also be selected to swim in the 400 medley relay for the U.S. Olympic

team.

Hayley Peirsol, who will be a sophomore at Auburn in the fall,

will be competing in the 400 and 800 freestyle. The women’s 400 free

preliminaries are July 8, scheduled to take place after the men’s 100

back preliminaries. The women’s 400 free finals will take place later

that night.

The 800 free will take place July 12, with the preliminaries in

the morning session. The women’s 800 free final is July 13 after 5

p.m.

Mackey, who will be a sophomore at Hawaii in the fall, will be

competing in the 200 and 400 individual medley. She will be in the

400 IM preliminaries during the morning session of Wednesday. The

final is in the night session.

The women’s 200 IM preliminaries are July 9 and the semifinals

occur after 5 p.m. The women’s 200 IM final is July 10 after 5 p.m.

Gabert will be competing in the 200 meter breaststroke

preliminaries July 11. The semifinals are later that night and the

final is July 12 after 5 p.m.

For ticket information call, (562) 436-3661, or visit

www.longbeach2004.com, on the Internet.