Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Margalis keeps eye on the Olympics

By NANCY MORGAN
Published March 11, 2007

Catching up with Robert Margalis (Clearwater/Georgia) may not be easy, especially if he's in the swimming pool. Last weekend, the 2005 Georgia graduate broke two American freestyle swimming records in the Florida Senior Championships held in Clearwater.

First, the 25-year-old broke the 1,000-yard freestyle American record set in 2001 and then the 1,650-yard free. By the time the weekend was over, Margalis also had won the 200 butterfly and the 200 individual medley as well as the 800-yard free relay. He was second in the 200 free and both the 400 medley relay and the 400 free relay. Margalis was the meet's male high-point swimmer.

"This meet is really helping me get ready for Senior Nationals later this month in Long Island, N.Y.," Margalis said. "It's a great opportunity for me to compete at home before a big meet."

After graduating from Georgia, where he collected 11 All-America honors and an NCAA national title, Margalis stayed in the area to train. In September, he returned to St. Petersburg to train with longtime coach Fred Lewis with the St. Petersburg Aquatics Club.

Last summer, Margalis swam a lifetime best in the 400 IM with a time of 4:12.9, and three years earlier won a silver medal in the event in the Pan-Pacific Games. This summer, Margalis will compete in his second Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Margalis' ultimate goal is to make the Olympics - he has been to the trials twice - and he has the 2008 Olympics in sight.

"There are still swimmers competing at my age and older," Margalis said, "although about 90 percent stop at the age of 22 after college when the financial backing drops. I'm fortunate that I'm able to work full time on my swimming."

Helping Margalis work toward his goal are sponsorships with TYR, Power Bar and Vasa. He also relies on his wife, the former Beth Grains, who earned All-America honorable mention swimming for Georgia, to be the primary breadwinner. This summer, after the Pan-American Games in Brazil, he and Beth plan to enjoy a delayed honeymoon. Then, he said, it's back to the pool.

DIVING: Florida divers Whitney Stern (Parsippany) of Safety Harbor, a sophomore, and junior Sarah Ellerby (East Lake) were 24th and 25th, respectively, in the 1-meter dive at the NCAA Zone B championships.

BASKETBALL: Georgia State's senior team captain Kelcey Roegiers-Jensen (Boca Ciega) tossed in 17 points and recorded a career-high seven steals in a loss to Old Dominion. The squad is the No. 8 seed in the 12-team Colonial Athletic conference tournament.

- Marreese Speights (Gibbs/Admiral Farragut/Hargrove Military Academy) has seen action in all but four of Florida's games. The freshman is averaging 3.5 minutes and 2.5 points per game.

BASEBALL: Right-hander Chris Gutierrez (St. Petersburg Catholic) has made three appearances with the Saint Leo squad.

TRACK: For the second straight season, Georgia Tech's Ashlee Kidd (St. Petersburg) was named the ACC's most valuable performer at the Indoor Championships. The senior won the 400 for the third time in four years and the 200.

[Last modified March 10, 2007, 20:42:59]