Mosley excited about Indianapolis stint

Saipan Swim Club stalwart Nina Mosley says she’s excited about the opportunity to compete with the best swimmers in the world in the 2004 FINA Short Course World Championship Swim Meet that will be held from Oct. 7 to 11 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“Just the thought of seeing the likes of Michael Phelps and other top-caliber swimmers and competing with the best women swimmers in the world is just awesome,” she said.

Mosley, accompanied by her father Tony Mosley, and SSC coach Mike Stewart left Saipan early Tuesday morning. They are expected to meet up with the CNMI’s other entry in the Indianapolis meet, Dean Palacios, who is in his first year of college in Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.

According to SSC official Stan Good, swimming powers will be fairly represented in the meet. He said 18 of the 22-member U.S. Olympic Swim Team, including multiple gold medal winner Michael Phelps, would be present in Indianapolis.

Good said the meet will also feature a number of Olympic champions from outside the U.S., including swimmers from Australia, Europe, Japan, and other Asian countries.

Stewart, for is part, is cautiously optimistic about his swimmers chances at the meet. He said they would be up against the best swimmers on the planet, most of who have won medals in the recent 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Immediately following the swim meet, Stewart will attend a training seminar to become a certified Level V American Swim Coach Association coach.

Good said this is the highest level of swim coaching certification any coach could get and will give the CNMI considerable recognition and prestige in international swimming competitions.

“This level of certification has never been achieved in Micronesia and only a handful of U.S. mainland coaches attain this level of professional expertise,” said Good.

Stewart said the seminar would also give him a chance to touch base with his fellow coaches, exchange new ideas and techniques with them, and meet up with his former swimmers.

Good said the SSC is understandingly proud of its swimmers and relishes the opportunity to be represented in such an international event like the 2004 FINA Short Course World Championship Swim Meet.

“As a community we need to be very proud to have coach Mike training local swimmers to compete in this level of international competition. We also wish Nina and Dean good luck as they compete with the world’s finest in Indianapolis,” he said.

Good said the airfare and entry fees for Mosley and Palacios have been paid for by FINA, while the SSC is picking up the expenses for Stewart.