A different Olympic trials comes to Palatine

The journey to Taipei begins in Palatine.

About 25 deaf athletes from around the country - including one from Roselle - will climb the starting blocks at Birchwood Pool this weekend to vie for spots on the U.S. Deaf Swimming national team.

Those selected will head to Taiwan in September 2009 for the 21st Summer Deaflympics, which is expected to draw more than 3,000 athletes from nearly 100 countries.

"Since this is the meet that will help select the U.S. team, it allows for the swimmers to meet their teammates and be inspired by each other, which will help with training for the next year," Deaflympics organizer Caroline Solomon said via e-mail.

One swimmer expected to make the trip to Asia is 16-year-old Will Landgren of Roselle, a junior at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates and member of the Palatine Park District's Tiger Sharks swim team. He had a strong showing at last year's World Deaf Swimming Championships, which were also in Taiwan and at which he finished in the top eight in four events.

"My coach found out about Deaflympics, and he asked me if it was good idea to have trials here," Landgren said via e-mail. "I was excited about it because it will be nice to swim at my own team home pool."

The time trials will be held in conjunction with the Tiger Sharks' 26th annual Summer Splash, a prestigious meet featuring 950 swimmers ages 8 through college.

Deaf and hearing swimmers will race alongside each other, and Tiger Sharks head coach Andy Rose said strobe lights will be placed at both ends of the pool as a starter signal.

"We want to show off the community and stay involved in the Olympic movement," Rose said.

Landgren, who trains up to four hours a day, six days a week, will compete in six events. He'll have to contend with a back injury, which kept him out of the pool most of spring, but remains confident he's got the qualifying times to be one of the five or six men picked for the U.S. team.

Originally known as the World Games for the Deaf, the Deaflympics date back to 1924, when 145 athletes from nine countries competed in Paris.

If you go:

What: U.S. Deaf Swimming team trials and Palatine Tiger Sharks' 26th annual Summer Splash meet

Where: Birchwood Pool, 435 W. Illinois Ave., Palatine

When: 5:30 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday

More information: Call (847) 359-9697