Former Olympians on my Street

We have been watching the Olympics this past week, like I am sure most people have been. I always enjoy watching swimming, maybe because I sink like a rock in any water deeper than 6 feet. Okay, 3 feet. I am truly amazed at how fast and effortlessly people can swim. My mom used to swim competively in high school (the butterfly) and you'd think some of that would rub off. Nope.



But here is a cool little tidbit. I actually know a former Olympic swimmer! He and his wife live just 4 houses down from me.

His name is Sergey Mariniuk and he competed in the 400 meter IM (the same event Michael Phelps just won a gold for a few days ago). Sergey is from Moldavia (I think that is how it is spelled...at least that is how Blogger suggested I spell it). He trained in the USA and met his wife, Eve, who is also a swimmer, while training in California. Eve also made the Olympic trials back in the late 70s. She placed 6th in the US in her event but since the US boycotted the 1980 Olympics she never got to compete.

Sergey competed in three Olympics: Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney and he placed 7th at one of them. They also have (at least) one friend, Val Kilmikovs, that also competed in the Olympics in swimming. I recently met Val and his wife, Joy, who is also a swimmer from Australia. Maybe all these amazing swimming skills might rub off on me and my kids. Stones...all of us. Stones.

Sergey and his business partner (I am not sure if he was a former Olympian or not) own a company that manages the timing systems at a variety of different swimming events. I believe they are in charge of timing some of the swim events at the Beijing Olympics.

Pretty cool.