BLOOMINGTON - Some want Olympic berths. Others want experience for the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Bloomington-Normal natives Monica Drake, Emily Hanson, Lindsay Gendron and Caitlin Hamilton are part of that latter group among the 1,209 participants at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, which began Sunday at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb.

The event runs through next Sunday, with the top two in each event advancing to the Beijing Summer Games in August.

"That's the goal of the meet, but our kids have their feet on the ground," said Charlie Yourd of the Bloomington-Normal YMCA WAVES, who has coached all four (Hanson now trains at the University of Michigan).

"Our kids are going for experience. They've all got a shot to be in the Olympic Trials finals four years from now."

Besides doing recon for 2012, all four are hoping for lifetime bests. Drake is seeded the highest at 25th in the 800-meter freestyle with a time of 8 minutes, 43.31 seconds.

"I'm really excited," said the Bloomington High School senior-to-be. "I think it's going to be fun. It's different than any meet I've been to before. It's bigger and faster."

Drake is the fifth fastest 17-year-old at the Olympic Trials in both the 800 free and the 400 free. She is seeded 42nd overall in the 400 free at 4:16.36.

Drake owns the top 500-yard freestyle time for her age group in state history at 4:44.19. Her BHS pool record is 4:46.24. She does not compete for BHS, but her time is well under the IHSA state meet record of 4:48.00.

Drake and her fellow Twin City entrants will wear high-tech swim suits, which have helped 37 world records fall since their release earlier this year.

"You put them on and you feel you're five pounds lighter," Drake said. "When you get in the water, you feel like you are flying. It seems like you are guaranteed a best time."

Hanson, a 20-year-old Normal Community High School graduate, will wear Speedo's LZR Racer.

"We have Speedo reps around us all the time because of all the elite swimmers here (including Michael Phelps) and it has been really cool to watch the suit evolve," said Hanson, who is seeded 30th in the 800 free at 8:44.22. "I love wearing the suit and really think it makes an impact both physically and mentally."

Hanson is the third fastest 20-year-old entered.

"This is my first Trials and whether or not it is my last, I am really not sure. So I just want to take in the atmosphere," said Hanson, who placed 13th in the NCAA 1,650-yard freestyle (16:13.41) in March.

"My training has been going really great. I have an awesome training group here and we have fun together."

Gendron didn't get in on the Olympic Trials fun until she qualified in April in Ohio.

"I know when I got my Trials cut, I looked at the scoreboard and I was in shock," said NCHS junior-to-be, who is seeded 72nd in the 400 free (4:18.28) and ranks third among 15-year-olds. "I just couldn't believe it. It was really exciting."

Gendron qualified in a suit made by Blueseventy.

"When I swim with it, I feel like I'm on the water," she said. "You just go. It makes you float more."

Hamilton, a 17-year-old NCHS senior-to-be, didn't want to get overly excited about the event.

"That's one of my goals, to get there and be level-headed about the whole thing," she said. "I'm ready to go. I'm ready to show what I can do."

Hamilton is seeded 93rd in the 400 free (4:19.28) and ranks eighth among 17-year-olds.

"I've been kind of on the back burner racing-wise for a little bit and I'm really excited to prove myself to college coaches and to myself," said Hamilton, who hopes to join Drake in signing a college letter of intent in November. "I wish I could swim tomorrow I'm so ready to go."

The Olympic Trials don't include the event Hamilton considers her specialty, the 1,500 freestyle.

"If you would have asked me two years ago, I would have said definitely I wish there was a 1,500 for women, but I started to like the 800 and 400 a lot more," she said. "I would still consider the 1,500 my best event."

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Olympic Trials entrants

Name…Age…School…Events/seeding

Monica Drake…17…BHS…800 free (25th, 8:43.31); 400 free (42nd, 4:16.36)

Emily Hanson…20…Michigan…800 free (30th, 8:44.22)

Lindsay Gendron…15…NCHS…400 free (72nd, 4:18.28)

Caitlin Hamilton 17 NCHS 400 free (93rd, 4:19.28)