June 18, 2007
Olympic swimmers make waves in the fight against cancer in Boston
Just after sunrise on Friday, July 13, seven Olympic swimmers will put on their wet suits to brave the cold water and jump into Boston Harbor to kick-off the 12th annual 22-mile relay swim around the Boston Harbor Islands to benefit Swim Across America (SAA). Olympians Janel Jorgensen, Jenny Thompson, Carlton Bruner, Craig Beardsley, Tim McKee, Glenn Mills and Eric Wunderlich will all participate to support pediatric cancer survivorship programs at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Competitive and casual swimmers will make a splash alongside the Olympians for a 10 to 15 minute rotation in the water during the daylong event. The swimmers participate in this cycle approximately five times during the day.
Some of the Olympians will also swim in a shorter SAA event at Nantasket Beach in Hull, Mass., on July 14. Swimmers at this venue choose a half- or one-mile swim. All of the Olympians will begin the festivities at a party and auction in the lobby of 125 High Street in Boston on Thursday night, July 12.
Since SAA's inception in the Boston-area in 1987, the program has earned tremendous support from US Olympic swimmers, who bring leadership, direction and inspiration to other competitive and casual swimmers in the community. 1988 Olympic Silver Medalist Janel Jorgensen moved from the corporate world to become the executive director of the program. "My goal is to increase swimmer involvement and sponsorships, as well as build awareness about SAA's mission to help further cancer research and care," said Jorgensen who has helped Swim Across America grow from a single swim to ten events in four major metropolitan areas. "I feel so lucky to be making a difference in the fight against cancer. Ultimately, I'd like to see Swim Across America as a major brand in the cancer arena."
SAA is a non-profit corporation that runs events from Boston to San Francisco to support cancer research at the country's finest hospitals and institutions. Proceeds from all of the Boston-area swims benefit the David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Program at Dana-Farber. Experts there help pediatric cancer survivors with an array of issues, including long-term effects of treatment, social and psychological concerns and the risk of second cancers. Organizers hope to raise more than $300,000 this year with the three Boston-area events.
"This is a huge opportunity for people to give back to the community and help people fighting cancer," said Jorgensen. "Whether they help out by swimming, fundraising, or volunteering, they all will feel the power of their contribution."
For more information, to swim with the Olympians or to get party tickets, visit www.swimacrossamerica.org.
SAA Olympian Bios:
Janel Jorgensen has been part of the Swim Across America (SAA) family for 18 years. She was recently named the executive director of the organization. The Back Bay resident of Boston was on the 1988 Olympic Team winning a Silver Medal in the 400-meter medley relay. Prior to that, Jorgensen won 17 NCAA titles while at Stanford University, the most of any female swimmer at Stanford. Amongst her many awards, Jorgensen also won two Gold Medals at the Pan American Games in 1987 and was the American record holder in four events.
Jenny Thompson is the most decorated U.S. Olympian with 12 Olympic medals, eight of them gold. The Danvers, Mass., native was named "Sportswoman of the Year" in 2000 by Women's Sports Foundation. Amongst her many accomplishments, Thompson has 26 U.S. National titles, the most of any active swimmer and 85 medals from international competition, including 14 from the World Championships. Thompson is a Columbia University medical school graduate, has worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and is training in the anesthesia program at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. This will be her fifth Boston SAA event.
Craig Beardsley is a veteran of Swim Across America since 1987. He was favored to win the 200-meter butterfly as a member of the 1980 US Olympic Team, but Beardsley lost his opportunity due to the boycott of the Moscow games. Beardsley took home the gold at the Pan American Games in 1979 and 1983, and also held both the world and the American record for the 200-meter butterfly from 1980 to 1983. A nine-time U.S. National Champion and a previous All-American at the University of Florida, Beardsley now resides in New Jersey.
Carlton Bruner was part of the 1996 Olympic team, which took place in his hometown of Atlanta, Ga. Bruner placed 13th in the 1500-meter freestyle. He placed third in both the 1993 and 1995 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships 1500-meter freestyle and first in the 1995 Pan American Games in the same event. In 1994, Bruner was considered one of the top ten in the world for both the 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyle. This will be his third Boston Swim Across America event.
Tim McKee was a member of the 1972 and 1976 U.S. Olympic swim teams. He is known as the "ironman of the 1970s" for his extensive swimming exploits. In the 1972 Games, he won the silver medal in both the 200-meter and the 400-meter individual medleys. Four years later, he won the silver again in the 400-meter individual medley. McKee also appears in the Guinness Book of World Records for coming in second in the "closest race in sports history," during the 1972 Olympic 400-meter individual medley. McKee has participated in more than 14 Swim Across America events, including six Boston Harbor Swims.
Glenn Mills was on the 1980 US Olympic Team for the 200-meter breaststroke, but the US boycotted these games, so he wasn't able to compete. Currently, as the founder of Go Swim Productions and www.goswim.tv, Glenn has had the opportunity to work with some of the greatest swimmers in history and to write about teaching and coaching. Serving as a technical advisor for Swimming World Magazine, Glenn also writes about ways for swimmers and coaches to continue experimenting with technique. Glenn is the father of 14-year-old twins and resides in Maryland.
Eric Wunderlich competed in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta finishing 7th in the 200-meter breaststroke event. He's a gold medalist in the 100-meter breaststroke at the 1995 Pan Pacific Championships and silver medalist in 200-meter breast at the 1994 World Championships. Wunderlich is the 8th fastest man ever in 200-meter breaststroke; 3rd fastest in U.S. history. He is the American record-holder in the 200-meter breaststroke and three-time U.S. national champion. Wunderlich is the 4th fastest American in the 100-meter breaststroke. This will be his sixth Boston Swim Across America event.
Contact
Elizabeth Chernack
Jimmy Fund
(617) 632-4687
