Swimmer finishes last chapter of career

by Laurie Duffy
Staff Writer

Ohio swimmer Kim van Selm is the two-time Mid-American Conference Champion in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events. The Post’s Laurie Duffy sat down with van Selm to discuss the upcoming MAC Championships and the end of her career at Ohio.

The Post: Give me your prediction of who will finish first, second and third in the MAC Championships based on what you have seen during the season.

van Selm: That's a tough question. You never know what's going to happen until you get there. As a team we are coming together and hope to get our third championship. All we can do is our best and go out there and really fight for it. Top three could be anybody between Miami, Eastern (Michigan), us, and Toledo is right up there. Those four are going to be pretty close I think.

The Post: You are one of the most decorated Ohio swimmers of all time. What do you think has been your biggest accomplishment to this point?

van Selm: What I cherish most is definitely winning the MAC as a team two years in a row. It's been our goal since I've been here freshman year, and to have achieved it was such an amazing experience. It's something I'll never forget.

The Post: What is a target time in the 200 and 500 freestyle for a personal best, to win the MAC and qualify for the NCAA Championships?

van Selm: All three would be nice actually. It's always really incredible to go to NCAA and represent Ohio, so I'd like to do that again. I would also love to go a personal best. That's 1:48.05 in the 200 and 4:48.00 in the 500. That's pretty much my goal to end the season and my career.

The Post: What has been the biggest lesson you've learned at Ohio during the past four years?

van Selm: Coming from a background where swimming in South Africa is very individualized, I think what I've learned the most has been the whole team aspect of swimming here at OU. We really pull together as a team. It's such a great feeling to know that it's not just you swimming; it's 23 other girls putting in everything they have. Each touch, each lap that you swim, each stroke that you swim is for the team, not for you.

The Post: Will we see you in Athens, Greece for the Olympics in 2004 as part of the South African national team?

van Selm: Unfortunately, I don't think so. My swimming career is definitely coming to an end. I feel that it's been a chapter in my life that has been absolutely amazing, but I'm coming to the last few pages now. I'm ready to finish that chapter and start a new one.