Some More Pics and Info on Tomorrow's Prelim Session

I sat staring at the computer screen for about five minutes trying to think of an adjective to describe the competition facility at the Qwest Center. I finally decided on the generic title for this post because no one word can correctly describe the set-up created by USA Swimming, the Qwest Center, and the Omaha Sports Commission. I first walked through the warm-up pool area. I'll admit here that it is not really anything special. But its a warm-up pool so its functionality is all that matters (anyone who has been in the warm-up pool at the Indianapolis Natatorium will agree with this statement). Just past the warm-up area is a quick jump up a flight of stairs to the main competition area. Now before I walked in I had an idea of what to expect...and was completely blown away by what I saw. The one thing that pictures can not do justice for is how close the spectators will be to the pool. Also the venue is not as big as the Wachovia Center or the Spectrum for that matter: there is less seating and the roof is not nearly as high. This will leave less room for the noise of the crowd to travel and will most definitely make for an incredibly loud meet.
The pool, of course, is the focal point of it all. I have never experienced a pool surrounded by 12,000 seats and that unfamiliarity leads to my astonishment. However there is something else about this temporary facility that goes beyond anything I have ever seen before and anything I could have imagined before walking into the main portion of the facility. I can only hope NBC gives the television views an adequate picture of what we will see live in the arena.

The order of events tomorrow is: Men's 400 IM (Mike Joyce, Heat 3 Lane 2 and Bill Cregar, Heat 5 Lane 1), Women's 100 Fly, Men's 400 Free (Christian Sprang, Heat 6 Lane 4), Women's 400 IM (Jamie Marks, Heat 7 Lane 1) and the Men's 100 Breast. Prelims start at 12 pm Eastern Time.