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Phone ringing... ring ring.
Matt McLean (picking up phone): Hello?
"Hello, Matt. This is London calling."
McLean: The Clash?!?!
London: No, I'm calling abo...
McLean: MIKE LONDON?? I'm sorry, Coach, but I've already used up my eligi...
London: No, you nitwit. The 2012 Olympic Games. I'm going to need you here in 18 days (hangs up).
This is, I suspect, how the conversation went for each of the ten current and former Wahoos who will be competing in London at the 2012 Olympic Games. And let's be honest, you knew it was only a matter of time before I made various Mike London, London Calling, and London Games jokes. Be thankful I put them all into one.
Six Hoos will be donning the stars and stripes at the end of the month:
- Lauren Perdue, Swimming, 4x200 Freestyle Relay
- Matt McLean, Swimming, 4x200 Freestyle Relay
- Paige Selenski, Field Hockey
- Michelle Vittese, Field Hockey
- Becky Saurbrunn, Soccer
- Will Coleman, Equestrian
A number of Hoos, past and future, will also be representing their home countries:
- Somdev Devvarman, India, Tennis
- Katya Bachrouche, Lebanon, Swimming, 800 Freestyle
- David Karasek, Switzerland, Swimming, 200 Individual Medley
- Yannick Kaeser, Switzerland, Swimming, 200 Breaststroke
We'll of course be tracking these seven phenomenal athletes as they represent their country in what this guy considers to be the greatest sporting event in the world (those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I have a strange and ever-growing obsession with the Olympics...possibly unhealthy? Unclear.). In the meanwhile, follow the jump to watch some pre-Olympics videos for these guys. Check out especially Devvarman's video, which is a bit of a madhouse.
[Eds. Note: Thanks to Chris Coneeny for pointing out that we missed a few Olympians! The above chart has been updated.]
Lauren Perdue shortly after the heat that qualified her for the Olympics admits that she has not been training as hard as she needs to be.
Matt McLean. While the interviewer is pretty intent on reminding McLean that he missed the final for the 400, McLean tells us, it's just one race at a time.
Paige Selenski and Michelle Vittese, along with Team USA, recently held practice and a scrimmage against No. 2 Argentina right here in Charlottesville, as Virginia has that bright blue turf that Team USA will be competing on in London. Virginia Sports TV has the exclusive interview with both of these Hoos.
Becky Saurbrunn reveals that she's playing in DC in no small part because of Twitter DMs! See? You're not just wasting your time online.
Will Coleman is really awesome, based on the fact that there are about a million YouTube videos of Coleman and the horse he'll be riding in London, Twizzel. He's been competing in eventing since he was about 14 and, at age 22, enrolled at the University in 2005. Definitely check out the website of this UVA alumnus and the video biographies that he's got posted there.
Somdev Devvarman had to put up with a little bit of a media circus and some drama before he, as the top singles player out of India, was finally selected to represent the country as a wildcard spot. Watch the CNN-IBN video in which Devvarman says that he is fit and available to play in the Olympics. From the looks of the video, you'd think that this is some sort of national crisis. Which, I dunno. Maybe it was.