Warner Robins Swimmer Reaches for Olympic Dreams | News

Mark Weber hopes to make some big waves when he jumps into the pool at the Olympic trials in Omaha.

"I'm just excited to go and see the environment and swim against the best in the country," he says.

The 21-year-old swam for Houston County High School until 2009, then headed south to suit up for the Florida State Seminoles.

He says, "Hard work always pays off. Swimming is an extremely tough sport. As much as it is physically hard, it's mentally difficult. It's really hard to get in a cold pool ay six o'clock in the morning, swim for two hours, then come back and do it again in the afternoon."

This year, that work ethic took his swimming career further than he could have ever imagined.

"If you had told me a few years back that I'd be here, I would have never believed you. It's really exciting and I feel really lucky to have this opportunity."

Weber landed a spot in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle trials, two short-distance races with high-speed competition.

"You have to finish top two in your event to make it. The 100, they usually take the top six so they fill relay spots. But if you're number seven or you're number three, you're out, so it's a lot of pressure."

He qualified with a 51.3 in the 100 meter and a 23.3 in the 50-meter race, but says he will have to shave off some of that time to earn a spot in the Olympics.

"It would be such an exciting moment. I don't even think I could tell you what my reaction would be just because it would be so unreal to have gone from where I was even two years ago to being here, and then to make the Olympics would just be absolutely unreal."

It's that enthusiasm that will put some power in Weber's stroke and help make his Olympic dreams a reality.

Weber swam his 100-meter race with a 51.47, which was not enough to make it to London, but he will get another shot Saturday in the 50-meter competition.