50 free Final Tonight

Mallory swam prelims this morning and made it back to finals tonight, seated 5th. She will swim at 7:54pm (London time, 2:54pm central time). Mallory has demonstrated her incredible ability to rise above adversity by swimming some great swims yesterday and today. Please join us in cheering her on tonight!

London Update

Below is Mallory's statement on the occurrences of the last 48 hours.  While we are heartbroken for Mallory, she has demonstrated her ability to rise above time and time again, we believe in our hearts that this will be no different. We love you Mallory!

“Just hours before opening ceremonies, we received the news that our appeal for my reclassification was denied. The IPC confirmed my new classification as a S8/SB7/SM8 moving me up from the S7/SB6/SM7 classification where I have competed for the past three and a half years. I feel as though the system has failed me, as well as other athletes. A system that w

e as athletes trust to do the right thing and maintain the integrity of the sport but also protect us as athletes to create an equal playing field for all. After hearing word that our appeal to over turn the classification result had been denied I lost faith in that system. I have trained the past four and a half years for these games and within less then 24 hours before my first race was supposed to start it all changed, everything I had prepared myself for these past four years changed right there and then.

I understand change. I understand what it is like to have your life as you know it change in the blink of an eye. I went through that in 2008 when I was paralyzed. I walked into a clinic for a routine epidural injection and I never walked out. In that moment my life changed. My life changed again about four months later when I found my way back to the water again. After being a life long swimmer I found my love and passion for the sport unchanged. After seeing Trials for the US Paralympic Swim Team for the 2008 Games I was inspired to fight. To not let my new "disability" limit me, define me, or stop me from believing in what my future could hold. That day changed my life, my swimming saved me and allowed me to not only hope again but to believe again.

Coming into London for these Games and reflecting on my journey these past four and a half years it was a dream come true to not only be here but to know that I have pushed my body to new limits and overcome adversity. The values of the Paralympics are courage, determination, inspiration, and equality. These four values are consistent with how I live my daily life and are why I am so passionate about the Paralympic movement. With that said as I look to compete in my first event on Saturday I plan to rise above and not let this defeat me. I see this as a new opportunity to demonstrate that when life and people knock you down each and every one of us still has the ability to overcome and rise to the occasion.

This is a moment that I have poured my heart and soul into and although I do not agree with the decision that was brought down yesterday evening I do believe that everything happens for a reason and it is my hope that with this I can help change the system so there is more protection for athletes like myself. For these next ten days I will be racing, not the races I intended but none the less I will be competing for Team USA and I plan to continue do what I have done these past four years and push it to limit no matter what the classification. I want to say a special thank you to my family and sponsors for all of their overwhelming support throughout this process. I am truly humbled to have such an incredible support group.” 

-Mallory Weggemann

Below is Mallory's new competition schedule:

*NOTE:  All times are given in Greenwich Mean time which is 6 hours ahead of Central Standard Time

Saturday September 1

100m Breaststroke:
Prelims: 11:52am
Finals: 8:27pm

Sunday September 2

50m Freestyle:
Prelims: 11:17am
Finals: 7:54 pm

Monday September 3

*4x100m Freestyle Relay
Finals: 8:28 pm

Tuesday September 4

100m Backstroke:
Prelims: 9:38 am
Finals: 5:37 pm

Wednesday September 5

200m Individual Medley
Prelims: 9:45 am
FInals: 5:39 pm

Thursday September 6

100m Freestyle
Prelims: 11:10am
Finals: 7:29pm

Friday September 7

*4x100m Medley Relay
Finals: 8:47pm

*The determination on who will swim these relays has not been made yet, however at World Championships in 2010 Mallory swam on both of these relays

GO TEAM USA!!!

Mallory's Competition Schedule and How to Watch

Many people have been asking both when Mallory competes and how they can watch.  

Mallory’s competition schedule is as follows:

NOTE: All times are given in Greenwich Mean Time, which is 6 hours ahead of Central Standard Time

Thursday August 30

100m Backstroke

10:31am Prelims

6:44pm Finals

Friday August 31

50m Butterfly

10:17am Prelims

5:55pm Finals

Saturday September 1

Day Off

Sunday September 2

200m Individual Medley

9:39am Prelims

5:37pm Finals

Monday September 3

100m Freestyle

10:05am Prelims

5:46pm Finals

*4x100m Freestyle Relay- 34 pts

11:45am Prelims

8:14pm Finals

Tuesday September 4

50m Freestyle

11:26am Prelims

8:10pm Finals

Wednesday September 5

100m Breaststroke

11:05am Prelims

7:21pm Finals

Thursday September 6

400m Freestyle

10:21am Prelims

5:55pm Finals

Friday September 7

*4x100m Medley Relay

11:41am Prelims

8:34pm Finals

*The determination on who will swim these relays has not been made yet, however at World Championships in 2010 Mallory swam on both of these relays

The IPC, the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement, recently announced its online coverage plans for the 2012 Paralympic Games, which will include broadcasting 580 hours of live sport from London 2012 on Paralympic.org during the competition.

NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) will air one-hour highlight shows on Sept. 4, 5, 6 and 11 at 6 p.m. CST. Following the Paralympic Games, on Sept. 16, NBC will broadcast a 90 minute special from 2-3:30 p.m. EDT. All NBC and NBC Sports Network Paralympic highlight shows and specials will re-air on Universal Sports Network and UniversalSports.com

For more information please go to the following link:

http://e2.ma/webview/vjmqf/08b2cdec4c4a0918684035c4abd00bda

I received an email from my parents today, they made it to London and were getting ready to get on their train to Paris.  Jess and Sean leave Minneapolis for London tonight, and Ryan and I leave for Paris tomorrow.  After a weekend of sightseeing in Paris for my Mom, Dad, Ryan, and I, and in London for Jess and Sean we will all meet up on Tuesday.  Wednesday is Opening Ceremonies, and Mallory will swim her first events 1 week from today!  It is SO hard to believe that it is finally here!

A few Photos

I thought I would put up a few photos that we have gotten from Mallory.  I spoke with her yesterday and she is having a great time, feeling good in the water, and getting excited to get to London and start competing!

Another view of the pool

On Saturday Team USA had a meet and greet at the base

Mallory with her sponsor family, rumor has it her sponsor mom makes a GREAT tres leches cake!

Mal's sponsor family gifted her with this awesome shirt!

I know I have been telling people that I will put information on the blog about where you can watch Mallory compete live online, information about NBCs coverage, and her competition schedule.  I promise I will do this before I leave on Friday...stay tuned!

Life in Germany

We have gotten to talk with Mallory via email and text message several times since she has arrived in Germany.  She said their arrival was pretty incredible, they were taken via police escort to the base where there were greeted by uniformed service men and women lined up along the 50 yard walk way leading into the hotel lobby clapping and chanting USA to great them.  Once they got into the lobby they were introduced to their sponsor families who they will spend their time with the next 10 days, they will show them around the area and take them off base for some sightseeing. Mallory said it is truly is an amazing experience to be on the base and the support they have from our service men and women in Germany is incredible! 

She is having a great time training and spending time with her teammates, it sounds like they have been able to explore Stuttgart a little bit.  The pool they are swimming at is about 15 minutes off base and has been completely redone over the past three months for their use, it 100% theirs while they are there (meaning exclusive 24/7 access for Team USA) she said the pool is gorgeous! 

 GO TEAM USA!

London Bound...with a stop in Germany first

She’s off!  Mallory and the rest of Team USA left for Stuttgart, Germany on Wednesday morning. She will be training and staying at the US Air Force base in Stuttgart until August 26 when they will go to London and move into the Olympic Village.  Opening ceremonies will be held on August 29, and she will start swimming on August 30.  My mom spoke with her today and she has arrived in Stuttgart and is having a great time.  The team arrived to a warm welcome from the staff and families at the base.  Each swimmer was assigned a host family, the host families will spend time with the athletes between training sessions, Mallory met her host family today and is very excited to spend time with them.

Mallory on Wednesday morning getting ready to leave for the airport.  She got a scooter to use for opening ceremonies, the Olympic stadium where opening ceremonies are held are about a mile from the athlete's village.  Since she is swimming the next morning, she will be using the scooter to save her arms for racing.

Many people have asked about where they can watch the Paralympics online and if it will be televised.  I will be posting all of this information next week.

Once again, thank you to everyone for all of their love and support!

Thank You

We wanted to thank everyone that was able to make it to the fundraiser and those who have supported our efforts to get Jim to London to watch Mallory compete.  Below is a note from Mallory.  

Thanks again!

Go team USA!

A note from Mallory –

Jim Andersen and I have been working together since the very first day I got back in the water on April 8, 2008 after being paralyzed four months prior. Since that day Jim has played a very large role in my life, he has been more then just a swim coach over these past four years.  He came into my life at a time in which I was grieving the loss of my ability to walk and yet he never once doubted me.  Jim has been a huge influence in my ability to move forward with life since becoming paralyzed and I wouldn’t be the person or swimmer I am today without him.  He has helped me realize that no matter what obstacle is placed in my way I have the ability to overcome.  Jim has pushed me to strive for more, and when I have made goals that most would call crazy he has never once told me I can’t, instead he has encouraged me to strive for more.  Jim coached me back to swimming but he also coached me back to living again.  In a time when most people didn’t know how to treat me I knew everyday I went to practice Jim would treat me just like every other person on that pool deck, and he would give me grief just as he does with the other swimmers, he never treats me special because of my wheelchair and that is what makes Jim who he is. 

With that being said here comes the reason for this fundraiser.  Jim isn’t on the coaching staff for the 2012 Paralympic Games (therefore he will not receive any funding to attend the Games).  Given how much he has been a part of my life I feel that the perfect way to end this four-year journey we have been on is to have him there in London to share it with me.  Having Jim there would mean to world to me because my success in the pool doesn’t come without having Jim. 

I would like to thank everyone for their continued support throughout these past four years since I became a paraplegic.  They say it takes a village to raise a person and though my family has been a huge support I wouldn’t be where I am today without all of you and your continued love and support.

Go Team USA!

Mallory