The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Michigan in 2006 and earned a mas- ter's degree in Ann Arbor in 2008. For the next few years, he trained indi- vidually, with a breakthrough in 2008 when he earned a spot on the U.S. Un- der-23 Team. Since then, he took a job at Chesa- "The end result wasn't a medal, and we're a little disappointed in that re- gard, but we finished right in the mid- dle of the pack of the best rowers in the world. We're not ashamed of that." peake Energy in Oklahoma City, where he could spend time training. He spent eight months in Oakland, Calif., work- ing toward a spot on the USA's eight- man boat. When he and Silas Stafford were the last two not selected, they teamed up together and, a month later, won the pair-boat spot in the Olym- pics, where they finished eighth. "It was pretty fantastic," Peszek said. Individual Men's Swimming Tyler Clary, USA of the entire Olympics experience for Gail, Peszek and Houchin was the fan- fare surrounding their events. All three fondly looked back on the moments before their first races and seeing a sea of fans and well-wishers packing the stands. Houchin laughed when he recalled seeing the entire Team USA THE XXX OLYMPIC GAMES Perhaps the most memorable part THE MAJESTY OF U-M OLYMPIANS' FINAL RESULTS Event Michael Phelps, USA Michael Phelps, USA Michael Phelps, USA Michael Phelps, USA Michael Phelps, USA Michael Phelps, USA Connor Jaeger, USA 200-meter backstroke final 4x100-meter medley relay final 100-meter butterfly final Result 200-meter individual medley final 1st, 1:54.27, Gold 4x200-meter freestyle relay final 1st, 6:59.7, Gold 200-meter butterfly final 1st, 1:53.41, Gold 1st, 3:29.35, Gold 1st, 51.21, Gold Peter Vanderkaay, USA 400-meter freestyle final Michael Phelps, USA Tyler Clary, USA 4x100-meter freestyle relay final 2nd, 3:10.38, Silver 3rd, 3:44.69, Bronze 2nd, 1:53.01, Silver Derya Buyukuncu, Turkey 200-meter backstroke heats Charlie Houchin, USA Davis Tarwater, USA Men's Track And Field Jeff Porter, USA Nick Willis, New Zealand 1,500-meter final Nate Brannen, Canada Women's Track And Field Tiffany Porter, England Geena Gall, USA 400-meter individual medley final 4th, 4:09.28 200-meter butterfly final 1,500-meter freestyle final 4x200-meter freestyle relay heats 1st, 7:06.75, Gold* 4x200-meter freestyle relay heats 1st, 7:06.75, Gold* 5th, 1:55.06 6th, 14:52.99 33rd, 2:01.68 Ciaran O'Lionaird, Ireland 1,500-meter first round Nicole Sifuentes, Canada 1,500-meter semifinal Uhunoma Osazuwa, Nigeria Heptathlon Women's Water Polo Betsey Armstrong, USA Final: USA vs. Spain Women's Basketball Krista Phillips, Canada Quarterfinal: Canada vs. U.S. Men's Gymnastics Sam Mikulak, USA Sam Mikulak, USA Men's Rowing Tom Peszek, USA Syque Caesar, Bangladesh Team Qualifications Pair Final B Vault Final Team Final Women's Rowing Janine Hanson, Canada Eight Final Sarah Trowbridge, USA Double Sculls Final A 110-meter hurdles semifinal 1,500-meter semifinal 100-meter hurdles semifinal 800-meter semifinal 5th, 13.41 9th, 3:36.94 12th, 3:39.26 13th, 3:48.35 4th, 12:79 8th, 2:05.76 11th, 4:06.33 Did Not Finish W, 8-5, Gold L, 91-48 5th, 16.05 5th, 269.952 DNQ 8th overall, 6:53.3 2nd, 6:12.06, Silver 7th, 7:10.54 * U.S. swimmers Charlie Houchin and Davis Tarwater were awarded Gold medals for racing the qualifying heat of the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. The finals team of Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwyer and Ricky Berens won the event. Men's gymnast Sam Mikulak competed for the USA in the vault final and team final. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS basketball squad cheering on him and his fellow American swimmers at the natatorium. "In the States, you'll have races against the very best guys in the coun- try, and our parents don't even show up. There are no spectators to speak of," Peszek said. "We step off the ath- lete bus and just hear the roar of the crowd. To see that kind of enthusiasm for rowing was really quite cool." "It is such a satisfying moment, as an athlete, to see so many people watch- ing you," Gall added. "That's when it hits you — you're at the pinnacle. The Olympics. You know you've made it in this sport that you've worked so hard at." They all made sure to take in the full experience, too, attending as many competitions as they could, including beach volleyball, field hockey, BMX, basketball, wrestling, gymnastics and more. When Peszek watched some of the track and field events, he sat so close to the Olympic Torch that he could feel the warmth of the flame. He and Houchin were both in atten- dance for Team USA's dramatic vic- tory oveer Japan in the women's soccer gold medal game, too. "I wanted to see as much of the Olympics as I could," Peszek said. "It's amazing that so many of the world's best athletes are in such a relatively small place. "It was also great to get a chance to take in the whole cultural side, just see- ing the international community com- ing together and pushing the politics aside. I was eating in the lunchroom alongside North Korean athletes. It was amazing to see that international camaraderie." ❑ SEPTEMBER 2012 THE WOLVERINE 87