17-Year-Old Lagerhausen Hopes to Make Olympic Swim Team

The Olympics are still an opportunity for amateur athletes to break into the big time. That's the dream of 17-year-old Wes Lagerhausen, as reported by the Janesville Gazette (in Wisconsin):

The Badger High senior and standout on the Badger/Big Foot co-op swim team, is one of the top freestylers in the nation and a serious threat to land a spot on the U.S. swimming and diving team. Not bad for a 17-year-old who didn’t get serious about the sport until high school.

“It’s kind of bizarre and surreal at the same time,” Lagerhausen said of the opportunity to qualify for the US Olympic team. “It’s something that I still can’t get a grasp on.

“And yet, my times continue to drop consistently, and it seems like everything is falling into place. But when I think of the possibility of being on a relay team with someone like Michael Phelps, it’s unbelievable.”