As the swimming and diving teams prepare for a meet at Virginia Tech on Saturday, two former N.C. State swimmers are preparing for a meet that will host some of the fastest swimmers in the world. Cullen Jones and Dan Velez, who still attend classes and practices at State, will represent the club team, N.C. State Aquatics, this weekend in Lafayette, Ind.
According to coach Brooks Teal, the Pack has several swimmers whose times qualify them for the race, including redshirt sophomore Stephen Mellor, but Teal has decided to keep them home in preparation for Virginia Tech.
“Some of these swimmers could have gone,” Teal said. “We have a few swimmers who are still on our collegiate team that have the qualifying time. Stephen Mellor could have gone, but we discussed this and we decided that coming off of the Maryland invite and given the way his training went this summer, that he should stay focused on getting ready for exams and training.”
Jones and Velez will compete, however, and have been training with the Pack in preparation for the Open as well as for the 2008 Olympics. Jones holds the fastest time in the world in the 50-meter freestyle this year with a time of 21.94 seconds that he swam in August, a mark only two-tenths of a second away from the world record.
Though Jones is highly recognized for his recent success, just receiving the “breakout performer of the year” at the Golden Goggle awards on November 19, he said his teammate Velez will likely turn some heads this weekend as well.
“I expect for him to have the meet of his life,” Jones said. “He’s shaving. He’s tapered. He looks great. I mean, just watching him and what he’s doing, I’m excited to see what he’s going to do.”
The meet will be the first for Jones since the Pan Pacific Championship in August, and he said he is looking not only to remain No. 1, but also to break the world record in the process.
“I don’t want to go what I went,” Jones said. “I want to try to go faster. So, if it doesn’t happen this week, I definitely have my sights on breaking it, hopefully by March. That’s my big goal: swimming in Australia in March for World’s [Championships].”
Jones and Velez practice every day with the swimming and diving team in training for possible Olympic contention. According to Jones, they provide a special leadership role to their former teammates and newcomers.
“I try to help out as much as possible,” Jones said. “In the beginning of the year I think Dan and I were coordinating some things that are traditions that they might not have [without us]. I’d like to say I feel like a parent on the team, but it’s not necessarily that. I just feel like I’m here when they need me, and I think that’s all I can do.”
According to Teal, Jones’ impact on the Pack’s program is tremendous.
“His leadership, his experience, he’s a role model as an athlete that has reached the highest level in this sport,” Teal said. “I mean, it’s great he’s able to inspire people on our team.”
Teal also said the success of Jones has helped in recruiting talented swimmers to State despite older facilities.
“For recruits’ sake, you know there’s no limit to how successful you can be at N.C. State,” Teal said. “[Recruits] may wonder, ‘How good can I really get here at N.C. State?’ And Cullen is living proof that you can be as good as you want to be.”
