The National Collegiate Championships have found a home in Bear Bryant’s Tuscaloosa. One swimmer stretches for perfection, but Crimson Tide football fell short.

One collegian experiences the bliss of ultimate exertion.

The women launch into the swim like rocketing porpoises at the second round of US Olympic Trials in Tuscaloosa.

Sarah Haskins, Sara McLarty, Julie Ertel and Sarah Groff made the definitive break
on the bike, aiming at the second US women’s 2008 Olympic slot.

Julie Ertel practiced lightning transitions for two months at her home in Irvine, California. The homework paid off here as she broke into an unassailable lead at T2.

While Julie Ertel was securing her an Olympic berth in a second sport, young Sarah Groff graduated into the big time in Tuscaloosa, eight seconds short of Sarah Haskins.

Julie Ertel soaks in the cheers as she follows up her 2000 water polo Olympic slot with a trip to Beijing in triathlon eight years later.

Brian Fleischmann flashes out of the water chasing the Olympic dream.

Brian Fleischmann, Hunter Kemper and Matt Reed caught Andy Potts midway through the bike. Reed made the decisive break halfway through the last lap.

Newly minted US citizen Matty Reed stands tall as he cashes in an upset win over Hunter Kemper and Andy Potts for the second US men’s Olympic slot.

Matt Reed and Julie Ertel pose casually at ‘Bama’s end zone goalpost after scoring Olympic pay dirt earlier that afternoon.

One age grouper takes a final warm-up run on Vancouver’s beautiful shoreline on the eve of the 2008 ITU World Championship.

Olympic scheduling led to this fiasco – dozens of age groupers pulled from the Vancouver’s freezing waters in early June.

Which led to cancellation of the swim midway through the age group waves, substituting a hastily improvised duathlon start. Results were scrambled for months.

Long shots Sarah Haskins and Helen Tucker made a bold breakaway on one of Vancouver’s steep hills.

Haskins and Tucker ran side by side until the Brit surged to gold at the end.

Haskins gave her all for the silver.

Tucker’s delighted astonishment versus Haskin’s weary surrender.

New Zealand’s Samantha Warriner fights young Erin Densham of Australia for the bronze.

At 37, the elder warrior grabs her first World Championship podium by an eyelash.
Fifth place Emma Moffat grabbed bronze in Beijing.