MINNETONKA, Minn. - Members of the Minnetonka Swim Club watched as David Plummer, a former Golden Gopher and Minnetonka native, came up just short in his olympic bid.
The Olympic games always are the gold standard in sports. People spend the best years of their lives training for that one chance to go for a medal in the games and sadly on Wednesday Plummer, 26, missed his shot of going to London with the U.S. Men's Swimming team by just fractions of a second.
Plummer, who trains at the Minnetonka Swim Club and also coaches young swimmers, swam at the olympic trials in Omaha.
At least 100 kids packed a Bloomington viewing party to cheer Plummer on and he gave them a race to remember, but in the end fell just a fingernail short of making the 2012 team.
And while that to some can be categorized as a failure it is anything but, the kids said after the race Plummer still remains their hero both in and out of the pool.
"It's really hard, but we are all still really proud of him because he got his best time there and we know he did his best and that is great for him," Minnetonka swimmer Abby Sadler said.
The silver lining for the kids was watching Eden Prairie's Rachel Bootsma secure a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. She is going to London after taking second place in the women's 100 meter backstroke.
"Seeing her and watching her fulfill her dream is so amazing. She just graduated high school and stuff and her life is on the best high ever right now," teen swimmer Adrianna Santos said.
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