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Swimming: Saunders races to the ringsAsk Tim Saunders, ES '01, about the 500 freestyle on Sat., Jan. 9 against Army, and he replies modestly, "Yeah, it's cool." After a little prompting, the details unfold: "[Coach Frank] pulled me out of the 200 backstroke and stuck me in the 500 free after the break for diving. The Army guys were right on my feet the whole race, and by the end I could see coach on the deck waving at me. I knew that if I lost, he'd be pissed." Saunders was tired after a week of training in Florida, but he kicked it into the wall inches ahead. Teammate Brendan McBreen, DC '01, said of Saunders' performance, "Saunders is 2-0 against Army. He's always enthusiastic and one of the people I enjoy swimming with most on the team."After an important win over Navy on Sat., Jan. 16, the team is preparing for the year's biggest meet: Harvard-Yale-Princeton. "Harvard and Princeton beat us the past few years," Saunders said. "We're hoping to squeak out a win." Winning Harvard-Yale-Princeton would set the undefeated Elis on their way to earning the best dual meet record in Division I. "We'd get rings," Saunders said. "That'd be hot." What's his secret? His day begins--after an early swim--with a prayer and cornflakes. Dinner is brussel sprouts, peas, and a carbo-packed plate of pasta. And before a meet? "I like to visualize my race," he says, "you know, meditate a little, achieve some inner peace before I get on the block." Saunders proves that you just can't beat the combination of a balanced diet and a healthy spirit. --Kate Blofson
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