Fresno State Athletics
Fleck Signs International Swimmer
7/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
July 15, 2008
FRESNO, Calif. - Heidi Gjoen (Oslo, Norway) has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Fresno State and compete under head coach Jeanne Fleck on the new swimming and diving team in 2008-09. Gjoen is the first international swimmer to be added to the roster at Fresno State.
In international swimming, they compete in meters while the United States races in yards. Gjoen's international times convert to 2:10.00 in the 200 backstroke and 58:59 in the 100 backstroke. Fleck also expects Gjoen to compete in the freestyle races and have her score in those events for the team.
"Europe doesn't have high school or college swimming," said Fleck. "These international swimmers come here to race and improve. The biggest thing we will need to teach Heidi is how to make turns in a 50-yard pool."
Fleck adds that Gjoen has been training hard all summer to prepare for the intense training that swimmers endure in the United States.
"I have coached international swimmers before," said Fleck. "The swimming over here is a lot different and the previous swimmers I have coached have always improved their times once they enter a year-round training program."
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