Entry # 4
"Erica doesn't have to do anything special, she just has to do what she normally does," Michael said. "She's very talented and capable and she has been jumping well in practice and at meets all year long. So what she has to do is focus on what she normally well and not try to do too much. That was what made her so successful at the trials and that's what we're focusing on heading over there."
The Bartolinas will leave Wednesday morning for processing with the rest of the U.S. Olympic team in San Jose, Calif. before heading off to the squad's Olympic training base in Dalian, China. The Bartolinas will then make the 45 minute commuter flight across the Bohai Gulf to arrive in Beijing in time for the Opening Ceremonies on Aug. 8.
The women's pole vault preliminaries will get underway on Aug. 16th in Beijing, which means Erica will be taking her first Olympic jumps when it's approximately 9 p.m. on Friday Aug. 15th in Hammond.
According to Michael, the next 17 days will help Erica adjust to the 13-hour time difference as well as the travel and scheduling demands unique to the summer games that might wear down a first-time Olympian. However, Michael cites Erica's experience in prior international competitions as a foundation to build from.
"Obviously, she doesn't have Olympic experience, but she has competed overseas plenty of times and she's a very experienced international competitor," Michael said. "That makes all the adjustments easier. But I had the chance to talk to a former Olympic track coach who said the key is to not get caught up in the 'Olympic' aspect of the Olympic Games and just worry about the games. That ties back into what she needs to do to be successful and that's just do what she normally does."
Since qualifying for the 2008 Summer Games, the Bartolinas have received an outpouring of support from the Hammond community and have seen Erica's fan base grow around town as well as the Southeastern campus.
"The support has been overwhelming from both the city of Hammond and Southeastern," Michael said. "It's been great for her to walk around town and have people recognize and congratulate her for what she's done. It's really given her a boost."
After the preliminaries on the 16th, the women's pole vault will conclude with the finals on Monday Aug. 18 at approximately 7 p.m. in Beijing (approximately 6 a.m. on the 18th CDT).
NBC has yet to finalize their full Olympic live broadcast and tape delay schedules, but fans will be able to follow along online at www.nbcolympics.com as television schedules and streaming webcast schedules are finalized.
Fans can also check www.lionsports.net and www.ericabartolina.com as well as their local television listings for continued updates.
The Bartolinas will leave Wednesday morning for processing with the rest of the U.S. Olympic team in San Jose, Calif. before heading off to the squad's Olympic training base in Dalian, China. The Bartolinas will then make the 45 minute commuter flight across the Bohai Gulf to arrive in Beijing in time for the Opening Ceremonies on Aug. 8.
The women's pole vault preliminaries will get underway on Aug. 16th in Beijing, which means Erica will be taking her first Olympic jumps when it's approximately 9 p.m. on Friday Aug. 15th in Hammond.
According to Michael, the next 17 days will help Erica adjust to the 13-hour time difference as well as the travel and scheduling demands unique to the summer games that might wear down a first-time Olympian. However, Michael cites Erica's experience in prior international competitions as a foundation to build from.
"Obviously, she doesn't have Olympic experience, but she has competed overseas plenty of times and she's a very experienced international competitor," Michael said. "That makes all the adjustments easier. But I had the chance to talk to a former Olympic track coach who said the key is to not get caught up in the 'Olympic' aspect of the Olympic Games and just worry about the games. That ties back into what she needs to do to be successful and that's just do what she normally does."
Since qualifying for the 2008 Summer Games, the Bartolinas have received an outpouring of support from the Hammond community and have seen Erica's fan base grow around town as well as the Southeastern campus.
"The support has been overwhelming from both the city of Hammond and Southeastern," Michael said. "It's been great for her to walk around town and have people recognize and congratulate her for what she's done. It's really given her a boost."
After the preliminaries on the 16th, the women's pole vault will conclude with the finals on Monday Aug. 18 at approximately 7 p.m. in Beijing (approximately 6 a.m. on the 18th CDT).
NBC has yet to finalize their full Olympic live broadcast and tape delay schedules, but fans will be able to follow along online at www.nbcolympics.com as television schedules and streaming webcast schedules are finalized.
Fans can also check www.lionsports.net and www.ericabartolina.com as well as their local television listings for continued updates.