Garret Pulle analyzed his options carefully to decipher the best way to make the 2000 Olympic team. His specialty is the 100 butterfly, however having trained with Mike Mintenko in Vancouver last year and with Shamek Pietucha in Calgary this year, he knew those two would be tough to beat out for a spot.

  "After nationals I had two months to start concentrating on the freestyle," said the biology student, who made the Olympic team in the 4X100 freestyle relay team. "I did everything I could to make it on the relay. I'm pretty proud how I worked all that out and that it all fell together for me. This is what I've dreamed of since I've been eight-years-old."

  In 1992, Pulle, at 14, was the youngest male swimmer at the Olympic trials but by 1996 he was out of swimming altogether. "I was slipping in all aspects at that time," said Pulle, who is of Sri Lankan descent. "It was a big effort to step on the blocks again in 1997 because I had missed my Olympic opportunity the year before."

Photos
Canadian Garret Pulle in the opening ceremonies

2000 Games Swimming Coverage