Trip to Charlotte's UltraSwim leaves lasting impression

Aiken resident Peggy Campbell was surrounded by the likes of Olympic swimming medalists Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Aaron Peirsol about a week ago.

Campbell and her family were lucky enough to score tickets to Charlotte's UltraSwim held in the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center earlier this month where the swimmers were competing.

The family loves the sport - Campbell's daughter, Jill Tanner, swam for the Augusta Swim League and still holds a record 1:10:39 in the 100 yard IM at Houndslake. So when the possibility arose to attend UltraSwim, there was no hesitation.

"I was lucky enough to get four tickets," Campbell said. "We had an absolute ball."

UltraSwim did not appear to be a ball for swimming favorite Phelps. Phelps first lost the 200-meter backstroke to Peirsol then the 100-meter freestyle to Frederick Bousquet of France. UltraSwim was his first competition since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won an astounding eight gold medals.

But the competition held a special surprise for Campbell's 7-year-old granddaughter, Kiersten Tanner.

"I assumed Phelps was going to win the backstroke," Campbell said. "But Peirsol came in first, Phelps second and Nick Thoman third. And Thoman just came right over to (Kiersten) and put the medal around her neck. Jill said, 'Do you mean to give that to her?' And he said, 'It's hers.' We didn't know what to say; we were speechless. It was just so nice."

The act shocked Jill, too.

"I guess she made eye contact with him, and he walked over," she said.

"He didn't have to do that," Campbell said. "I bet he's got drawers and drawers of medals."

Thoman missed a spot on the Beijing U.S. Olympic swimming team by finishing sixth in the 100 backstroke and fifth in the 200 backstroke in the trials.

The Campbell and Tanner family had such a great time that they hope to attend next year.

"We can't wait," Jill said. "It was crazy, unbelievable just to be that close to them."