Peirsol in Mizzou to swim against best

Aaron Peirsol, a Newport Harbor High product and winner of three gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, will be one of 20 Olympians expected to compete at the Missouri Grand Prix on Feb. 15-18 in Columbia, Mo.

The meet is the third of the 2007-08 Toyota Grand Prix Series. It will be the first long course event of the year for many of the country’s top swimmers, helping them prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Other big names expected to compete are eight-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps, four-time Olympian Dara Torres, and Ryan Lochte, Brendan Hansen and Ian Crocker.

Peirsol, Lochte, Hansen and Crocker all hold individual world records in their specialty events, with Peirsol’s being the 100-meter backstroke.

— From staff reports