LT Grad Donatelli Swims to U.S. Olympic Trials Berth

As Brian Donatelli completed his senior season swimming for Lyons Township last year and prepared to compete at the University of Iowa, he had some memorable parting words for LT coach Scott Walker.

“I was pretty nervous going to Iowa. I always went to Coach Walker for help and I remember I went up to him before I left and said, ‘You know what? I’m going to try and go for an Olympic Trials time?’ ” Donatelli said.

“He looked at me, smirked and said, ‘You’re going to have to work hard for that.’ ”

On Feb. 26, it actually happened.

Just after Donatelli competed for the Hawkeyes at the Big Ten Conference Championships in Iowa City, he equaled the U.S. Olympic Trials cut in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 23.49 seconds at the Hawkeye/Big Ten Long Course qualifier at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Pool.

“To be honest, at first I didn’t know what the cut was. They’re like, ‘You got the cut.’ I said, ‘Really?’ ” Donatelli said.

“I’m still in shock. I can’t wait for this summer. I think I might go back home and take (Lyons Swim Club) Coach Casey Hnatiuk and Coach Walker to bring them to this awesome meet.”

Donatelli had plenty of company with which to celebrate in Iowa City. Seven Iowa swimmers posted qualifying times during the event, while seven other Hawkeyes previously qualified either for the U.S. trials or internationally.

The U.S. Olympic trials for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London will be June 25-July 2 at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb.

Donatelli is believed to be the first member of the Lyons Swim Club to qualify for the trials. As of Feb. 14, 149 swimmers had qualified for the men’s 50-meter free.

“I said, ‘No way,’ ” Walker said. “The first thing I told him was, ‘That puts you among the .05 percent fastest in the country.'

“It was his senior year (at LT), and he got out of the pool at the state meet and said, ‘I’m going to get the Olympic trial cut,’ and I’ve always been giving him grief. I told him the only way was to get in the water. Around here, we are all very, very excited for him.” 

Donatelli said he was so elated about fulfilling his vow to Walker that he actually called him before his parents.

“He’s like a mentor, like a second dad,” Donatelli said. “He couldn’t get out of his chair. Words couldn’t explain how he felt. It makes me excited because he’s one of the best coaches I ever had.”

Donatelli competed in three events at the Big Ten Meet for the Hawkeyes, who took fifth for their highest finish since 1996. Although Donatelli didn’t reach the finals, he had personal-best times in each race.

In the 50-yard free prelims Feb. 23, he tied for 36th in 20.51 seconds, a .22 drop from his seed time. His times in the 200 free Feb. 24 (63rd, 1:41.80) and 100 free Feb. 25 (45th, 45.13) beat his seeds of 1:45.88 and 45.81.

The U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier was the next morning with Donatelli racing around 11 a.m.

“I was still really sore from the previous days, but, yeah, pretty much I can race anytime,” Donatelli said.

Compared to college and high-school competition, the long-course 50-meter free race is about 54.7 yards. Donatelli’s previous best time in the 50-meter free was 24.50 at a sectional club meet last summer.

In his first attempt at the qualifier, Donatelli’s 23.70 missed the cut. He was encouraged to try again along with sophomore teammate Gianni Sesto about 20 minutes later. Sesto (23.14) and Donatelli succeeded the second time.

“I was pretty close the first time so I wanted to try it again and go for it,” Donatelli said. “I knew (the cut) was a little lower but I’m like, ‘I’m not going to think about it. I’m just going to go for it.’ ”

“When I got the cut, it kind of brought back memories of high school, doing really well. I’m still grateful to be at the University of Iowa. These guys have taught me everything. But I thought about how still to this day, I would not be here if not for Coach Walker, Coach Casey, the guys I swam with. There’s a lot of things that added up.”

At LT, Donatelli reached the state swimming championship finals twice and consolation finals six times. His highest overall finish was as part of the 200-yard free relay in 2009, and his highest individual finish was fifth in the 100 free in 2010. At the 2011 state meet, he was seventh in the 50 free (21.28), eighth in the 100 free (46.20) and part of the eighth-place 400 free relay.

Just 16 months later, Donatelli will experience a considerably bigger swimming stage. At the Olympic Trials, the 50-meter free prelims and semifinals are scheduled for June 30 with the finals July 1.

“I’m just going to be really happy that I’m there and see how I do in that environment with all of those swimmers, Olympians,” Donatelli said. “I’m going to use their energy and go after it. I’ve got nothing to lose.”