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WHAT’S SURE TO BE THE MOST EXCITING SUMMER OLYMPICS EVER. LUCAS OIL STADIUM HAS TRANSFORMED INTO THE HOME OF THE UPCOMING US OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS. STARTING THIS WEEKEND, ATHLETES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL COMPETE TO EARN A SPOT ON TEAM USA AND AMONG THOSE ATHLETES ARE A PAIR OF AUBURN SWIMMERS WHO WANT TO TRADE THEIR TIGER STRIPES IN FOR STARS AND STRIPES. �������� 13 JULIAN MITCHELL MET UP WITH THEM AS THEY PREPARE TO PUNCH THEIR TICKET TO PARIS. SWIMMING IS JUST DIFFERENT AT AUBURN. JUST ASK LEEDS NATIVE. WE’RE A BLUE BLOOD IN SWIMMING AND I TAKE THAT PERSONALLY. LIKE I LOVE THAT MASON MATHIAS OR SO WE’RE TRYING TO BRING THAT BACK. THAT LEVEL BACK. THAT LEVEL IS WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS AND HAVING SWIMMERS GO TO THE OLYMPICS. NOW THE TIGERS HAVE THAT CHANCE AS A GROUP, INCLUDING MATHIAS. WE’RE READY. AND HANNAH OMB HEAD TO THE U.S. TRIALS. IT’S JUST SO COOL THAT THEY’RE LIKE BUILDING IT IN THE FOOTBALL STADIUM. YOU KNOW, I HAVEN’T I WENT TO OMAHA, BUT I THINK THIS ONE’S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE EXCITING. OMB IS ONE OF THE SWIMMERS WHO WILL GET ANOTHER SHOT AT THE TRIALS AFTER COMPETING IN 2021. A SENIOR NOW A LOT’S CHANGED SINCE THEN. I THINK I’VE DEFINITELY LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS ALONG THE WAY AND IT’S SAD THAT MY TIME AT AUBURN IS COMING TO AN END. BUT BUT I WOULDN’T CHANGE IT FOR THE WORLD. IT’S BEEN JUST THE GREATEST THING. IT’S BEEN QUITE THE JOURNEY FOR MATHIAS AND OMB. I WOULD SAY THAT EVER SINCE I CAME TO AUBURN, I’VE KIND OF EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS OF MYSELF. WHEN I WAS FRESHMAN, MY FIRST GOAL WAS JUST TO MAKE THE SEC TEAM AND SO TO NOW BE WHERE I AM NOW AND COMPETING AGAINST THE BEST AND JUST GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY, LIKE WHEN EVERY TIME I GET UP ON THE BLOCKS, I’M BLESSED AND I’M LIKE THANKFUL JUST TO BE THERE SWIMMING FOR AUBURN IS JUST BEEN SUCH A DREAM OF MINE SINCE I WAS A KID, AND JUST BEING ABLE TO COMPETE, YOU KNOW, AND REPRESENT THE UNIVERSITY AT LIKE THE HIGHEST LEVEL AND AGAINST THE MOST ELITE ATHLETES IN THE COUNTRY. UM, IT’S JUST BEEN THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY. A SWIMMER AT AUBURN HIMSELF, HEAD COACH RYAN WALKER, COULDN’T BE PROUDER OF THIS GROUP. WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE US OLYMPIC TEAM HERE THIS YEAR, THEY’RE LAYING THE FOUNDATION AND GROUNDWORK FOR PEOPLE BEHIND THEM TO MAKE THAT TEAM. BUT I’M PROUD OF THESE KIDS THAT THAT THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO TO GO AND AND GO TO A MEET WHERE IT IT REALLY IS INCREDIBLY SPECIAL BE