As the remaining portion of Jon Urbanchek’s post-grad training group winds down in Fullerton, two of the major pieces have found their future training grounds. Swimming power-couple Emily Brunemann and Michael Klueh will return to Brunemann’s old college stomping grounds to train with Club Wolverine in September.
Brunemann had a disaster scenario at this year’s Open Water National Championships. She went from being in contention for a top two spot (and a trip to Portugal for the Olympic qualifier) in the women’s 10km race to a 7th-place finish, just a second away from 6th-place. That left her off of the National Team, and without the benefits and services that go with that.
Klueh, meanwhile, will retain his National Team status after finishing 3rd in the men’s 400 free, his best event, at the Olympic Trials. That won’t become official until after the U.S. Open, but he is likely to remain in the top 6. Still, to qualify for the USA Swimming stipends, he will have to improve his 400 time by about a second at the U.S. Open.
Brunemann is a University of Michigan graduate, and though the coaches from her time there have mostly moved home it will be a familiar move for her. Though Klueh has done most of his elite training in Texas and California, he is an Indiana native, so Ann Arbor will be much closer to home for him.
Expect Brunemann to make a big run at next year’s FINA Open Water World Cup series. Brunemann made the trip over to the two Asian stops last year, and walked away with two victories and a cool $5,000 for her efforts.
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Braden, seems like you’re implying Klueh may try out Open Water swimming. Is this true, or am I reading the article wrong?
Nostradamus – sorry, that should have just said Brunemann. I’ve heard speculation that Klueh will give it a shot, but nothing from his own words yet. Will work on seeing if I can nail that down.
Klueh was 3rd in the 400m fr at trials!
California weather for Michigan winters…
I think Urbanchek said he was retiring after London .Any news on the rest of the group?
Where will the post grads go now, probably some taking time off or leaving the sport.