Medford swimmer is back in the water, chasing Olympic dreams

Marcus Gentry, who has basically been setting Oregon swimming records since he started swimming, competed in his first swim meet since March.

To wrap up.

The pandemic put a halt on all competitions starting back in march... but now he's finally back in the water.

3:57 marcus gentry says, "the day before i was supposed to leave for my biggest meeting of the year where i was going to try to get my olympic trials cuts that got canceled.

And so that was a bummer that really sent me back."

The coronavirus putting a hold on the olympics and olympic aspirations.

Until today.

Marcus gentry was invited to the west coast open water championship in lake las vegas-- an opportunity not lost on the 16 year old.

3:36 marcus gentry says, "it's really exciting.

I'm extremely fortunate to be able to get, to get in any type of water and race.

I haven't, i haven't raced in a competition since about february."

And it's not by chance marcus earned this opportunity.

The disciplined swimmer has been been finding ways to train and then he also has a gift.

6:38 siouxha tokman says, "he's enthusiastic about this sport and he is, has a natural race strategy set up in his head.

Which is very hard to come by."

The u-s-a swimming sanctioned event is a bit different.

The race is actually taking place out doors in a lake, not in a pool.

1:40 marcus gentry says, "swimming open water, consumes a lot more energy because you have to fight the waves too.

Or if there's like any type of chop from the wind or just like anything, and the pool, there's none of that."

But the open water event could be marcus' path to paris.

12:53 & 12:27 tokman says, "in us making the olympic team in any sport actually, is like, getting a meat out of a hungry lion's mouth... but marcus is very talented in open water."

5:04 marcus gentry says, "actually my coach, he loves when i do open water, he thinks that i have a better chance of making the actual olympics and open water because he knows how good i am at it... so i'm excited to see, what i can go in this race."

And marcus had a pretty good showing today in nevada.

The 16-year old finished 8- th in the 5-k swim in lake las vegas.

He finished in under an hour out of 17 of the country's best swimmers.

Here he is after wrapping up his race today sent in by his coach.

Only a few minutes behind the first place