She doesnt at all look like she is fourty one, i know youger people who cant even make one lap in the pool. But all though she is an olympic swimmer wouldnt it be nice to have you daughter visit you in bejing???
im sure tessa would understand what her mother does, wouldnt shee?

MP is correct that China has a huge pollution problem, but Sarita is also right that the image American’s see on TV is overblown.

I brought my family to China for vacation last December. My wife, myself and my son all have asthma and none of us had a problem.

We had a wonderful time. In the future, if we can afford to go back, we will!

I’ve met Dara a few times at a mutual playdate and Tessa is such a sweet little girl,she speaks fluent spanish and tried to talk to my daughter in a mix of spanish and english- too cute!!
I wish Dara all the best in the Olympics and I’m sure her daughter will be so proud of her when she can fully understand what the Olympics are!!

MP, you do know that people live in Beijing? If it was so unhealthy there, the population would not be millions because they would’ve died by now.

I was just there yesterday and the skies were blue and it was beatiful.

I am a swimmer and have been on a competitive team since the age of 2 1/2. Yes you read that correctly, 2 1/2! I only watch the summer Olympics to see the swimming and the gymnastics. I have actually trained with some of the swimmers on Olympic teams before and it is amazing to watch! I cant wait to see her and Michael!

Dara isn’t the only athlete that will be feeling those “away from my children” pangs. There’s hundreds of athletes, coaches, and trainers at the 2008 summer Olympics that are parents so they will all be missing their children. It is so amazing Dara will be there at her fifth Olympics at the age of 41! So many people were saying she was cheating, she had to be taking supplements or something because no way could a 41 year old woman beat out 18 year olds in swimming. So good on Dara for showing people they were wrong, and that age doesn’t matter, but dedication and willpower does. I’m not American, but I’d root for her as long as there wasn’t a Canadian in the heat.

I think it would be better for Tessa to stay at home with her dad, since pollution is so overwhelming in China. Many of the athletes are waiting until the last minute to arrive, in order to minimize the impact on their respiratory systems. Imagine how it would affect a two-year-old! I know the separation will be hard, but probably best for Tessa — and as Nicola noted, Dara will be able to focus on her sport.

Dara is not only an inspiration to other athletes, but also to mothers! I am SO EXCITED to watch the Olympics and I know I’ll be rooting for her, along with Tessa and the rest of the U.S. in Beijing in August.

Its got nothing to do with money. A great deal of Dara’s success is attributed to the fact that she’s got nothing but money to throw at all of the trainers and physical manipulations that help to keep her uber fit — even at 41! I’m a swimmer. Her times are incredible. She is a super competitive athlete and her time in China will be spent in total focus. She wouldn’t want her family there because she cannot afford even a single distraction.

Melissa,
Going to Beijing for the Olympics is prohibitively expensive. The USOC only pays for one ticket and without assistance it can otherwise cost $25,000 or more per person. Also, Dara wouldn’t get to see much of Tessa anyway – the days are filled with training, acclimating and official duties. It is a bummer, but when Tessa grows up she will burst with pride at what her Mommy did.