Kathleen Hersey

Hersey will have a chance to atone for a disappointing showing at the 2008 Olympics after finishing second to Cammile Adams in the 200m butterfly at the trials. She finished eighth in the 200 fly in Beijing with a time of 2:08.23, one day after she swam a then career-best 2:06.96 in the semifinals. Hersey's mother passed away from cancer earlier this year and she said she found inspiration in her memory. "I felt like there was more than swimming on the line," she said. "This wouldn't happen if there wasn't a reason. I felt her presence so much today. The relationship has changed and is much more intimate now. She's part of me." Hersey says she also draws inspiration from her father, who has used a wheelchair since the 1980s after a spinal cord aneurysm, but still maintains an active lifestyle. Hersey won the 200 fly and finished fifth in the 100 fly at the 2011 nationals. She also captured four gold medals at the 2007 Pan American Games.