| Sunday, August 6, 2000 Tattoo tells a tale
Limpert proud to bear the traditional maple leaf mark
By GRANT GRANGER
-- Winnipeg Sun
While getting a red maple leaf tattoo is
common for members of Canadian national teams, it's particularly appropriate for Marianne
Limpert.
It's a small one and sits just above the right ankle of the swimmer who is off to her
third Olympics. Limpert has won 76 international medals for Canada, including a silver in
the 200-metre individual medley at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and a gold at the
Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur.
She made the national team in 1990 but took until 1994 to decide what kind of tattoo to
get -- and where.
"My mom wasn't too thrilled but since then I've got three more," laughed
Limpert, 27, between sessions at the summer nationals being held at the Pan Am Pool this
weekend.
Limpert was born in Matagami, Que., grew up in Fredericton and has trained or lived in
Sudbury, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver. She currently lives on the West Coast,
where she trains with the Pacific Dolphins Swim Club. Her sport has also allowed her to
visit all sorts of exotic locales representing Canada.
'VERY PATRIOTIC'
"My parents were both born in Germany so they were always telling me how lucky I was
to be growing up in Canada," said Limpert. "So I've always been very
patriotic."
When Limpert's dad decided to leave the hectic, high-strung pace of Germany he was
contemplating Canada and Australia, "but he had just enough money to come to
Canada."
Lucky for Canada.
"It's had a lot of ups and downs," Limpert said of her career. "I've done a
lot of things that looking back I probably regret. But it seems like everything happens
for a reason and it's gotten me to where I am right now."
And it will get her to Sydney next month, where she'll swim in five races. She went into
the weekend already qualified for the 200m IM as well as the 100m freestyle and two relay
teams.
The oldest member of the women's team tied for first with 15-year-old Jenna Gresdal of
Huntington, Ont. Both swam it in 25.93, just 3/100ths under the required standard.
In 1992 at Barcelona, Limpert finished sixth in the 200 IM. At Atlanta she swam her
personal best of 2:14.35 to take the silver.
"It was pretty cool," said the 5-foot-11 Limpert. "Initially I was
disappointed because when I looked at the scoreboard I realized how close I came to
winning, by three- tenths of a second, and then who I lost to and all the accusations
surrounding her in Atlanta."
PETITIONED
That would be Ireland's Michelle Smith, who was widely speculated to be on steroids at the
time. Smith wasn't caught at the time, but she was later. The Canadian Olympic Association
petitioned the IOC to get Limpert the gold medal. No go.
"At that point I didn't want to get the gold like that. If I was going to get it I
wanted to get it on the podium. It's not the same," said Limpert.
If she'd won in '96 she'd have hung up her goggles. She doesn't want to settle for less
than gold in Sydney.
"Definitely that's the objective this time," said Limpert.
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