PHOENIX, Arizona, December 7. SHORT Course World Championships start in T-minus five days. Even though that's nearly a week away, this morning our Swimming World Twitter feed informed us that athletes from around the world (or at least the Western Hemisphere) have packed and checked their bags, printed their boarding passes and are currently en-route to Istanbul to prepare for the World Championships. Let's hope no one left their passports (or, even worse, swim suits) behind.
Emily Brunemann started the Twitter excitement early this morning:
Just dropped @mklueh @joshcwhite and #ryanfeeley off at the airport! Good luck guys and have fun in Turkey! #shortcourseworldchamps
— Emily Brunemann (@EmilyBrunemann) December 7, 2012
Josh White responded to his Michigan alma mater, and included a picture.. do you think that phone can tweet?
@umichswimdive @ryanjfeeley waiting in airport He would have tweeted but I am not sure that phone is capable twitter.com/JoshCWhite/sta…
— Josh White (@JoshCWhite) December 7, 2012
Jimmy Feigen made a little song commemorating the occasion:
Hai ho hai ho it's off to worlds we goWe're leaving school, it's to the poolHai ho hai hoI apologize for that @kathleenhersey made me
— James Jimmy Feigen (@JimmyFeigen) December 7, 2012
Chloe Sutton responded to her Worlds teammate Tom Shields, and then sent out her own Tweet about Worlds:
@beefytshields @anthonyervin @mayadirado @seachelchenault See you guys soon! 🙂
— Chloe Sutton (@csutswim) December 7, 2012
Please pray for me and the team's safety as we go to Istanbul! I'm confident in our security but still a bit nervous 🙂 #sofarfromhome
— Chloe Sutton (@csutswim) December 7, 2012
Jasmine Tosky expressed her excitement at departing:
Istanbul here we come! @andreaekropp #SCWorldChamps #Turkey #GOUSA
— Jasmine Tosky (@JasmineTosky) December 7, 2012
As the Worlds team's tweets were rolling in, swim fans started to send out their own excited Tweets:
Man, seeing all these 'leaving for Turkey!' tweets makes me wish I was. As a spectator, of course. #someoneflymeoutthereplease
— Ashley ॐ(@jeashleyyyy) December 7, 2012
All these tweets from swimmers heading to Turkey is getting me more and more excited for #WorldsSC next week #cantcomesoonenough
— tejal (@RunOverTyler) December 7, 2012
Canadian athletes joined in on the fun:
My day = swim practice, write an exam, hop on the plane to Istanbul. #crazylife #butiloveit
— Tera Van Beilen (@teravb) December 7, 2012
Exams: done. I guess all that's left to do is get on a plane to turkey. #shouldpackfirst #laundrytime
— Heather MacLean (@hmacswim) December 6, 2012
Off to the pool for one last loose swim before I head to the airport. #GettingExcited
— Andrew Poznikoff (@PozzSwim) December 7, 2012
Missy Franklin, of course, wished everyone luck:
Best of luck to all my teammates and friends heading to Turkey for World Championships! I'll miss you but can't wait to watch and cheer!
— Missy Franklin (@FranklinMissy) December 7, 2012
But the best set of Tweets for the morning went to Ryan Lochte, who initially complained about spending an entire day on the plane…then in a twist of fate, realized that wouldn't be the case due to a cancelled flight!
#TGIF but its going to suck when i have to be on a plane most of the day! #notcool
— Ryan Lochte (@ryanlochte) December 7, 2012
Just my luck! My flight to Newark got cancelled where I am supposed to meet the rest of #TeamUSA to head to Turkey. Everything is booked:(
— Ryan Lochte (@ryanlochte) December 7, 2012
From Swimming World Magazine, we wish everyone safe travels and fast times!