Bulgaria Native Is Eager for Test

Mike Alexandrov finished 11th in the 100-meter breaststroke at the Beijing Games while competing for Bulgaria. Photo from Omaha World Herald

From The Omaha World Herald

By Rich Kaipust

Michael Alexandrov had a nice little deal going.

Since coming to the United States, he always had the chance to test himself against American swimmers, including his four-year college career at Northwestern.

And by remaining a Bulgarian citizen, he was able to return and swim for his homeland in Summer Olympic years — as he did in both 2004 and '08 — and not have to worry much about qualifying.

Alexandrov could have kept the same arrangement and bolstered his chances of being in London in 2012. He instead decided nearly three years ago that what might be the simplest route isn't necessarily the best one.

"Taking the easy way out probably wouldn't have pushed me as hard to train and give me all the motivation I needed to swim at the top level," Alexandrov said. "It's toward the last quarter of my career, and it's all-or-nothing at this point. When there's more competition, you perform better."

Although he has held dual citizenship since 2006, Alexandrov spent the 12 months after the 2008 Summer Games completing the process of making his "sports citizenship" exclusive to the U.S.

That is relevant as a Thursday press conference is scheduled to promote the start of ticket sales Saturday for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. The meet 12 months from now at Qwest Center Omaha is where Alexandrov will have to perform to make his first U.S. Olympic team.

And it goes without saying that making the U.S. team will be significantly tougher than making the Bulgarian team.

"It's absolutely incomparable," Alexandrov said. "Like comparing a college dual meet to the world championships. It's a different ballgame."

Part of his change in "sports citizenship" called for Alexandrov to sit out a year of international competition. He missed the world championships in July 2009, his first absence from that meet since 2003.

But Alexandrov still found regular competition, eventually moved out to Los Angeles to train with Dave Salo and his stable of breaststroke specialists and feels ready to launch his run toward Omaha.

Because he'll be 27 next June, Alexandrov knows it might be his only chance.

"I'm just going to give it my best shot," he said. "No regrets."

Alexandrov moved to the United States with his parents in 1994, when he was 9 and went by Mikhail Aleksandrov. The native of Sofia started swimming for Bulgaria in 2002, and his father was a 1980 Olympian who had held the country's breaststroke records until Michael started taking them down.

Doing what he decided to do — and costing Bulgaria one of its top athletes — Alexandrov knew there would be some reaction two years ago to his decision. His grandfather still lives in Bulgaria, his family owns property there and he stays in touch with some old friends and teammates.

"Some people weren't happy about it," he said. "Some people didn't care. People are entitled to their opinion.

"But after a while, I was living here, becoming a citizen, not living in Bulgaria anymore, and it seemed there was no point in swimming for Bulgaria anymore."

Alexandrov was training in Europe in 2008 but watching the U.S. Olympic Trials times and results from afar. He went on to finish 11th in the 100 breaststroke at the Beijing Games, but he understands his path to London in 2012 will mean first getting by some of the world's best in Omaha.

"I know who's going to be there, and they know I'm going to be there," Alexandrov said. "Next year, the times are going to be just ridiculous."

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