For one local swimmer,  her lifelong goal of making it to the Olympic Games comes down to a solid performance at next week’s Olympic Swimming Trials.

    For Highland High School alumni and current University of Wisconsin senior Hannah Ross, next week’s trials in Omaha, Neb., cap off an intense year of training to prepare for the trials.

    Ross transferred to Wisconsin from the University of Arizona last summer and, due to NCAA transfer rules, was forced to redshirt during the college season. The redshirt allowed her to channel all her energy into qualifying for the trials.

    “It has always been a goal of mine to compete in the Olympics,” Ross said. “I have been swimming since I was six and I am now 22 and this will be my first time at the trials, so it is definitely a little nerve wracking.”

    Ross will compete in the 100 and 200m backstroke at the trials. She currently has the 21st fastest time in the country in the 200m at 2:13.

    To qualify for the trials, Ross had to reach certain cut times at meets throughout the past year, most recently Ross finished second in the 200m backstroke at the Omaha Swimvitational on June 11.

    Ross recorded a time of 2:17.33, finishing just .28 behind first place.

    To reach the Olympics, Ross must finish in the top two of her events. While that task is admittedly daunting with the best swimmers in the country all vying for spots in the games, Ross is hoping to go out and make a good time.

    “I am going to go out and treat it like any other meet,” Ross said. “My expectations are to go out and get my very best time. But I am going to have to keep myself calm and swim my best.”

    If Ross is able to qualify for next month’s Olympics, she expects her parents to make the trip to London to see her swim.

    “My parents have been very supportive of me,” Ross said. “They have followed me all over the place for meets and I know anytime I need something they are just a phone call away.

    While the past year has been focused on the Olympic trials for Ross, when she returns to Wisconsin for the college swimming season next fall she will be the captain of the swim team for her senior season.

    “I nominated myself,” Ross said. “I think that it is great that the team thought I had the leadership skills and the abilities to take this team to where I think it should go.”

    While the Olympic trials begin Monday, Ross takes the pool for the first time on Tuesday. She swims again on Wednesday and Friday.

    Fans can follow the action at usaswimming.org for live webcasts for all but the fastest preliminaries. NBC Sports Network and NBC will be broadcasting the trials each night beginning at 4:30 p.m. The finals will air at 7 p.m. each night on NBC.