Youve got to race it like any other race and thats hard. I think

OMAHA, Neb. -- So much for a double take.The Litherlands left everyone seeing triple at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials.Jay, Kevin and Mick are 20-year-old triplets who competed in Omaha over the past week. While Jay was the only one to earn a spot in Rio, theyll all be there in spirit.All for one, Jay said.The Litherlands produced one of the most indelible moments at the trials when Jay rallied on the freestyle leg of the 400-meter individual medley to stunningly pass defending Olympic champion Ryan Lochte for the second spot on the team behind winner Chase Kalisz.As soon as they saw the 2 beside their brothers name, Kevin and Mick hopped over a railing at the CenturyLink Center to congratulate him. Jay popped out of the water, the three of them embracing on the deck, before Jay jumped back into the pool, unsure if he was breaking some sort of rule.No worries there.Hes headed to the Olympics.Once I saw them, I just started crying, Jay recalled at the end of the trials. It was amazing to share that experience with them.Jay will be able to go home to Georgia for a few days, and then he hits the road again with the U.S Olympic team for its training camps in San Antonio and Atlanta.He will likely be away from his brothers for at least a month, longer than theyve ever been apart.Its always kind of different when Im not with my brothers at a meet, Jay said, a bit of trepidation in his voice.The triplets were born in Japan. Their mother, Chizuko, is from that country, while their father, Andrew, is a chef from New Zealand. The family settled in the United States when the boys were about 3 years old, and theyre now citizens of all three countries.While impossible for many to tell apart on dry land, Jay has clearly pulled ahead of his brothers in the pool. He was the first to earn a spot on the U.S. national team, which meant that was the only country he could swim for at the Olympics.Mick and Kevin couldve competed for either Japan or New Zealand. Their fathers country was the best hope, but the brothers werent quite fast enough to be selected for the New Zealand team.They were still able compete at the U.S. trials with their brother, but Jay was the only one with a legitimate shot to make the worlds most powerful swimming team.In addition to his stunner in the 400 individual medley, he also qualified for the final of the 200 IM and finished fifth. He was competitive in the 200 backstroke, as well, but withdrew from that event after the prelims to put his focus solely on the 200 IM.Kevin nearly qualified for the final of the 400 freestyle, missing the eighth spot by a mere 0.17 seconds. Mick was disqualified in the prelims of the 100 butterfly for a false start, and he was eliminated in the semifinals of the 200 fly.For Kevin and Mick, Jays success has provided plenty of motivation.Yeah, theres definitely a little jealousy, Kevin said. But thats only going to make us stronger.When the Litherlands are in the pool, their coaches can easily tell them apart since they specialize in different events. Out of the water, the brothers have some subtle differences as well.Mick is the father figure, the one who got his drivers license more than a year ahead of his brothers and often served as their chauffeur. Kevin is the straightforward one, the guy who always says exactly whats on his mind. Jay is considered the most free-spirited of the bunch, always going along for the ride.That may have something to do with how they entered the world. Kevin was born first, followed by Mick and Jay. Kevin and Mick are identical, while Jay is fraternal.Its weird how similar people think they look when they first see them, said Gunnar Bentz, a good friend and fellow Georgia swimmer who also made the Olympic team. But after like six months of knowing them, you really start to be able to tell. Their bodies are all a little bit different, their faces are all slightly different.Not that most people can tell.In high school, they tried to use that to their advantage.We actually got DQed from a meet because of that, Jay said with a sheepish grin. I think Mick was sick or something and he couldnt go, so I tried to swim his events. But they found out.At the University of Georgia, where all three are pursuing business degrees while competing for the schools powerful swimming program, Mick and Kevin are roommates, while Jay rooms separately with Bentz.But the triplets are never far apart.Im always over there, Jay conceded.Thats not surprise. Even after their family moved to a bigger house, one that had enough bedrooms for each of them to have their own, the brothers continued to room together until they were 16. They never wanted to spend too much time apart.Theyre best friends, said Andrew Litherland, their father. Theyre so lucky to have each other. To get up in the morning and say, `Hey, get out of bed, lets go. Or say, `Hey, weve got to get to bed early, weve practice in the morning.The triplets seriously considered going to different colleges, wondering if it was time to branch out on their own.In the end, they all wound up at Georgia.They committed one at a time, remembered their college coach, Jack Bauerle, with a 15-minute break in between.Kevin and Mick want to be in Rio with their brother, but they arent sure if theyll be able to go. Tickets and hotel rooms are hard to come by, and theyd have to miss a significant amount of class time heading into their junior years at Georgia.Besides, they plan on competing together at the Tokyo Olympics four years from now.All for one, you know.This is only the beginning, Jay said. Im looking forward to going with them in 2020.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry . 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The deal is pending a physical, assistant general manager Bobby Evans said. Traded from Seattle to Baltimore on Aug. 30, Morse also can play first base and right field to give manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility in writing his lineup. While much of the racing community is focused on James Hinchcliffes participation on Dancing With The Stars, the small matter of the Verizon IndyCar Series championship will be decided this weekend at Sonoma Raceway.Simon Pagenaud arrives in California wine country with a comfortable 43-point advantage over his Penske Racing teammate Will Power. But the Frenchman will need to perform at his best because Power is the acknowledged master of the undulating road course that is serving as the venue for the IndyCar Series season finale for the second year in a row.Power is a three-time winner at Sonoma and has started from pole position in five of the past six IndyCar races there. Excluding bonus points for pole and laps led, if Power wins Sunday, Pagenaud can clinch his first IndyCar crown with a sixth-place finish.Thats why Power is determined to dominate at one of his favorite tracks in the hopes of adding a second title to the one he won in 2014.Im very relaxed, but I have to say Ive definitely done my homework on how to execute this weekend, Power said from his home in North Carolina. Im looking forward to it.Ive got to expect that Simon is going to have a really good weekend, and that means that Ive got to start on the pole and win the race, he continued. Its pretty obvious what Ive got to do. I cant be conservative in any way -- I really need to make it happen, and I know if I win it gives me the best chance.Just being in championship contention is an unexpected bonus for Power, who missed the season opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg when a severe sinus infection created concussion-like symptoms that prevented him from competing.Pagenaud finished second and led the most laps at St. Pete, scoring 43 points -- the exact cushion he enjoys 14 races later. Actually, his edge coming out of St. Pete was 43-1, because Power had earned the point for the pole before being sidelined by INDYCAR medical staff.Power claims he has put that all behind him.You have to put that out of your mind, he said. Thats just the way it is. Not running at St. Pete was a pity because its a pretty straightforward race, I was starting on pole and Im pretty good around that joint. So there were probably some pretty good points on the table. Even if Id started and parked it I would have gotten 10 or 12 points, and maybe another if I led a lap from pole.But honestly, I havent thought about that all year and I havent regretted it, he noted. Ive just been kind of going with it. For me, it was surprisingly a really good year. After St. Pete, Id have never said that I would win four races. Hell, before St. Pete, I was wondering how I was even going to survive the season!Instead, Power went on a tear starting in June, winning four races and adding a series of seconds. After his triumph at Pocono Raceway on Aug. 21, Power closed to within 20 points of Pagenaud, only to see the gap more than double when he crashed out at Watkins Glen.Still, with double points on the line (100 vs. 50 for a win, etc.), Powers title hopes are still very realistic. And no matter whether Power or Pagenaud prevails, team owner Roger Penske is guaranteed his 14th Indy car championship crown.After Pocono, for sure I thought, This is really possible now, Power said. Even when I was 117 points out or whatever, I never thought it was over or said I was out of the championship. Watkins Glen obviously made iit a little harder but I still have a shot, and a pretty good one.dddddddddddd After St. Pete, [Penske Racing president] Tim Cindric said double points can be your friend, so well see if hes dead-on right.It would be great. Any championship is fantastic, but winning one for Rogers 50th year would be awesome on so many levels. Just phenomenal.In some respects, the greatest pressure is on Pagenaud, who has never finished higher than third in the IndyCar Series standings.The Frenchman has matched Powers total of four race wins this year and is in excellent position to secure the title. But thanks to the double points on offer, he must still be wary.Last year, Scott Dixon won and made up a 34-point deficit at Sonoma to steal the title from Penskes Juan Pablo Montoya.This is our big season finale and Im very excited to get to battle it out on the track, Pagenaud said. The job is a little different than usual, as we are only fighting Will Power.Our season has been incredible, he added. I am so proud of my team and what we have already accomplished with six poles and four wins. Now we want the championship, and may the best man win.Theres still a strong battle for third in the standings, with Helio Castroneves and Dixon tied and Josef Newgarden just five points behind them. Tony Kanaan is within striking distance of securing the third and final spot on the championship podium, and Graham Rahal and Carlos Munoz still have a remote shot.Castroneves is trying to complete Team Penskes first 1-2-3 since Al Unser Jr., Emerson Fittipaldi and Paul Tracy swept the top three spots in the 1994 CART-sanctioned Indy car championship. Four-time IndyCar champion Dixon, meanwhile, is trying to preserve a streak of top-three championship finishes that dates to 2007.At this point, were going to do everything we can to finish 1-2-3 in this championship, Castroneves said.Although Dixon is out of the championship hunt, hes eager to watch the showdown between the Penske drivers -- hopefully in his rearview mirrors.Both of them have just got to go for it, Dixon said. Youve got to race it like any other race and thats hard. I think all of us fall victim to falling into a championship battle and racing for a championship as opposed to just doing what we need to do.Its definitely a very emotional ride going into it, and Will has been in a lot more battles for the championship than Simon has, he added. Well have to see how that team handles it. I think Roger will be very happy that the championship lies with that team and they can fight it out. Hes going to be a happy man either way.Newgarden, the young American star whom many observers predict will join Team Penske in 2017, could play the spoiler in what may be his last race for Ed Carpenter Racing.Like Power, Newgarden essentially missed a race after crashing out at Texas prior to the rainout. Third place in the championship would be a worthy achievement for the 25-year-old.?As far as whats going to happen at the front, I dont know, Newgarden said. I think theres a lot of pressure for sure on Will and Simon, and thats going to be up to them how they manage that. And really for guys like Tony, Scott, Helio or me, its kind of a battle to be best of the rest.I think youre going to see a great race. ' ' '