A&M says "my b" to "handful" swimmers whose Olympic dreams may have been crushed when their times at the the Texas Senior Circuit meet held at the REC Natatorium where called into to questions. Apparently "the course was three centimeters too short – measuring 49.97 meters instead of 50" (something about tightening ropes, shifting lanes, bla bla). Course lengths are "confirmed before major meets", but "it's not always standard to measure first". How do you "confirm before" with out "measuring first"?

Some of our own were among the "handful" getting the shaft...

Aggies swimmer Christine Marshall swam an Olympic Trials cut in the 400-meter freestyle. At least she might have recourse.

Alia Akinson, an A&M swimmer and Jamaica native, would have qualified for her country's Olympics team in the 100-meter breaststroke. Alejandro Jacobo, a male A&M swimmer, swam a time in the 200-meter breaststroke that would have given him a good chance to qualify for the Mexican team.

The international swimmers may have no recourse through FINA, the sport's governing body.