SANFORD — Jenni Roberts wasn’t afraid to admit she was a little awestruck when she thought about the athletes she might bump into on the pool deck at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials last week at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb.

After all, it isn’t everyday a swimmer gets the opportunity to splash around with some of the country’s top swimmers.

“Every swimmer’s goal growing up and through high school is to make it to the Olympic Trials,” Roberts said from Omaha on last Friday afternoon. “It’s an opportunity to be surrounded by elite swimmers and you are considered one of them. It’s neat because if you are warming up you might have Michael Phelps in your lane. That’s pretty cool and it’s definitely something to work hard for.”

Roberts, who received a high-five from Phelps on Thursday night after he went into the stands to celebrate his 200 Butterfly victory with his mother, participated in the Trials in the Women’s 200 Individual Medley on Wednesday and the Women’s 200 Butterfly on Thursday. She finished 82nd in the IM in a time of 2:12.12 and 75th in the Butterfly with a time of 2:17.65.

“I didn’t do as well as I was hoping to but I am still happy with it,” said Roberts, who qualified for the trials with times set last summer. “It’s just great to be here. There are so many great swimmers and it’s just such an exciting meet.”

While the results weren’t exactly what she was hoping for, Roberts said the experience salvaged something from what turned out to be a disappointing season. The 20 year-old Sanford native recently transferred to the University of New Hampshire after Maryland announced in November that it was cutting its men’s and women’s swimming programs for financial reasons.

“Being at this event really reenergizes me,” said Roberts. “I saw people who are 24 or 25 (years old) that are going to the Olympics so it definitely makes me think that I haven’t peaked yet and I’m still getting faster and stronger. I just need to keep working hard and having fun and my future goals will come true.”

Roberts, a Sanford High School graduate who was the Maine State Female Athlete-of-the-Year in 2010, will continue training in preparation for a meet at Harvard at the end of July. After that, she might spend a little time away from the pool before heading to the University of New Hampshire for what she said she hopes will be a successful move into her new surroundings.

“I talked to a lot of different coaches and I realized that after this year I wanted to be close to home,” Roberts said of her decision to attend the University of New Hampshire. “I really like their coaches and I knew a few girls on their team that I trained with last summer.

“I felt like I would fit in there and it was going to be an easy transition. I know they work hard, want to do well and swim fast. That’s exactly what I want.”