Dream chasing has made Omar's life hectic, to say the least.

He spends most weekends flying back and forth across the country attending water polo practice in California. And every trip home, the pressure is on to win back his spot on the U.S. National Team, which is in constant jeopardy now that he's not there to defend it. During the week he's busy keeping up with Harvard Medical School demands, which are comparable to a full time job, consuming eight hours a day, every day. Oh yes, he also coaches the Harvard Men's Water Polo Team, which, by the way, proved to be the most successful team in Harvard history last year. And that, he says, is what he does during his free time.

So, how did this successful and productive 28-year-old get started? By almost flunking out of high school, of course.

"I had to pull a few tricks in order to graduate from high school," Omar says.

He was a slacker, without much focus, who had little direction in his life. This all changed when he discovered the sport of water polo from his dad who once played for the Egyptian National Team. Now, it's as if Omar uses this slight failure in high school as his motivation to conquer every goal he sets today. Omar admits he is somewhat of an overachiever; for him, second doesn't cut it. So when he was cut, literally at the last moment, from the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team, he fully devoted himself to everything so he'd never have to feel that disappointment again.

During his college years, Omar was selected three times to the first All-American and All-Academic Teams and was also named as the Big West Scholar Athlete of the Year and to the GTE All-Academic Team following the 1996-97 seasons. His success didn't end in college, however. At the 1999 Pan American Games in Canada, Omar was a member of the first-place U.S. Team.

Water polo taught Omar discipline. And discipline has taught him not to settle for being good at only one thing, but to go above and beyond and to apply that discipline to every part of life. Only then will he consider himself successful. It seems like a lot to live up to; Omar says it is. He is constantly trying to be ahead of the game. Not only with water polo, but the game of life. His grades are top notch at Harvard Medical School, he brought the school the best water polo team in its history and he travels every weekend for practices.

Most athletes give up outside activities in order to allow complete focus on their sport, feeling absolute dedication will better enable their chances of making the Olympic Team. Omar, in contrast, piles more onto his plate than one could normally undertake in a lifetime. And he keeps going, and striving, and conquering. He has the trophies and has proven himself as an elite player, but his thirst will not be quenched until he's on his way to Athens in 2004. And this is what makes him "Up Next" in the world of water polo.