U.S. swimmer Hardy says positive test is nightmare

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. swimmer Jessica Hardy on Friday protested her innocence over a positive doping test threatening to derail her Olympics and said she was living a nightmare.

"It's heartbreaking and devastating," the 21-year-old told CBS TV's The Early Show. "It's literally a nightmare.

"In my heart I know I'm 100 percent clean and I've never done anything different my whole career. I've been clean my whole career and to have this huge setback ... it's just really heartbreaking."

Hardy's attorney, Howard Jacobs, said on Thursday that the swimmer had tested positive for the stimulant clenbuterol after her second doping test at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials earlier this month.

Her first and third doping tests that same week both came back negative.

Hardy said she was bewildered by the test result. "I have my attorneys and my experts looking into it, but honestly we have no idea how this positive test happened," she said.

The swimmer, who qualified to compete in the 100 meters breaststroke and 50 freestyle, said she was awoken with the news on Monday at the U.S. training camp in Palo Alto, California.

"I was actually napping when I got the phone call," said Hardy, who set world records in the 50- and 100-metres breaststroke at the 2008 Short Course world championships.

"USADA, the U.S Anti-Doping Agency, called and said that I tested positive and I had never even heard of this drug before.

"I was taking notes right when she called, to write down my information and everything and I spelled the drug name wrong even, and complete shock. I was devastated.

"Called my parents, had my parents call an attorney. Just took the next steps. But most of it was just dealing with the shock and really just having emotions."

Hardy said she still held out hope she could clear herself in time to compete in the Beijing Games, which start on August 8.

"We're going to have a hearing before the start of the Olympic Games, and as soon as possible to try to make sure that I can compete, because I know that I'm innocent and we just have to prove this."

(Editing by Sonia Oxley)