Hoff Picks Up Second Olympic Slot, Outsprints Beard to Win the 200 IM

By John Lohn

LONG BEACH, Calif., July 10. THE little girl just keeps on going. Katie Hoff, three days removed from an Olympic-qualifying swim in the 400 individual medley, added a victory in the 200 I.M., edging Amanda Beard in a much-anticipated showdown.

A 15-year-old from the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, Hoff was timed in 2:12.06, slightly ahead of Beard, who hit the wall in 2:12.43. Hoff just missed the American record in the event, a 2:11.91, set by Summer Sanders in 1992.

Although Beard cut into Hoff's lead during the breaststroke leg, she was unable to catch the youngster down the stretch, as Hoff built a solid cushion with quality butterfly and backstroke legs. Hoff also turned in a faster split during the freestyle leg. Both Hoff and Beard are medal contenders in Athens.

"I didn't expect to win, just to make the team," Hoff said. "I was trying to give (Beard) a good race. It could have gone either way."

Maggie Bowen, who was third in the 200 I.M. during the 2000 Trials, took third place again, with a time of 2:14.51. Kristen Caverly finished fourth (2:14.52), followed by Caroline Bruce (2:15.17), Bethany Pendleton (2:15.67), Whitney Myers (2:15.95) and Julia Smit (2:16.31).

USA Swimming-National Meets
2004 U. S. Olympic Team Trials – 7/7/2004 to 7/14/2004

Event 13 Women 200 LC Meter IM
==================================================================
World: W 2:09.72 10/17/1997Yanyan Wu, CHN
American: A 2:11.91 7/30/1992 Summer Sanders, USA
U.S. Open: O 2:12.02 7/9/2004 Amanda Beard, Tuscon Ford
Meet: M 2:12.02 7/9/2004 Amanda Beard, Tuscon Ford
Oly. Tr. Cut: 2:20.49
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===

1 Hoff, Katie 15 North Baltimore 2:12.55 2:12.06
28.56 1:02.48 (33.92)
1:40.72 (38.24) 2:12.06 (31.34)
2 Beard, Amanda 22 Tucson Ford Deal 2:12.02 2:12.43
29.00 1:03.28 (34.28)
1:40.84 (37.56) 2:12.43 (31.59)
3 Bowen, Maggie 24 Auburn Aquatics/ 2:14.90 2:14.51
29.71 1:03.68 (33.97)
1:41.98 (38.30) 2:14.51 (32.53)
4 Caverly, Kristen 19 Aquazot Swim Clu 2:15.73 2:14.52
29.76 1:03.77 (34.01)
1:42.17 (38.40) 2:14.52 (32.35)
5 Bruce, Caroline 18 Wichita Swim Clu 2:15.35 2:15.17
30.41 1:04.78 (34.37)
1:43.18 (38.40) 2:15.17 (31.99)
6 Pendleton, Bethany 22 Wisconsin Aquati 2:15.98 2:15.67
28.91 1:02.45 (33.54)
1:43.72 (41.27) 2:15.67 (31.95)
7 Myers, Whitney 19 Tucson Ford Deal 2:14.69 2:15.95
29.49 1:03.49 (34.00)
1:43.76 (40.27) 2:15.95 (32.19)
8 Smit, Julia 16 Three Village Sw 2:16.33 2:16.31
29.80 1:03.76 (33.96)
1:44.33 (40.57) 2:16.31 (31.98)

=== Semi-Finals ===

9 Yevak, Katie 21 Athens Bulldog S 2:16.48
10 Kukors, Ariana 15 King 2:16.57
11 McCann, Kathleen 20 Magnus Aquatic G 2:16.77
12 Ohlgren, Ava 16 Bulldog Aquatic 2:17.25
13 Forster, Jennifer 16 Wtrc Sharks 2:17.49
14 Ellis, Jaime 22 The Woodlands Sw 2:18.16
15 Breeden, Elaine 15 Wildcat Aquatics 2:19.47
16 Tomes, Megan 18 Unattached 2:20.20

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