U.S. World Champs Trials, Day 3 Finals: Georgia Peaches – Joyce and Weir – Top Field in 50 Freestyle

By John Lohn
Photos by Peter Bick

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 3. TWO weeks ago, they combined their efforts to lead Georgia to the NCAA team title. Sunday night, Kara Lynn Joyce and Amanda Weir dominated the field in the 50 freestyle.

The top qualifiers from the morning preliminaries, Joyce and Weir held their positions during the championship final and punched tickets for July's World Champs. Their efforts also bode well for the 100 free and U.S. relay hopes.

America's top sprinter, Joyce had little trouble pulling away from the competition and hit the wall in 25.17. While the effort was off her 25.00 swim from the Olympics, the performance was solid considering the amount of action Joyce has seen in the last month.

In claiming the second slot, Weir touched the wall a fraction ahead of Sarah Wanezek, going 25.52 to a 25.53 of Wanezek. Maritza Correia touched in fourth place (25.84) and Lacey Nymeyer was fifth in 25.88.

“I think that’s the first time since the NCAAs that I’ve seen Kara Lynn that relaxed,” said Jack Bauerle, the Georgia coach and the head man of the U.S. women for World Champs. “(Joyce and Weir) could have been a little faster off the blocks, but they kept their wits about them and had a good finish. They both had pretty fast times, and we're thankful they’re on the team, but we can be a little faster, and we need to be (faster) the way the Aussie girls are racing right now. The way they raced tonight, I couldn’t be prouder. Those two are good for each other.”

Event 14 Women 50 LC Meter Freestyle
==================================================================
World: W 24.13 9/22/2000 Inge de Bruijn, NED
American: A 24.63 9/23/2000 Dara Torres, USA
U.S. Open: O 24.50 7/23/2000 Inge de Bruijn, NED
Oly Trials08: T 26.39
Meet Cut: 26.79
Name Age Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== A – Final ===

1 Joyce, Kara Lyn 19 Athens Bulldog S 25.37 25.17T 935
r:+0.72
2 Weir, Amanda 19 Swim Atlanta/UGA 25.88 25.52T 897
r:+0.73
3 Wanezek, Sarah 22 U. of Texas/Long 25.90 25.53T 896
r:+0.72
4 Correia, Maritz 23 Athens Bulldog S 26.01 25.84T 864
r:+0.76
5 Nymeyer, Lacey 19 Unattached/U of 26.02 25.88T 860
r:+0.81
6 King, Michele 16 North Baltimore 26.14 25.97T 851
r:+0.63
7 Botek, Anne 17 Eagle Swim Team 26.02 26.13T 835
r:+0.70
7 Boncher, Brooke 21 Unattached/U of 26.02 26.13T 835
r:+0.67

=== B – Final ===

9 Napier, Stephan 16 Baylor Swim Club 26.49 26.16T 833
r:+0.64
10 Vollmer, Dana 17 Fort Worth Area 26.44 26.19T 830
r:+0.78
11 Bishop, Brooke 18 Stanford Univ. 26.44 26.29T 820
r:+0.72
12 Hupman, Andrea 19 Northwestern Uni 26.46 26.39T 811
r:+0.71
13 Jamison, Tanica 23 Longhorn Aquatic 26.53 26.52 799
r:+0.64
14 Rovira, Madelin 18 RallySport Aquat 26.44 26.55 796
r:+0.67
15 Dwelley, Kate 16 Terrapins Swim T 26.53 26.61 791
r:+0.80
16 Vavrek, Jacquel 19 U of Wisconsin 26.31 26.71 782
r:+0.77

=== C – Final ===

17 Silver, Emily 19 California Aquat 26.63 25.96T 852
r:+0.73
18 Jeffrey, Rhiann 18 Unattached 26.62 26.22T 827
r:+0.80
19 Smith, Marshi 20 Unattached/U of 26.69 26.28T 821
r:+0.73
20 Georoff, Andrea 21 Athens Bulldog S 26.56 26.33T 817
r:+0.70
21 Kemp, Elizabeth 16 Curl-Burke Swim 26.63 26.41 809
r:+0.71
22 Butts, Eliza 16 New England Barr 26.68 26.50 801
r:+0.69
23 Blackman, Canda 19 Southern Methodi 26.59 26.54 797
r:+0.68
24 Darling, Leane 19 Southern Methodi 26.61 26.65 787
r:+0.72

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