By Phillip Whitten IRVINE, California, August 7. IN the final event of the 2005 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships, Tucson Ford Aquatics won a tight, four-way battle for the men’s

By Phillip Whitten IRVINE, California, August 7. PALO Alto Stanford Aquatics notched a convincing victory in the final women’s event of the Nationals, a 4:10.00 effort in the 400-meter medley

By Phillip Whitten IRVINE, California, August 7. LORDY, Lordy, Lordy. Just when it seems indisputable that Roland Schoeman is the world’s greatest sprinter, along comes some kid from Stanford to

By Phillip Whitten IRVINE, Calif., August 7. THE way she’s been swimming it seemed it would take a miracle to keep Amanda Weir from winning her second national title. Earlier

By Phillip Whitten IRVINE, Calif., August 7. MOST fans at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center in Irvine conceded the men’s 500 meters to veteran Robert Margalis. After all, Margalis

By Phillip Whitten IRVINE, California, August 7. THERE’S a good reason why 17 year-old Kate Ziegler won gold at the FINA World Championships in Montreal last month. That reason was

By Phillip Whitten IRVINE, California, August 7. UNIVERSIY of Wisconsin grad Tim Liebhold had never finished higher than fifth in the 200 IM at the US Nationals. Until tonight. This

By Phillip Whitten IRVINE, California, August 7. ANOTHER day, another race, same result. Two days ago, 16 year-old Ariana Kukors won her second USA Swimming national title with a solid

By Phillip Whitten IRVINE, Calif., August 7. THE final of the women’s 200 IM tonight likely will provide a glimpse into the future of American swimming. Women’s 200-meter Individual Medley