How Do You Spell “200-meter Breaststroke”? A-M-A-N-D-A; Beard Dominates prelims

By Phillip Whitten

LONG BEACH, Calif., July 11. AS the old saying goes, “What a difference a quadrennium makes.”

Four years ago, Amanda Beard showed up in Indy, a long shot at best. In 1996, at 14, she had won a gold and two silver medals. But in 2000, adjusting her stroke to her maturing body, she was beginning a comeback. The long shot paid off, as she placed second in 2:26 behind Kristy Kowal. A month later she went on to win bronze (.01 second ahead of China’s Qi Hui) in Sydney, as teammate Kowal took silver.

But, oh, what a difference a quadrennium makes.

Today, a mature, confident Amanda Beard, perhaps inspired by news that Leisel Jones had broken her (and Qi’s) world record, glided to a US Trials record of 2:24.56 to qualify five-and-a-half seconds ahead of her nearest pursuer, Staci Stitts. Amanda took only 15, 17, 17 and 18 strokes as she split 1:10.72 – 1:13.84.

The battle in this event clearly will be for second. Stitts looked good in clocking 2:29.96, second fastest. She was followed by Kowal (2:30.16) and Tara Kirk (2:30.35).

The surprise fifth qualifier was IMer Katie Hoff, who clocked a pr 2:30.59 while churning out 28 strokes per lap… Megan Quann qualified seventh (2:30.86).

Unheralded Jessica Botzum, 18, improved over two seconds and won the third heat from lane one in 2:33.03. Seeded 40th, she qualified 12th for the semis.

RESULTS

Event 19 Women 200 LC Meter Breaststroke
==================================================================
World: W 2:22.96 7/9/2004 Leisel Jones, AUIS
American: A 2:22.99 7/25/2003 Amanda Beard, USA
U.S. Open: O 2:24.51 7/17/1999 Penny Heyns, RSA
Meet: M 2:24.75 8/14/2000 Kristy Kowal, Athens Bulldogs
Oly. Tr. Cut: 2:35.99
Name Age Team Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Prelims ===

1 Beard, Amanda 22 Tucson Ford Deal 2:22.99 2:24.56M
33.62 1:10.72 (37.10)
1:47.79 (37.07) 2:24.56 (36.77)
2 Stitts, Staciana 22 Irvine Novaquati 2:29.79 2:29.96
33.66 1:11.27 (37.61)
1:50.23 (38.96) 2:29.96 (39.73)
3 Kowal, Kristy 25 Athens Bulldog S 2:25.84 2:30.16
34.19 1:12.55 (38.36)
1:51.50 (38.95) 2:30.16 (38.66)
4 Kirk, Tara 21 Palo Alto Stanfo 2:26.36 2:30.35
33.79 1:11.23 (37.44)
1:49.93 (38.70) 2:30.35 (40.42)
5 Hoff, Katie 15 North Baltimore 2:31.76 2:30.59
34.46 1:12.34 (37.88)
1:51.26 (38.92) 2:30.59 (39.33)
6 Sieper, Erin 20 Tucson Ford Deal 2:31.30 2:30.63
34.33 1:12.58 (38.25)
1:51.94 (39.36) 2:30.63 (38.69)
7 Quann, Megan 20 South Sound Tita 2:27.42 2:30.86
33.41 1:11.58 (38.17)
1:50.79 (39.21) 2:30.86 (40.07)
8 Caverly, Kristen 19 Aquazot Swim Clu 2:29.30 2:31.04
34.55 1:12.74 (38.19)
1:52.04 (39.30) 2:31.04 (39.00)
—————————————————————–
9 Bruce, Caroline 18 Wichita Swim Clu 2:27.88 2:31.23
34.35 1:12.87 (38.52)
1:51.84 (38.97) 2:31.23 (39.39)
10 Spann, Lexi 17 Longhorn Aquatic 2:29.76 2:31.78
34.72 1:13.14 (38.42)
1:52.36 (39.22) 2:31.78 (39.42)
11 Soni, Rebecca 17 Scarlet Aquatic 2:29.08 2:32.08
34.57 1:12.92 (38.35)
1:52.54 (39.62) 2:32.08 (39.54)
12 Botzum, Jessica 18 YMCA of the Tria 2:35.21 2:33.03
34.86 1:13.16 (38.30)
1:51.79 (38.63) 2:33.03 (41.24)
13 Sarnecki, Amalia 20 Wisconsin Aquati 2:35.57 2:33.54
34.65 1:13.23 (38.58)
1:53.11 (39.88) 2:33.54 (40.43)
14 Ertter, Lindsey 21 Athens Bulldog S 2:32.46 2:33.77
34.92 1:13.46 (38.54)
1:52.87 (39.41) 2:33.77 (40.90)
15 Tinnon, Elizabeth 19 Lakeside Swim Te 2:31.46 2:33.99
34.62 1:13.57 (38.95)
1:53.69 (40.12) 2:33.99 (40.30)
16 Stein, Kelli 22 Univ. Of Michiga 2:33.85 2:34.06
35.43 1:14.32 (38.89)
1:54.35 (40.03) 2:34.06 (39.71)
—————————————————————–
17 Pangilinan, Jaclyn 18 White Plains Ywc 2:34.48 2:34.25
34.76 1:13.06 (38.30)
1:53.23 (40.17) 2:34.25 (41.02)
18 Andrade, Lisa 24 Canyons Aquatic/ 2:34.87 2:34.33
33.90 1:13.41 (39.51)
1:53.27 (39.86) 2:34.33 (41.06)
—————————————————————–
19 Klein, Melissa 19 Dynamo Swim Club 2:31.62 2:34.57
35.55 1:14.91 (39.36)
1:54.19 (39.28) 2:34.57 (40.38)
20 Hehn, Keri 23 Minnesota Aquati 2:32.06 2:34.73
34.29 1:13.00 (38.71)
1:52.53 (39.53) 2:34.73 (42.20)
21 Jensen, Alicia 17 Team Foxjet 2:34.66 2:34.94
35.95 1:14.76 (38.81)
1:54.55 (39.79) 2:34.94 (40.39)
22 Roby, Ashley 23 Athens Bulldog S 2:30.95 2:35.13
33.63 1:12.04 (38.41)
1:52.23 (40.19) 2:35.13 (42.90)
23 Degolia, Hailey 17 Pleasanton Sea H 2:33.55 2:35.57
34.95 1:14.79 (39.84)
1:54.67 (39.88) 2:35.57 (40.90)
24 Shortt, Caitlyn 18 Mt Hood Swim Tea 2:35.95 2:35.61
35.19 1:14.36 (39.17)
1:54.72 (40.36) 2:35.61 (40.89)
25 Schmitt, Jessica 13 North Coast Aqua 2:34.65 2:35.70
36.02 1:15.21 (39.19)
1:55.44 (40.23) 2:35.70 (40.26)
26 Rinaldi, Jenna 18 Marlins of Ralei 2:35.91 2:35.73
35.78 1:15.31 (39.53)
1:55.27 (39.96) 2:35.73 (40.46)
27 Clark, Corrie 22 Suburban Swim Ce 2:32.33 2:35.78
34.64 1:14.69 (40.05)
1:55.12 (40.43) 2:35.78 (40.66)
28 Ellis, Alexandra 15 Blue Fins Swim T 2:34.91 2:36.06
36.11 1:15.84 (39.73)
1:56.27 (40.43) 2:36.06 (39.79)
29 Gabert, Stephanie 14 Aquazot Swim Clu 2:35.30 2:36.21
35.52 1:15.74 (40.22)
1:55.83 (40.09) 2:36.21 (40.38)
30 Finn, Alisa 13 New Trier Swim C 2:35.11 2:36.28
36.01 1:15.63 (39.62)
1:55.87 (40.24) 2:36.28 (40.41)
31 Commander, Shantel 19 Nashville Aquati 2:35.35 2:36.72
37.01 1:16.70 (39.69)
1:56.78 (40.08) 2:36.72 (39.94)
32 Smith, Elizabeth 15 Parkway Swim Clu 2:35.17 2:37.33
35.38 1:15.14 (39.76)
1:55.56 (40.42) 2:37.33 (41.77)
33 Kukors, Ariana 15 King 2:35.21 2:37.81
35.50 1:15.50 (40.00)
1:55.76 (40.26) 2:37.81 (42.05)
34 Duerk, Lauren 20 Auburn Aquatics/ 2:34.98 2:38.15
35.42 1:15.59 (40.17)
1:56.19 (40.60) 2:38.15 (41.96)
35 Mueller, Justine 17 Southern Michiga 2:33.36 2:38.24
35.84 1:16.45 (40.61)
1:56.77 (40.32) 2:38.24 (41.47)
36 Smith, Amilee 15 Rockville Montgo 2:35.76 2:38.40
35.98 1:16.08 (40.10)
1:57.08 (41.00) 2:38.40 (41.32)
37 Martin, Jillian 23 Fort Lauderdale 2:34.95 2:38.56
35.58 1:15.24 (39.66)
1:56.59 (41.35) 2:38.56 (41.97)
38 Heath, Samantha 16 Pleasanton Sea H 2:35.15 2:38.63
35.78 1:15.96 (40.18)
1:57.15 (41.19) 2:38.63 (41.48)
39 Lunsmann, Leslie 20 Cypress Fairbank 2:33.01 2:39.46
36.30 1:15.93 (39.63)
1:57.24 (41.31) 2:39.46 (42.22)
40 Davis, Laura 20 Terrapins Swim T 2:33.17 2:39.68
36.73 1:16.48 (39.75)
1:58.25 (41.77) 2:39.68 (41.43)
41 Marks, Jamie 15 Egg Harbor Twp S 2:35.82 2:39.98
35.87 1:15.80 (39.93)
1:57.68 (41.88) 2:39.98 (42.30)
42 Hall, Whitney 16 Lakeside Aquatic 2:34.68 2:40.57
35.95 1:16.04 (40.09)
1:57.80 (41.76) 2:40.57 (42.77)
43 Schmidt, Heidi 21 De Anza Cupertin 2:34.83 2:42.01
35.99 1:16.10 (40.11)
1:57.95 (41.85) 2:42.01 (44.06)
44 Smallwood, Aubrie 19 Leaping Lionfish 2:35.27 2:44.76
36.57 1:17.13 (40.56)
2:00.16 (43.03) 2:44.76 (44.60)
45 Williamson, Jaime 16 Cypress Fairbank 2:33.61 2:44.98
37.49 1:19.50 (42.01)
2:01.37 (41.87) 2:44.98 (43.61)
46 Avilla, Leah 18 Longhorn Aquatic 2:32.76 2:45.32
35.98 1:16.86 (40.88)
2:00.17 (43.31) 2:45.32 (45.15)
47 Coler, Catherine 22 Pleasanton Sea H 2:35.64 2:46.30
38.25 1:19.49 (41.24)
2:02.42 (42.93) 2:46.30 (43.88)
— Houston, Kathryn 16 Reno Aquatics 2:34.33 DQ
— Liu, Erica 17 De Anza Cupertin 2:31.90 NS

Amanda Beard splashes before the start

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