By Pauline Vu
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
UCLA will not be sending any swimmers to Sydney, but at the
recent U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Indianapolis, three Bruins
proved they are among the top 16 in the nation.
The best thing her swimmers can take from the trials, according
to Bruin head coach Cyndi Gallagher, is that it was an incredible
learning experience.
“It showed everybody what it takes to be an
Olympian,” Gallagher said. “We watched history. I wish
that we could’ve been part of that history. I really thought
we could have.”
What the trials taught the Bruins was that it takes more that
skill to win. It takes heart, as well.
“The people who made the team more than just wanted
it,” Gallagher said. “They had talent, but they did
something extra.”
Still, no Bruin came home too disappointed that she isn’t
going to the Games, as the trials themselves were memorable.
“It was really inspiring to witness so many fast swims and
American records being set,” said senior-to-be Brighid
Dwyer.
For races of 200-meters and lower, the top 16 of all the
preliminary heats qualify for the semifinals. The top eight in the
semifinals qualify for the finals and in that race the top two
swimmers earn the two Olympic berths for the U.S.
Of all the Bruins, 2000 graduate Keiko Price came to closest to
making the Olympic team. After the prelims of the 50m free, she had
the sixth-best time (26.00 seconds) going into the semifinals.
There, she placed ninth with a time of 25.75, missing a berth to
the finals by just eight-tenths of a second.
“I was a little disappointed, but I did the best that I
could,” Price said. “If I could take anything positive
out of it, I did go a best time.”
In her other event, the 100m free, Price also made it to the
semifinals, where she placed 16th (56.80).
The trials were her last official races ever. Price intends to
stop competitive swimming.
“I’d like to thank my coaches for the four years
here at UCLA,” she said, reflecting on her years as a Bruin,
“and for making me a better person and a better
swimmer.”
Other top Bruin finishers included senior Beth Goodwin, who
qualified for the semifinals of the 100m fly by placing 11th in the
prelims. At the semifinals she placed 12th in 1:01.44.
Goodwin also placed 76th in the 200m fly prelims (2:21.31) and
51st in the 50m free prelims (27.02).
Junior Nicole Beck was the last Bruin to make the cut from the
prelims to go on to the semifinals. She placed 16th (1:01.35) in
the prelims of the 100m butterfly and improved that to 14th place
in the semifinals (1:02.50).
“It was kind of unexpected. I swam better in the event I
don’t really train very much for,” Beck said, referring
to her specialties, the 100m and 200m backstroke.
Her performance in the 100m butterfly prelims put her in the
same heat as eventual winner Jenny Thompson.
“It was nerve-wracking but exciting at the same time, just
to be in the same heat with her and race her,” Beck said.
Except for one swimmer, every Bruin swimmer set at least one new
personal record. Dwyer, who said before the meet that she was going
to beat her old record, did it in both the 100m fly and the 100m
back.
“I’m a little bit (disappointed),” Dwyer said.
“I went to best times, but I know I can go faster. I just
don’t think everything came together at the meet.”
Still, coach Gallagher was pleased with her team for their
accomplishments.
“To go to that meet and swim a best time is good because
it’s the most intense eight days of your life,” she
said.
The swimmers said the trials were an emotionally draining
experience.
“I don’t think there’s a swimmer there who
doesn’t have their eye set on making the team and going to
the Olympics, even though there’s a select few who go,”
Beck said. “You saw a lot of people there crying, tears of
joy or tears of pain.”
The future of Bruin swimming also proved their stuff at the
trials. Recruits Sarah Platzer swam in the 50m and 100m free, and
Brooke Winkler and Cathy Coler both swam the 200m and 400m IM, and
200m breaststroke.
On the men’s side, Byron Davis (’93) placed 16th in
the semifinals of the 100m fly, but was disqualified in the 50m
free.
Nicole Beck ““ 100m fly semifinals, 14th (1:02.50); 100m
back prelims, 20th (1:04.80); 200m back prelims, 29th (2:19.02);
Leanne Cadag ““ 100m back prelims (1:07.50); Byron Davis
““ 50m free prelims, dq; 100m fly semifinals 16th, (55.63);
Brighid Dwyer ““ 100m fly prelims, 89th (1:04.49); 100m back
prelims, (1:07.00); Beth Goodwin ““ 50m free prelims, 51th
(27.02); 100m fly semifinals, 12th (1:01.44); 200m fly prelims,
76th (2:21.31); Lyndee Hovsepian ““ 100m breast prelims, 62nd
(1:14.43); 200m breast prelims, 78th (2:42.39); Keiko Price ““
50m free semifinals, 9th (25.75); 100m free semifinals, 16th
(56.80); Katie Younglove ““ 100m fly prelims, 24th (1:01.80);
200m fly prelims, 46th (2:18.50); Erin Zehntner ““ 200m free
prelims, 39th (2:05.06); 400m free prelims, 29th (4:19.92)