Mission Viejo Swim Meet of Champions : 13 Years Later, Another Babashoff Is Making a Big Splash in Her Sport

Thirteen years ago, a young swimmer and her young coach were beginning to build a dynasty that eventually would make the Mission Viejo Nadadores the most successful swim team in history.

Shirley Babashoff went on to win two gold and six silver medals in two Olympics. Her coach, Mark Schubert, turned the Nadadores into a perennial juggernaut before leaving last year for a new challenge with the fledgling Mission Bay (Florida) Makos.

Well, talk about things coming full cycle. . . .

On Thursday, Debbie Babashoff, 16, the brightest young star on a Nadadores team that lacks the wealth of the big-name talent it once had, turned in a lifetime best to win the 800-meter freestyle in the Mission Viejo Swim Meet of Champions at the Marguerite Swim Complex.

And that brought a smile to new Nadadores Coach Terry Stoddard, who swam for Schubert in high school and later trained under him alongside Shirley Babashoff.

“She used to beat me in workouts all the time . . . well, anything over 200 meters, anyway,” Stoddard said. “Brian (Goodell), Shirley and I sort of established the ‘animal’ lane.”

That now-infamous lane was where Schubert prodded his distance swimmers through daily workouts of up to 20,000 meters and more. It was the lane that separated the men--and the Babashoffs--from the boys.

There’s another Babashoff swimming in the animal lane these days, and Debbie, a sophomore at Fountain Valley High School, is beginning to blossom into a world-class swimmer who hopes to win some medals of her own this summer in the World Championships in Madrid.

Babashoff’s 8:43.36 Thursday was almost 20 seconds slower than Australian Tracey Wickham’s world record, but it was an excellent swim for Babashoff, considering she had not rested for this meet.

Fullerton’s Janet Evans, a 5-foot 1-inch, 80-pound 14-year-old whose rapid stroke makes her look like one of those wind-up bathtub toys going through the water, was second at 8:46.71. And butterfly world-record holder Mary T. Meagher was third at 8:51.45.

“I’m pleased,” Babashoff said. “I didn’t really think I’d go this fast because we didn’t rest at all. It’s a big step toward the World Championship Trials (June 22-27 in Orlando, Fla.).”

Shirley was on hand to watch her sister, but the elder Babashoff doesn’t want to take any of the limelight that Debbie is earning on her own. Debbie says she seldom talks about swimming with Shirley, preferring to stick to the subject of “guys.”

“I’m used to all the questions (about Shirley), but I don’t put my goals up with what she accomplished,” Debbie said. “I’m just doing my own thing and seeing where it can take me.”

At the moment, the word “far” comes to mind.

“I’m very pleased with her progress,” Stoddard said. “Debbie was right on the edge last year and this year she made a giant leap over that fine line. She’s basically self-motivated and she’s just as competitive as her sister was . . . which is saying a whole lot.

“This year has been set up to prepare for the trials and then the big meet in Madrid. Debbie trained right through the CIF meet and finished second (to former Nadadores swimmer Kim Brown). But we’re right where we were hoping to be now.”

Another of the Nadadores’ former young lions, Dan Jorgensen, won the men’s 800-meter freestyle Thursday with a time of 8:09.91. Jorgensen, a senior at Mission Viejo High School, left the team when Schubert did, citing philosophical differences with Stoddard.

He now trains with the Irvine Novas and will attend USC next fall.

“I’m happy with the swim,” Jorgensen said. “My goal was to go under 8:10 in this meet as a guideline of progress toward the World Championship Trials.”

Poland’s Artur Wojdat, who has spent the last year training in Mission Viejo, was second at 8:10.81 and Cincinnati’s John Witchel was third (8:11.97).

“I think the time was good because I am practicing very hard right now and I am very tired,” Wojdat said. “I came to Mission Viejo to train for World Championships and I think this will help me very much in Madrid.”

The youngest Babashoff was thinking the same thing.