U.S. Swimming Championships : Cohen Adds 20th Title to Collection

Tiffany Cohen won her third event of the meet, the women’s 400-meter freestyle, and increased her career total of national titles to 20 Thursday night at the Phillips 66/U.S. Swimming National Long Course Championships.

“I’m really ecstatic, because I don’t take winning for granted anymore,” Cohen said.

The 20-year-old Californian, now competing for the Mission Bay Makos of Boca Raton, Fla., won gold medals in the 400 and 800 freestyles at the 1984 Olympics, but her world ranking has plummeted since then.

She pulled away over the final 25 meters and touched home in 4 minutes 14.04 seconds. Julie Martin of LaPalma, Calif., was second in 4:14.84.

Five other swimmers--Billy Stapleton, Gary Brinkman, Scott McCadam, Whitney Hedgepeth and Grace Cornelius--became double winners in the meet.

Cornelius, a 14-year-old Pennsylvanian, edged 30-year-old Sandy Neilson, a 1972 Olympian, in the women’s 50 freestyle. Cornelius was timed in 26.20, Neilson in 26.33. McCadam was the men’s 50 winner in 22.85, third best time in the world this year.

Stapleton, from Edwardsville, Ill., took the 200 individual medley title in 2:02.96, the third best time ever by an American.

Brinkman, a South African, won the men’s 400 free in 3:54.84.

Hedgepeth, of Petersburg, Va., won the women’s 200 individual medley in 2:18.47.

Cohen failed to make the U.S. team for this month’s World Championships in Spain. Her time in the 400 trials for that meet was 4:17.

“The trials made me realize I have to start pushing myself in training,” she said after winning her fourth long course 400 national title.

The 41 U.S. swimmers who are going to Spain are not competing in this week’s meet at the Santa Clara Swim Center.