‘Just Janet’ Lights Up Her Hometown

Placentia’s own Olympics hero, Janet Evans, came home from Seoul on Monday to a rousing hometown welcome from family, friends and neighbors.

Her street was lined with American flags, and her house was festooned with balloons.

There were banners too: “Congratulations Janet, We Love You”; “We Janet,” and “Janet for Mayor,” among others.

“I’ve never come home from a meet and had anything like this happen,” the 100-pound, 17-year-old swimmer said Monday.

Janet, who took home three gold medals in swimming, arrived at Los Angeles International Airport at noon and got home about 2:30 p.m. A big neighborhood barbecue with about 100 guests followed.

The swimming star--”just Janet,” as she often referred to herself in Seoul--graciously signed autographs and posed for pictures with hometown fans.

“It was really nice,” Janet said.

She plans to rest up today before starting her senior year Wednesday at El Dorado High School. She also plans to take a couple of weeks off from swimming but said she will continue to compete.

The events of the past week, and the accompanying celebrity, are still a little overwhelming, Janet admitted.

“I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet,” she said. “Probably in a few days.”