SWIMMING JUNIOR OLYMPICS LONG COURSE : Jacob Keeps Busy, Sets Meet Record in 200

The past two weeks have been tiring for Lisa Jacob. Rewarding, but tiring.

Jacob, 16, spent last week in Austin, Tex., at the U.S. Swimming Long Course National Championships. She finished sixth in the 800-meter freestyle and 12th in the 400 freestyle, with personal-best times in both.

But instead of resting on that success, Jacob is improving on it. Thursday, she finished first in the 200 freestyle at the U.S. Swimming Junior Olympics West at Heritage Park in Irvine.

Jacob’s time of 2:03.41 broke the Junior Olympic West record of 2:03.89, set by Cheryl Simmons in 1985. Her time was also less than a second off the national junior record of 2:03.14, held by Yvette Bobling.

“I was really surprised with my time because I’m so tired,” said Jacob, who swims for the Mission Viejo Nadadores. “I’ve been trying to get as much sleep as I can because I was so tired after the Senior Nationals. I wasn’t sure if that would hurt me at this meet. “

It hasn’t.

Thursday’s victory was the second of the meet for Jacob, who won the 100 freestyle. She trailed Teresa Mauck through most of the race, but managed to take the lead with 50 meters to go and pulled away.

Jacob’s strength, however, is in the distance events, and she has performed well enough in those to qualify for the Senior Nationals the past two years.

Because of that, Jacob, who will be a junior at Capistrano Valley High in the fall, cannot compete in any of the distance events at the Junior Olympic meet. Under U.S. Swimming rules, a swimmer can’t compete in the same events in both meets.

John Blaney and Robert Fleming also won their second events of the meet Thursday.

Blaney, who also swims for the Nadadores, held on to win the 400 individual medley in 4:32.51. He won the 800 freestyle on Tuesday.

Fleming, a native of Houston, won the 200 freestyle Thursday in 1:53.60. On Wednesday, he won the 100 freestyle.