Evans Qualifies for Olympics in 800 Freestyle

Three Orange County swimmers placed among the top eight in the 800-meter freestyle Thursday night in the U.S. Olympic Trials at the Indiana University Natatorium.

Janet Evans of Placentia won the race in 8 minutes 27.24 seconds and will swim it, as well as the 400 freestyle, at the Olympic Games in Barcelona.

April Diez and Lisa Jacob of the Mission Viejo Nadadores placed fifth and seventh, respectively, in 8:40.47 and 8:46.52.

Evans, 20, trains with former Mission Viejo Coach Mark Schubert at Texas Aquatics in Austin, Tex.

The triple gold medalist from the 1988 Olympic Games built a three-second lead over her Texas Aquatics teammate Erika Hansen at the 400 mark and maintained the gap. Hansen finished in 8:30.05.

Evans’ time was 12 seconds faster than her preliminary swim on Wednesday, but 11 seconds slower than her 1989 world record.

“I could have gone faster, but I’m satisfied,” Evans said.

When asked if she would have liked to have been pushed harder by another competitor, Evans said: “I was pushed good in the first 400. I went out a little too fast. I didn’t feel good the last 400.”

Diez, 19, posted her best time by four seconds and moved up one place over her seeding position.

“That was a good drop for her,” Mission Viejo Coach Terry Stoddard said.

Jacob, 17, was visibly disappointed. Her career best is four seconds faster and her morning swim was slightly faster, although she managed to retain her seeding position.

“She is having trouble getting that 800 to hit,” Stoddard said.

The rest of the Orange County contingent that competed on Thursday finished as follows: Sionainn Marcoux, Southern California Aquatics and Stanford, 11th in the 800 freestyle in 8:57.34; Chad Carvin, Saddleback Valley Aquatics, 11th in the 1,500 freestyle in 15:36.70; Chad Hundeby of Irvine and Southern Methodist, 18th in the 1,500 freestyle in 16:01.23.