Quance Moving Back to Top Form With Decisive Win

As if she needs to be reminded, Kristine Quance was the only winner in the Olympic send-off meet Saturday who needs no send-off.

Unlike the other champions who stood atop the victory platform at the Mission Viejo International Swimming Complex, Quance is not leaving next week to compete in the Olympic Games in Barcelona.

Weakened by mononucleosis, the 17-year-old from Northridge missed making the team in the 200-meter breaststroke by one place. Although she is still recovering, it was not apparent to the field here. She blitzed to victory in the 200 breaststroke by 4.5 seconds with a time of 2 minutes 34.39 seconds.

“That was faster than I thought she’d go,” said Bud McAllister, Quance’s coach at CLASS Aquatics. “So maybe she can go a 2:29 at nationals.”

Quance’s goal at nationals, Aug. 17-21 at Mission Viejo, is to post a faster time than the Olympic medalists. McAllister terms that a long shot because of the training she missed recently when she suffered a relapse, but he has learned never to count Quance out. “She is so mentally tough,” he said. “That’s what makes her so good. She can swim through the pain.”

Lindsay Gassner of Canyons Swim Club also qualified for the championship finals on the third day of this four-day event.

Gassner, 16, of Valencia, finished fourth in the 50 freestyle in 27.42. The race was won by U.S. Olympian Ashley Tappin in 26.45.

Gassner, who recently began serious training (two-a-day practices and weight training) for the first time, was pleased with the second half of her race but determined to improve her start. The Hart High standout recently changed from a track-style start to a grab start.

Agoura’s Jason Stelle won the consolation title of the 100 backstroke in 58.75, the fourth-fastest time recorded Saturday, and Erin Schatz of CLASS Aquatics uplaced 13th in the women’s 100 backstroke in 1:08.07.