SWIMMING : Rouse Sends Out Warning for Barcelona Games

At this stage in their training, weary from heavy conditioning and three weeks away from the start of the Olympic Games in Spain, any swimmer within three seconds of his best time is on track.

So what does that say about Jeff Rouse’s eye-popping 55.34-second 100-meter backstroke Saturday in the Olympic sendoff meet at the Mission Viejo International Swimming Complex?

“It means he is ready for a big swim,” U.S. Olympic assistant coach Jon Urbanchek said. “A very big swim.”

In other words, Rouse’s world-record 53.93 is in trouble in Barcelona.

Although Rouse, a Stanford senior, is not one for predictions, his coach, Skip Kenney, intimated that if his times here are three seconds off, Barcelona could see a 52.34.

Rouse, 22, of Fredericksburg, Va., was characteristically calm about his performance and a similar one last weekend in which he swam a 55.13 while wearing the zipper suit, a new skin-tight material that covers the torso.

“I was hoping to go under 55, if I happened to put a good race together,” Rouse said. “I didn’t feel as good as I did last weekend because my legs were a little tired. But I think it was a good swim. I was working on my weakness--the transition from kicking (during the underwater start and on turns) to swimming (on top of the water).”

Rouse broke Rick Carey’s 1984 pool record of 56.59 seconds and also claimed the meet record, one of three set on the third day of this four-day event.

U.S. Olympians Ashley Tappin and Eric Namesnik were the other record-setters, in the 50 freestyle and 400 individual medley, respectively.

Tappin charged to a 26.45, eclipsing fellow Olympian Dara Torres’ 1982 mark of 26.48.

Namesnik, the American record-holder in the 400 medley, broke his 1991 mark of 4:23.23 with a 4:21.83.

A University of Michigan senior, Namesnik shared the lead with fellow Olympian Royce Sharp through the second segment, the backstroke.

On the breaststroke leg, Namesnik left the field, gaining a five-second lead that he maintained on the freestyle segment.

It was Namesnik’s best time unrested and unshaved, and it was a good indication of his preparation for Barcelona, where he faces 1988 gold medalist and world record-holder Tamas Darnyi of Hungary.

Darnyi boasts a breaststroke so strong that he is rarely challenged on the freestyle leg.

Namesnik’s plan is to push his backstroke and breaststroke sections so Darnyi might be pressed in the freestyle segment.

“If he’s got any chance of upsetting Darnyi, he’s gotta do it in the middle of the race,” Urbanchek said.

The women’s 400 medley winner was Olympian Janie Wagstaff, who staved off a late challenge from Sarah L. Anderson of San Ramon Valley for the victory in 4:59.33.

Less than 40 minutes later, Wagstaff, 18, of the Kansas City Blazers, won the 100 backstroke in 1:03.83--three seconds off her American record.

U.S. Olympian Nelson Diebel held off Mexico’s Javier Careaga for the men’s 200 breaststroke title in 2:21.45, and Northridge’s Kristine Quance dominated the women’s 200 breaststroke by 4.5 seconds with a 2:34.39.

Brazilian Olympian Gustavos Borges edged U.S. Olympian Pablo Morales in the 50 freestyle to become the only non-American to stand on the victory platform.

Borges touched in 23.73 seconds to Morales’ 23.92.