SWIMMING : Sharp Concedes Nothing to Zubero in Games

Until Martin Zubero actually reigns in Spain, United States Olympian Royce Sharp is not giving him the mantle.

Shortly after churning to an Olympic sendoff meet record of 2 minutes 3.07 seconds Friday in the 200-meter backstroke at the Mission Viejo International Swimming Complex, Sharp made it clear that Zubero, the Spanish Olympian and world record-holder, will not have an easy time in Barcelona.

“A lot of people think he’s going to win,” Sharp said, pausing for effect. “Well, I think I’m gonna win. There’s no reason going to the Olympics but to go for the gold medal.

“A lot of people think he’ll win by a mile, and if I was on the outside I might think so, too, because he has gone two seconds faster (actually 1.3 seconds). But when you’ve spent the last four years working for this, you’re not gonna give up because of what the newspaper says.”

As a tuneup for Zubero, Sharp, 18, of New Jersey-based Peddie Aquatics, welcomed the challenge posted by 100 backstroke world record-holder Jeff Rouse of Stanford.

Rouse, who missed making the U.S. team in the 200 by 0.40 of a second, charged off the second turn to pull even with Sharp. A surge before the final turn enabled Sharp to regain command. But Rouse made another charge, nearly closing the gap down the stretch before Sharp held on to win.

“It helped to have Jeff there,” Sharp said. “With his speed, it helps me go out fast.”

In a showdown between the world’s leading young sprinters, American Olympian Joe Hudepohl got out fast.

Hudepohl, 18, blasted off the blocks and hit the wall first, 0.02 of a second ahead of Brazilian Olympian Gustavo Borges.

But Borges, a sophomore-to-be at Michigan, emerged from his pushoff with Hudepohl in his wake, prevailing in 51.06 seconds to Hudepohl’s 51.33.

“I flipped too early,” Hudepohl said of his turn. “I just misjudged it.”

Hudepohl, who clocked a 51.01 in the preliminaries, was pragmatic.

“Better to do it here than there,” he said of Barcelona.

Artur Wojdat, winner of nine NCAA titles for Iowa and recently denied his 10th and 11th NCAA championships by Borges, was third in 51.69.

Earlier, Wojdat set a meet record in the 400 freestyle at 3:52.26, eighth-fastest this year.

Like Wojdat, U.S. Olympian Janie Wagstaff was unchallenged.

But Wagstaff, 18, of the Kansas City Blazers, was unhappy with her 200 backstroke time: 2:16.93.

“I was pretty disappointed,” said Wagstaff, who was aiming for 2:13 or 2:14. “I still have confidence for Barcelona, but I would have liked to have gone faster. People will probably think I’m not swimming as fast as I should, and they might count me out. If they do, they’ll make a mistake.”

Swimming Notes

New Zealand Olympian Phillipa Langrell, 20, won the women’s 400 freestyle in 4:16.14. Langrell took the lead from the start and gradually pulled away to win by 3.9 seconds. Jane Skillman edged Lisa Jacob of Mission Viejo for second.

Ashley Tappin, a member of the U.S. Olympic 4x100 freestyle relay, won the 100 freestyle in 57.99 seconds. Olympic butterflyer Crissy Ahmann-Leighton followed in 58.15.

Michelle Collins of Carlsbad posted an easy victory in the 200 butterfly (2:18.42). New Zealand’s Danyon Loader was the men’s 200 butterfly champion in 2:01.29--an impressive 3.1 seconds ahead of the field.

The Mission Viejo foursome of U.S. Olympian Ron Karnaugh, Polish Olympians Artur Wojdat and Marius Podkoscielny and Stanford-bound Eric Diehl outlasted New Zeland for the 800 freestyle relay title in 7:36.86.