Evans Rolls to Fifth Title at Mission Viejo Meet

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans charged through the 1,500-meter freestyle in 16 minutes 13.81 seconds Sunday night, her fastest time in almost four years and the fastest time in the 23-year history of the Mission Viejo International Swimming Complex.

The pool record, meet record, and at that time American record of 16:15.66 was set in 1978 by Kim Linehan. Evans, 21, set the American and world record of 15:52.10 in 1988.

Evans’ victory--by 51 seconds--was her fifth of the Chrysler Swim Meet of Champions.

Fellow Olympian Jeff Rouse, the world record-holder in the 100 backstroke, won his specialty in 56.34. Pablo Morales, Rouse’s Stanford swimming teammate, won the 100 butterfly in 55.66 against the most impressive field of the meet.

“It is a good thing to race those guys,” Morales said. “Training is part of the preparation (for next month’s national championships), but racing is essential.”

Chad Carvin of Laguna Hills won the men’s 1,500 freestyle in 15:52.14. The host Nadadores won the team title.

With a clock in her head, her trademark windmill stroke and a relentless kick, four-time Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans charged through the 1,500-meter freestyle Sunday evening. With remarkable consistency, she swam the second 100 through the 14th 100 in one minute, five seconds. Each time she passed her coach, Mark Schubert of the Trojan Swim Club, he put his hands over his head, indicating that Evans was on pace.

For the final 100, Evans kicked into high gear, touching in 16:13.81, her fastest time in almost four years, and the fastest clocking in the storied, 23-year history of the Mission Viejo International Swimming Complex.

Evans’ victory demonstrated again that she is swimming with a new verve at a strange time--three years away from the next Olympic Games.

“There’s a lot less pressure,” said Evans of Placentia. “It’s fun to swim and see people amazed that I’m swimming so well the year after the Olympics.”

Although Rouse is 23, retirement age by swimming standards, he is in for the long haul through the 1996 Olympics. He made that commitment immediately after Canadian Mark Tewksbury touched him out for the gold medal in Barcelona.

“I still feel like something’s missing, that’s why I’m out here,” Rouse said.

Morales, who came out of retirement to win the 100 butterfly in Barcelona, never trailed against four of America’s best sprint butterflyers.

“It is a good thing to race those guys,” Morales said. “Training is part of the preparation (for next month’s national championships), but racing is essential.”

Sergey Mariniuk of the Republic of Moldova and Carvin of Laguna Hills raced stroke for stroke for 1,430 meters. Then, Mariniuk blew past Carvin for the men’s 1,500 freestyle title in 15:52.14.

The host Nadadores outscored 52 clubs to win the team title.