SWIMMING : Evans Does It Again, Beats Young Rivals

Those who do not win can at least find consolation in the experience. For two teen-age Olympic hopefuls, it was what they learned the last two days at the Janet Evans Invitational swim meet at USC that will be valuable in their budding futures.

The lesson imparted Friday night, similar to one a day earlier, was simple: Those who challenge Janet Evans in a pool must be prepared for the consequences.

Setting her second consecutive meet record, Evans won impressively in the 400-meter freestyle in 4 minutes 11.94 seconds, breaking her old mark of 4:12.25. Evans, 23, holder of six world records, also broke the meet record in the 800-meter freestyle Thursday night in defeating Florida teens Brooke Bennett and Trina Jackson.

The three finished in the same order in the 400, with Bennett, 15, taking second in 4:15.24 and Jackson, 17, third in 4:17.43, after earlier placing second in the 200-meter butterfly.

But the teens said they were not concerned with their times, embracing the experience theme like a baby.

“It means you have to stand up and race,” said Peter Banks, Bennett’s coach in Brandon, Fla., of competing against Evans. “Times aren’t important. Racing is the important thing.”

Although Bennett would not say it, Banks acknowledged being disappointed after the 800, in which Evans looked overpowering. But with a stronger start in the 400, Bennett pressured Evans into the meet record.

“That’s the first time I’ve done that in a while,” Evans said of her midseason time.

Although discouraged at finishing second again, Bennett understands the benefits of swimming against some of the world’s best in Evans and Jackson. She realizes that the times will drop dramatically in three weeks when the swimmers compete at the U.S. national championships in Pasadena.

“We’re really motivating each other,” Bennett said.

Evans agreed.

“It makes me swim faster; that’s how I’ve always swum.”

Jackson, from Jacksonville, Fla., had the misfortune of competing in another event--the 200 butterfly--in which a meet record was set. Jean Ellis Todisco of USC swam the sixth fastest time in the world this year in winning in 2:12.80, prompting her to say:

“I’ve never felt this good in the water.”

Jackson, a versatile swimmer who has a lot of racing this weekend, refused to let the day’s results bother her. But her coach, Gregg Troy, was somewhat disappointed.

“We’re getting a little frustrated at not touching the wall first, but we’ll handle it,” he said.

Evans and Todisco were not the only Trojan Swim Club teammates to dominate.

Jeff Julian from Walnut won the 200 butterfly and announced it was the best he has swum, but by no means is he rearranging his Olympic dreams just yet.

“I’m not expecting to be one of the best,” he said. “But I want to see if I can sneak in there.”

Brad Bridgewater wasn’t about to sneak up on his competitors as the Trojans swept the 200 backstroke.

Bridgewater barely missed the meet record of 2:00.25 with a winning time of 2:00.77. He defeated two 1992 U.S. Olympians, silver medalist Greg Burgess and Ron Karnaugh. Burgess was second, Lenny Krayzelburg third.

“This was like a Saturday morning workout,” Bridgewater said of the familiar faces next to him.

Evans can relate to that. With Bennett and Jackson racing against her as much as possible, the fast trio have become well acquainted.

But so far, Evans is staying out in front.

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Swim Notes

Joe Hudepohl of Stanford won the 200- and 400-meter freestyle races in the Santa Clara International, a grand prix meet being held simultaneously with the Janet Evans’ competition. Hudepohl, who won a gold medal in the 400-meter relay in the 1992 Olympics, took the 200 in 1:52.08 and the 400 in an impressive 3:57.14. Kurt Grote won the 100 breaststroke in 1:03.90, Sergei Mariniuk took the 400 individual medley in 4:18.74, and Lauren Thles won the women’s 200 freestyle in 2:03.27.