Time May Be on Side of U.S. Swimmers

Four months before the opening ceremony, U.S. swimmers are already anxious about the Summer Olympics. For the first time since 1920, none set an American record in the trials, and it appears as if only one, Tom Dolan, will arrive in Atlanta as a clear favorite.

But Mark Schubert, the USC coach who is serving as an assistant for the U.S. women, said after returning last week from the trials in Indianapolis that it is too early to worry.

“The verdict won’t be in until Atlanta,” he said.

It is possible, he said, that U.S. swimming has hit a low point. The men, who peak at an older age than the women, might still be suffering from the aftereffects of the 1980 boycott, when swimming and other Olympic sports did not receive the media exposure that they depend upon to attract young athletes. As for the women, swimming is no longer one of the few sports available to them. Soccer has been particularly successful in enlisting young girls.

But it is also possible, Schubert said, that the trials were too early for fast times. That was not the case in 1992, when the trials were held at the same time as this year, but then most of the swimmers could not peak again for the Olympics.

“People made the team and then went to the Olympics without the same fervor,” he said. “We as coaches are hoping to get them to understand that they have a lot of improving to do. But we have time. Typically, Americans swim their best in the summer.”

FACTOID

The average temperature for the dates of the Games, July 19-Aug. 4, is 87. The heat index, factoring in humidity, averages 104.

NEWSMAKER

Janet Dykman was recently going through some old things in the El Monte home that she shares with her parents when she found a lunch box that she used while in elementary school. She laughed when she saw that it had a Robin Hood theme.

Her interest in archery goes back at least that far. Before she graduated from Arroyo High in 1972, she was close to reaching the Junior Olympics’ highest level for the sport, Olympian.

Almost a quarter century later, Dykman, 42, is close to becoming an Olympian for real. Through two of the six competitions in the National Archery Assn.’s trials for the U.S. Olympic team, Dykman leads the women’s standings. The next two competitions are Friday through Sunday in Austin, Texas.

After high school, Dykman quit competing. But she was inspired to return after seeing the archery competition during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

“I was ignoring all the hubbub at first, but I got out there and found the matches pretty exciting, “ she said last week from the U.S. archery training center in Chula Vista. “I went to the Yellow Pages and found an archery shop in Monrovia and took it from there.”

Three years later, she was competing at the world level. She was an alternate for the U.S. Olympic team in 1992.

LAUREL WREATH

The U.S. Olympic Committee has invited 25 athletes and administrators to a May 30-June 2 Project GOLD workshop in Colorado Springs to enhance the involvement of women and minorities in USOC leadership roles.

THORN WREATH

UEFA, which governs European soccer, is defying FIFA, the international governing body for the sport, and the International Olympic Committee by refusing to allow European teams in the Olympic tournament to use players over the age of 21. That will prevent some of soccer’s top stars, such as Roberto Baggio and Juergen Klinsmann from appearing in Atlanta.

THIS WEEK

The International Amateur Athletic Federation, which governs track and field, will decide at a meeting in South Africa on Sunday whether the Olympic schedule should be changed to make it easier for Michael Johnson to compete in the 200 and 400 meters in Atlanta.

Olympic Scene Notes

Tom Jager, formerly of UCLA, failed in his attempt last week to become the first man to earn berths on four U.S. Olympic swimming teams. After he finished seventh in the 50-meter freestyle in the U.S. trials in Indianapolis, his opponents paid tribute to the seven-time Olympic medalist by swimming over to him and shaking his hand. Jager, 31, told the winner, Gary Hall Jr., “Go get the Russians.” He was referring specifically to the 1992 gold medalist in the 50 and 100, Alexander Popov.

Eric Osborn, the USC assistant swim coach who needed nine chances to qualify for the Olympic trials, had the 30th-fastest time in the heats and did not advance to the final. . . . USC Coach Mark Schubert marveled over star pupil Janet Evans’ ability to make a third Olympic team, especially in a distance event such as the 800 freestyle. “The only person I can compare to her is Vladimir Salnikov, who made three Russian Olympic teams in the 1,500,” he said. “When he walked into the dining hall in 1988 in Seoul, he got a standing ovation from the athletes. That’s the highest compliment you can get.”

The new executive director of the International Rowing Federation is Matt Smith, a former rower and coach at UCLA. . . . Just guessing, but Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf isn’t likely to get much support from USA Basketball to become a member of Dream Team III. . . . It was reported in Dallas last week that Jason Kidd wants to spend this summer playing baseball for a San Francisco Giant farm team, but his agent said he would prefer to play basketball in the Olympics. . . . Rebecca Lobo, taking a lot of heat for her lack of productivity with the U.S. women’s team, stepped up with 19 points and 11 rebounds in a 100-71 victory over South Korea on Wednesday in China.

The U.S. men’s volleyball began this week’s four-match series against Spain Tuesday night at San Diego State. . . . The Atlanta Braves, who will move into the Olympic stadium for the start of the 1997 baseball season, have been asked to name it for Henry Aaron. . . . Former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, an Atlanta native, says he has been asked to be one of the three final torchbearers in the Summer Games’ opening ceremony. Organizing committee officials will not confirm. . . . The opening of the $20-million Olympic tennis center at Stone Mountain, Ga., scheduled for Tuesday was delayed when an exhibition involving John McEnroe, Steffi Graf and others was canceled.