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Quance Still Mystified With Her Good Fortune

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

U.S. Olympic swim team member Kristine Quance is still amazed when strangers wish her luck and children ask her for her autograph.

That was the scene Sunday after her victory in the 200-meter individual medley on the last day of the Swim Meet of Champions at Mission Viejo Aquatic Complex.

As boys and girls handed Quance their swim caps, T-shirts, meet programs and anything else she could sign, people would walk up to the USC swimmer and offer their words of encouragement for the upcoming Olympics.

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“It makes me very proud that people I don’t know will take the time to say good luck at the Olympics . . . and the kids,” said Quance, who will compete in the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke at Atlanta. “I can remember when I used to do the same thing when I was young. It makes you want to do good.”

Although Quance’s winning time of 2 minutes 16.82 seconds was well off her Olympic trial time of 2:13.76, she was happy.

“I was a little concerned a month ago,” Quance said. “I wasn’t doing too well and my times were not really coming down. But I feel good right now and I think I’m right where I want to be as far as the Olympics.”

Quance, 21, will compete in the 100 breaststroke next week in the Santa Clara Invitational. Earlier on Sunday, Quance was out-touched by Olympic teammate Amanda Beard of the Irvine Novaquatics, who won the event in 1:10.87. In the last few months, a friendly rivalry has developed between the two. At the Olympic trials, Beard, 14, beat Quance in the 100 breaststroke to take first in 1:08.36. Quance finished second.

“Amanda is such a sweet person,” Quance said. “I really like her a lot. But you know, when we get up on the blocks before we start to race, she probably doesn’t like me very much and I don’t like her.”

Though Misty Hyman just missed the U.S. Olympic team by .03 seconds in the 100 butterfly, the junior from Phoenix (Ariz.) Shadow Mountain High has no intention of letting go of her Olympic dreams.

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Hyman, 17, who trains with the Desert Fox Aquatic Club in Phoenix, set a meet record with 1:00.22, which breaks the record of Mary T. Meagher.

“I’m definitely looking ahead toward the next Olympics,” Hyman said. “I’ll be 21, and I think I can still improve. I’ll be trying at least.”

Hyman also won the 100 backstroke in 1:03.34 and Sachiko Yamada, 13, of the Japan junior national team won the 1,500 freestyle in 16:40.09.

In the men’s events, Sabir Muhammad, swimming unattached, won the 100 fly (55.26) and Lenny Krayzelburg of the Trojan Swim Club beat teammate and U.S. Olympic team member Brad Bridgewater in the 100 backstroke in 56.67.

In the 100 breaststroke, Sudo Hideyuki of the Japan junior national team, won in 1:04.24 and his teammate, Mori Takahiro finished first in the 200 IM in 2:08.57. Jeremy Kane of Santa Clara finished in 15:47.91 to win the 1,500 free.

Notes

Bart Kizierowski of the Mission Viejo Nadadores was named male swimmer of the meet. Kizierowski, 19, who swam nine events, placed in the finals in all of his events.

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Steve Poling, 16, beat Novaquatics teammate Steve Ronson in the finals of the 100 breaststroke. Poling’s time of 1:07.45 is a junior national qualifying time.

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