Marina’s Cail Sets Record at Expense of Olympic Champion

Jamie Cail moved from Florida to Southern California last fall so she could train with Janet Evans’ former coach, Bud McAllister.

So it was only fitting that the Marina junior broke Evans’ 200 individual medley record at the Foothill Swim Games on Saturday at Foothill High.

Cail, 17, who’s ranked among the top five nationally and trains with the Golden West Swim Club, edged Olympic silver medalist Amanda Beard to win in 2 minutes 4.70 seconds. That time eclipsed Evans’ 1989 record of 2:05.89. Beard finished in 2:05.49.

“It’s really nice to be able to get her record. But I also feel honored to have broken it,” said Cail, who moved from Jacksonville, Fla., last October. “The reason why I came out here was because of her and Bud.”

Cail’s record swim came after she won the 200 freestyle in a county-best time of 1:52.05, and was on the the anchor leg on Marina’s winning 200 medley relay (1:52.15). She was named the girls’ swimmer of the meet.

Cail, along with teammate and double winner Kyoko Yokouchi, helped the Marina girls’ team finish second (190 points) behind defending champion Irvine, which easily won with 350 points. Fountain Valley was third (154). Yokouchi won the 100 butterfly (57.35, a meet record) and the 100 backstroke (58.45).

As expected, Irvine’s depth took control of the meet early. Although Amanda Beard was the only Irvine girl to win an individual event--the 100 breaststroke (1:03.97)--several second- and third-place finishes secured the victory.

Irvine won the 400 (3:35.11) and 200 freestyle relays (1:39.96). The 200 freestyle relay team of Erin Zehntner, Morgan Hoesterey, Stephanie Hsiao and Beard broke El Toro’s 1993 meet record of 1:42.14.

In other girls’ event, Sarah Jones of San Clemente won the 50 freestyle (24.30) and her teammate Ari Gardner took the 100 freestyle (52.79). Freshman Kaitlin Sandeno of El Toro won the 500 freestyle (4:58.06).

In the boys’ competition, Irvine finished first with 216 points and won its first title at the 26th annual event.

“The guys thought they were swimming slow, but I think they’re doing great,” said Irvine boys’ coach Ken Dory. “The best finish we’ve ever had [at this meet] was a third place, so I’m happy.”

Palos Verdes Peninsula finished second (148) and Foothill was third (132).

Daniel Kim was the only Irvine individual winner as the junior took the 100 breaststroke (59.01). The Vaquero relay team of Jeff Natalizio, Kim, Gonny Shimura and Drew Tabbert won the 200 medley relay (1:39.69).

James Thornton of Foothill and Frank Uxa of Santa Margarita, shared honors for the male swimmer of the meet as both won two individual events.

Thornton, a senior, won the 200 (1:43.63) and 500 freestyle (4:37.20). Uxa won the 50 (21.53) and 100 (47.50).

“I’ve been training very hard and I’m not shaved or tapered, so I’m very happy with those times,” Thornton said. “I’m exactly where I want to be with Southern Section coming up [in May].”

In the Mission Viejo Invitational:

Mission Viejo wins--The Mission Viejo boys’ swimming team didn’t win any events, but still ran away with the team championship.

Mission Viejo scored 335 points, nearly double that of second-place Concord De La Salle, which finished with 170. Walnut Creek Northgate rounded out the top three with 161 points.

Laguna Hills (141 points) finished fourth among the 11 schools.

The Laguna Hills girls’ swimming team took second place with a score of 191 points. Concord Carondelet captured first with 254 points and Mission Viejo was third with 163 points.

Shauna Barnard won the 100 backstroke in 58.95 and the 200 individual medley in 2:04.82 for Laguna Hills.

Barnard, Lindsey Buck, Morgan Class, and anchor Alexis Shubin teamed the 400 relay for Laguna Hills, which won in with a time of 3:34.61.