She Meets a Youthful Challenge

At 24 years old, Elli Overton isn’t exactly an old-timer. But when she swam the 100-meter backstroke Saturday at the Speedo Grand Challenge, she could feel the new young stars pushing her.

Overton, a two-time Australian Olympian and the top qualifier in the event, knew she would be challenged by 13-year-old upstart Dianna MacManus of Blue Fin Swim Team, who holds the U.S. national 11-12 age group record in the 50-meter backstroke.

From the moment the race began at the Heritage Aquatic Complex in Irvine, MacManus swam side-by-side with Overton, keeping the pressure on throughout the race. It took a record-breaking performance to beat MacManus; Overton won in 1 minute 4.21 seconds, beating her own record from the morning preliminaries by more than two seconds.

MacManus finished second in 1:04.67.

“I’m not old. . . . really,” said Overton, laughing. “But these young kids. They’re always there. Always ready to knock you off. And when you race against them, you do feel old.”

Olympic medal winner Kristine Quance-Julian, who has recently returned to competition after having a baby, won the 400 individual medley, setting a meet record.

Quance-Julian, who trains with the Trojan Swim Club, said she got back into the water four weeks after having her baby in January.

“I think it’s the weight that’s hardest,” Quance-Julian said. “I still have to lose 10 pounds, but I’ll get it down.”

Quance-Julian said her son, Trenton, is a dream, especially when it comes to swimming workouts, which lately have been twice a day.

“He sleeps from 8:30 [at night] to 8 in the morning. He seems to know his mother has to get up early and go to work out.”

Quance-Julian will be swimming the 200 breaststroke and butterfly today.

In other women’s events, Bethany Goodwin of UCLA set a record in the 100 butterfly, breaking Angie Wester-Krieg’s 1996 mark (1:03.91) with a winning time of 1:01.78. Irvine Novaquatics swimmer Carly Geehr, who will be transferring from Pasadena Mayfield to Newport Harbor in the fall as a sophomore, won the 200 freestyle (2:06.03).

In the men’s 100 backstroke, top-qualifier Aaron Peirsol slipped off the wall at the start of the race and was unable to catch Bobby Brewer of Tyr, who won in 58.31.

“The wall was like a greased pig,” Brewer said. “I’m not real happy with that time. But I can use the money.”

First place paid $250.

Peirsol, a 15-year-old freshman who’s ranked fourth in the world in the 200-meter backstroke, finished second in 59.40.

Laguna Hills’ Chad Carvin turned in another meet-record performance, winning the 200 freestyle in 1:52.41, more than three seconds better than Mark Warkentin’s 1996 mark. In the 400 IM, Carvin tied for first with Mission Viejo Nadadore teammate Torwai Sethsothorn in 4:26.43.

Francisco Sanchez of Sun Devil Aquatics won the 100 butterfly, in a record 55.83, breaking Philippe Demers’ 1997 mark of 56.17.