Peirsol shatters 200 back record

Steve Virgen

Aaron Peirsol came up from under the water, looked up at a board with

his world-record time showing, 1 minute, 54.74 seconds, and he

couldn’t help but celebrate.

He splashed water, pumped his fist and let out an emotional shout.

He was genuinely ecstatic after breaking his own world record in

the 200-meter backstroke in front of 9,817 Monday at U.S. Olympic

swim trials at the Charter All-Digital Aquatic Centre in Long Beach.

The former world record was 1:55.15, set at the Spring National

championships, in 2002.

“For me, it’s my race,” said Peirsol, who defeated the famed

Michael Phelps in a highly anticipated matchup. “I’ve felt that way

since before 2000.”

Peirsol, 20, who led Newport Harbor High to its only CIF boys swim

title in 2002, will be going to the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece

next month in two events, the 100 and 200 back.

His celebration wasn’t about defeating Phelps, who finished second

(1:55.86) and said he was fueled by Peirsol’s reaction. Peirsol’s

reveling was more about himself and his ability to take care of his

record that has become personified.

Said Peirsol: “I didn’t expect to feel this way [about taking care

of the record], but once you own a record, once you are so close to

doing this, it becomes your baby. You want to take care of it, and it

relayed into tonight and certainly helped.”

Each of Peirsol’s 50-meter splits was faster than the world-record

pace. He finished the first 50 in 27.18, which drew loud cheers from

the crowd. Then 28.80 on the next split, and he followed that up with

a 29.31.

During the final 50, he seemed to overpower Phelps with a 29.45

split. Phelps’ last 50 was 29.71.

“Having a loss like that will fuel me a little bit more in the

next five weeks,” said Phelps, who became the first American to

qualify for the Olympics in five individual events (200 freestyle,

200 back, 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 400 IM). “I can

say that after the 200 back I was more fired up than before. I used

the emotion from Peirsol’s celebration to put me through the next two

races. I wanted to go out and prove something and have some fast

times.”

After finishing second in the 200 back, Phelps won the 200 IM

(1:56.71) and finished second in the 100 butterfly (51.89).

Phelps, 19, is attempting to match Mark Spitz’s feat of winning

seven gold medals next month.

“He’s doing an excellent job,” Peirsol said. “If he comes back

with just half of what Spitz did that might just be just as good,

considering now how the fields are.”

Peirsol’s world-record performance seemed to send a message to

Phelps, who said he has not decided if he will compete in the 200

back at the Olympics yet. Peirsol did say the 200 back was his race,

but he was referring more to the fact that he has raced in that event

since he was a child.

“If I did [send a message], I’m not sure I did,” Peirsol said.

“I’m sure he understands this is just the trials.”

After winning the 200 back, Peirsol was congratulated by his swim

club coach, Dave Salo, who heads the Irvine Novaquatics and is a

former Orange Coast College coach. Lenny Krayzelburg, the three-time

gold medalist, also hugged Peirsol.

Peirsol said he felt honored to win and set the world record in

the Olympic trials. He was also happy he set the world record on the

same day as Amanda Beard, who also swam for the Novaquatics with

Peirsol. Beard won the 200 breaststroke in a world-record time,

2:22.44, just before Peirsol broke his own world record.

Though Peirsol came up with the best performance of his life, his

college coach, Eddie Reese, also the head man for the U.S. Olympic

team, said he saw room for improvement.

Peirsol has turned pro after two years at the University of Texas.

“I thought his first 100 could have been better,” Reese said.

“He’s the only swimmer I didn’t give enough rest to and that might

have hindered him. He can go faster, but I better be quiet and just

let him enjoy this one. He deserves it.”