SUDDEN IMPACT PART II

Swimming World and Junior Swimmer, Mar 2004 by Lohn, John

As reported in last month's Swimming World, high school athletes have always played an important role in the makeup of the U.S. Olympic team. Question is: who will make an impact at this year's Trials in July?

Editor's Note: This is the second of a two-part series on high school athletes and their impact upon the Olympics. Last month featured the past; this month, the future.

THE PHELPS PHENOMEHON

By the end of next summer, Michael Phelps may well be regarded as the greatest swimmer in history, if he eclipses the legendary Mark Spitz. If the plan unfolds according to the blueprint, Phelps will return from Athens with an Olympic medal haul of unfathomable proportions. That potential was sparked in Indianapolis, site of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Although he's been tight-lipped as to his schedule for the Olympic Trials, Phelps has the arsenal to walk away from the next Olympiad with as many as 10 gold medals, a greater achievement than the Lucky Seven rolled by Spitz at the Munich Games in 1972.

Phelps got his Olympic initiation as a 15-year-old, thanks to an eye-opening performance at the 2000 Trials. A rising phenom when the events in Indy started, Phelps was a star by the end of the competition, his second-place showing in the 200 meter butterfly earning him a ticket to the Olympic Games.

These days, Phelps is no longer the youngster who claimed fifth place in the 200 fly at Sydney. Rather, Phelps is the undisputed force in the sport, a world record holder in three events and the American record holder in five disciplines.

Who, besides Swimming World, predicted that Phelps' emergence would occur as a 15-year-old high schooler? That's the beauty of the Olympic year.

"The big thing on my mind is winning an Olympic medal," Phelps said. "I was disappointed not to win a medal (in Sydney). I just want one. (The summer of 2000) really gave me experience. At a young age, it gave me a lot to look at. Having that under my belt was important. It gave me an idea of what I needed to do. Everything has been a stepping stone along the way, and that was one of those steps."

THE NEXT CROP

While the male competition seemingly lacks a young contender for an Olympic berth this summer, a group of six female competitors has positioned itself for a run at Athens, highlighted by Rhi Jeffrey and Amanda Weir.

Powering the high school contingent headed for the Olympic Trials, Jeffrey and Weir have benefited from vast international experience, in-water knowledge expected to serve the duo during what is considered the most pressure-packed event in the sport.

A senior at Atlantic Delray High (FIa.), Jeffrey spent a portion of her summer in Spain, representing the United States at the World Championships in Barcelona. Aside from advancing to the final of the 200 free, Jeffrey contributed legs to a pair of gold medal-winning relays, including the 800 free relay that notched an American record.

As for Weir, the Brookwood (Ga.) senior etched herself as an Olympic player during the Pan Am Games in the Dominican Republic, when the sprinter registered the fourth-fastest time in American history in the 100 free. Leading off America's gold-medal winning unit, the Georgia-bound standout clocked 54.46. The time ranked her second in the world last year.

"Every meet is a learning experience," Jeffrey said. "I was able to take a lot from Worlds. I had the chance to get used to the three-race format and understood how important it is to keep your head in the game. You can't let one bad swim affect you. Watching the way Jenny (Thompson) and Lindsay (Benko) handled themselves was a big help. I'll be prepared for Trials."

Although Jeffrey and Weir are the current headliners from this high school group, that duo is joined by the following swimmers in the young-and-eager category:

Dana Vollmer: A member of the Pan Am squad, Vollmer left the Dominican Republic with a meet record in the 100 meter fly (59.35) and gold-medal hauls in the 200 free (1:59.80), 800 free relay and 400 medley relay. Also a member of the 2001 Goodwill Games team, Vollmer was the youngest athlete at the 2000 Trials, competing as a 12-year-old.

Katie Hoff: After joining the North Baltimore Aquatic Club's Harford County team during the summer, Hoff has been as hot as any teenager in the nation. A home-schooled student, the 14-year-old went on a December tear, a spurt that featured a national age group record in the 200 meter IM (2:16.26) at the U.S. Open and a silver-medal effort in the 400IM (4:45.82).

A week later, Hoff claimed NAG records in the short course yards format at the NBAC Christmas Invitational. After breaking records in the 200 IM (1:58.27) and 400 IM (4:11.66), Hoff erased Anita Nail's name from the record book with a 2:12.08 performance in the 200 breast.

Elizabeth Hill: Headed for the University of Georgia, Hill claimed the 400 free title at the Pan Am Games with a 4:10.48 swim that toppled the former record of Sippy Woodhead. A member of the U.S. team at the Duel in the Pool and the Pan Pacific Championships, the Westminster High (Ga.) senior also boasts a national championship in the 200 fly (2002).