Jager embarrassed with winning time at U.S. Nationals
Jager embarrassed with winning time at U.S. Nationals
FEDERAL WAY, Washington (Agencies): Three-time Olympian Tom Jager won the 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. Spring National swimming championships on Sunday, but was embarrassed with his performance.
The 29-year-old world record holder, after nearly two years away from the sport, apologized for winning in 22.52 seconds, a time he considered not worthy of a top American swimmer.
"To be the number one seed with a time of 22.74 I had in the morning prelims is pretty bad, to be blunt," said Jager, whose world record is 21.81 seconds.
"Matt Biondi is laughing right now and he's not swimming anymore," he said of his former American rival.
"Russian Alexander Popov is laughing and that's serious," he said of the Olympic champion. "This is sending out a pretty sorry statement for U.S. swimming."
It was Jager's first win since the January, 1991 world championships in Perth, Australia, and his first race since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where he won bronze in the event.
Jager is training for his fourth Olympic team. He will be 31 when the 1996 Atlanta Games roll around.
Four-time Olympic champion Janet Evans picked up her 39th national title and third victory of the meeting with a decisive win in the 1,500 meters freestyle.
Evans won in 16:19.13, well off her world record time of 15:52.10, but nearly 14 seconds faster than Trina Jackson, who finished second in 16:33.48.
"I'm not preoccupied with time anymore. I'm just going out for the win. I'm having more fun that way," said Evans, who is eight titles shy of tying Tracy Caulkins on the all-time U.S. list.
Evans earlier in the meeting won the 800 and 400 meters freestyle races. She still holds world records in both events.
Nineteen-year-old Attila Czene of Hungary, one of a handful of non-U.S. swimmers competing here, won the 200-meter individual medley in a U.S.-record time of 2:00.17.
Nicole Haislett, winner of three gold medals at the Barcelona Olympics, added the 50m free title to her 100m and 200m freestyle victories with a time of 26.06.
Allison Wagner, the 16-year-old who set a world short-course record in the 200m medley at the world short-course championships last December completed an individual medley double on Sunday.
She won the 200m IM in 2:14.37 one day after she won the 400m race. Leading results (U.S. unless noted):
Men's 200m Indiv Medley 1. Attila Czene (Hungary) Two minutes 00.17 seconds 2. Greg Burgess 2:01.34 3. Sergei Mariniuk (Moldavia) 2:01.80
1,500m freestyle 1. Tom Dolan 15:18.18 2. Andy Potts 15:34.46 3. Ryan Cox 15:37.04
50m freestyle 1. Tom Jager 22.52 2. Gary Hall 22.68 3. Dean Hutchinson 22.89 Women's 200m Indiv Medley 1. Allison Wagner 2:14.37 2. Kristine Quance 2:16.41 3. Whitney Metzler 2:18.36
1,500m freestyle 1. Janet Evans 16:19.13 2. Trina Jackson 16:33.48 3. Alexis Larsen 16:36.28
50m freestyle 1. Nicole Haislett 26.06 2. Kim Johnson 26.11 3. Richelle Depold 26.21