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By Pauline Vu

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

UCLA will not be sending any swimmers to Sydney, but at the recent U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Indianapolis, three Bruins proved they are among the top 16 in the nation.

The best thing her swimmers can take from the trials, according to Bruin head coach Cyndi Gallagher, is that it was an incredible learning experience.

“It showed everybody what it takes to be an Olympian,” Gallagher said. “We watched history. I wish that we could’ve been part of that history. I really thought we could have.”

What the trials taught the Bruins was that it takes more that skill to win. It takes heart, as well.

“The people who made the team more than just wanted it,” Gallagher said. “They had talent, but they did something extra.”

Still, no Bruin came home too disappointed that she isn’t going to the Games, as the trials themselves were memorable.

“It was really inspiring to witness so many fast swims and American records being set,” said senior-to-be Brighid Dwyer.

For races of 200-meters and lower, the top 16 of all the preliminary heats qualify for the semifinals. The top eight in the semifinals qualify for the finals and in that race the top two swimmers earn the two Olympic berths for the U.S.

Of all the Bruins, 2000 graduate Keiko Price came to closest to making the Olympic team. After the prelims of the 50m free, she had the sixth-best time (26.00 seconds) going into the semifinals. There, she placed ninth with a time of 25.75, missing a berth to the finals by just eight-tenths of a second.

“I was a little disappointed, but I did the best that I could,” Price said. “If I could take anything positive out of it, I did go a best time.”

In her other event, the 100m free, Price also made it to the semifinals, where she placed 16th (56.80).

The trials were her last official races ever. Price intends to stop competitive swimming.

“I’d like to thank my coaches for the four years here at UCLA,” she said, reflecting on her years as a Bruin, “and for making me a better person and a better swimmer.”

Other top Bruin finishers included senior Beth Goodwin, who qualified for the semifinals of the 100m fly by placing 11th in the prelims. At the semifinals she placed 12th in 1:01.44.

Goodwin also placed 76th in the 200m fly prelims (2:21.31) and 51st in the 50m free prelims (27.02).

Junior Nicole Beck was the last Bruin to make the cut from the prelims to go on to the semifinals. She placed 16th (1:01.35) in the prelims of the 100m butterfly and improved that to 14th place in the semifinals (1:02.50).

“It was kind of unexpected. I swam better in the event I don’t really train very much for,” Beck said, referring to her specialties, the 100m and 200m backstroke.

Her performance in the 100m butterfly prelims put her in the same heat as eventual winner Jenny Thompson.

“It was nerve-wracking but exciting at the same time, just to be in the same heat with her and race her,” Beck said.

Except for one swimmer, every Bruin swimmer set at least one new personal record. Dwyer, who said before the meet that she was going to beat her old record, did it in both the 100m fly and the 100m back.

“I’m a little bit (disappointed),” Dwyer said. “I went to best times, but I know I can go faster. I just don’t think everything came together at the meet.”

Still, coach Gallagher was pleased with her team for their accomplishments.

“To go to that meet and swim a best time is good because it’s the most intense eight days of your life,” she said.

The swimmers said the trials were an emotionally draining experience.

“I don’t think there’s a swimmer there who doesn’t have their eye set on making the team and going to the Olympics, even though there’s a select few who go,” Beck said. “You saw a lot of people there crying, tears of joy or tears of pain.”

The future of Bruin swimming also proved their stuff at the trials. Recruits Sarah Platzer swam in the 50m and 100m free, and Brooke Winkler and Cathy Coler both swam the 200m and 400m IM, and 200m breaststroke.

On the men’s side, Byron Davis (’93) placed 16th in the semifinals of the 100m fly, but was disqualified in the 50m free.

Nicole Beck – 100m fly semifinals, 14th (1:02.50); 100m back prelims, 20th (1:04.80); 200m back prelims, 29th (2:19.02); Leanne Cadag – 100m back prelims (1:07.50); Byron Davis – 50m free prelims, dq; 100m fly semifinals 16th, (55.63); Brighid Dwyer – 100m fly prelims, 89th (1:04.49); 100m back prelims, (1:07.00); Beth Goodwin – 50m free prelims, 51th (27.02); 100m fly semifinals, 12th (1:01.44); 200m fly prelims, 76th (2:21.31); Lyndee Hovsepian – 100m breast prelims, 62nd (1:14.43); 200m breast prelims, 78th (2:42.39); Keiko Price – 50m free semifinals, 9th (25.75); 100m free semifinals, 16th (56.80); Katie Younglove – 100m fly prelims, 24th (1:01.80); 200m fly prelims, 46th (2:18.50); Erin Zehntner – 200m free prelims, 39th (2:05.06); 400m free prelims, 29th (4:19.92)

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