By Pauline Vu
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Against some of the nation’s and world’s top talent
at the recent Santa Clara International Swim Meet, UCLA
women’s swimmers, competing as a summer club called Team
Bruin, garnered 97.5 team points to place 19th.
“It was just another meet where we all learned
things,” Bruin senior Keiko Price said. “We just went
to get experience.”
This experience should be crucial come Aug. 9 when the U.S.
Olympic swim trials start. Several of the Bruins who participated
in the Santa Clara Invite will be going to the trials.
“These meets are just stepping-stones, just tuneups for
Olympic trials,” said UCLA head coach Cyndi Gallagher.
The Bruins appear to be right on track. Price broke her personal
record in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 25.93 seconds, her
first time under the 26-second barrier.
Her mark tied her with 1992 Olympic gold medalist Ashley Tappin
and placed her ahead of 1996 Olympic gold medalist Catherine Fox.
In that same race three-time Olympian Dana Torres set a new U.S.
record with a time of 24.73.
“It was good to race some of the people I’ll be
racing against at the trials,” Price said. “I have to
get used to it.”
Bruin sophomore Nicole Beck placed 10th in the 100m backstroke
and 12th in the 100m butterfly with times of 1:05.81 and 1:03.06,
respectively. Like Price, Beck set a new personal record in the
100m fly.
“I came in not thinking I was going to do very well, so I
wasn’t nervous. I didn’t feel a lot of pressure,”
Beck said, explaining her success. “I’m happy with how
I did.”
Beck is also preparing for Olympic tryouts. “After that
meet, I gained a lot more confidence. For now it’s just
perfecting your technique and staying quick,” she said.
Junior Beth Goodwin, who will also be at Olympic trials, placed
10th in the 200m fly at 2:17.50.
“I came close to my fastest 200 fly (long course) record,
which was really inspiring because I thought I could never go that
fast again,” Goodwin said.
Fifteen countries were represented at Santa Clara, including the
entire Japanese National Team, as well as other strong college
programs like Stanford.
Team Bruin will next compete at the Janet Evans Invite on July
14-16 at USC. Following that meet will be Olympic tryouts.
The Bruins say they’ll be prepared.
“It looks like I’m going to come close to my best
time, if not do better. We put in a lot of time this summer,”
Goodwin said. “We’re all swimming really, really
well.”
Added Price: “I think I’ll be ready by the time I go
to Olympic trials.”