Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 29, 1995 TAG: 9508010011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. AND DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Actually, Whichard flew to Roanoke from Palo Alto, Calif., where she was training with a year-round swim team as recently as Tuesday.
By Wednesday, she was back home in Roanoke and on Friday she was doing her best to help the Roanoke Country Club swim team win the Duane Whitenack Memorial City/County swim meet at Radford's Dedmon Center Natatorium.
Whichard won three gold medals, but Roanoke Country Club trailed two-time defending champion Elks Club by 841/2 points - 2,550-2,465.5 - heading into today's last day of competition. (Results in Scoreboard. B4)
Jet lag did not appear to be a factor for Whichard, a 14-year-old rising ninth-grader at Hidden Valley Middle School, who spent the summer living in California with her mother, Susan. She won gold medals in the 100-meter individual medley, the 50 backstroke and the 50 freestyle.
``It worked out well that I was able to swim in the City/County,'' said Whichard, who worked out with the Palo Alto Swim Club this summer.
``I improved in all my events there. It was a good experience. Now, I just want to get as many points for RCC as I can.''
As glad as Roanoke Country Club is to see Whichard back, the team actually is fortunate that she went to California. If she hadn't, Whichard, who swims for the Roanoke Gators year-round team in the winter, probably would be at the Junior Olympics at Hargrave Academy in Chatham this weekend.
That's where a few of the best younger swimmers are, even though the meet boasts a record-field of 1,163 swimmers.
Among those not at this year's City/County meet is Brett Fonder, who set five records last year and was instrumental in helping Elks Lodge win the team title. Roanoke Country Club is without one of its top swimmers, Cameron Johnson.
The Junior Olympics draw the top young swimmers from across the state who swim year-round.
``Brett Fonder would love to go to City-County,'' said Doug Fonder, Brett's father and coach of the Roanoke Gators. ``He wanted to, but I told him he wasn't being fair to himself if he wanted to be the best swimmer he could be.
``The City/County should be two weeks from now or last week. United States Swimming has set guidelines in which it asks the local associations to leave open the second weekend in August or the third weekend in July for local championships. This is the only area of the state that goes in conflict with the J.O.'s.''
Pat Willard, one of the City/County directors, said the Roanoke Valley Aquatics Association has little flexibility on its summer schedule and has historically held the City/County meet during the last week of July.
"It was never a problem until a couple of years ago, when the J.O.'s moved their meet,'' said Willard. ``We can't really start or stop this meet any earlier or later.''
Willard said she believed year-round swimmers who chose to participate in the Junior Olympics were making the correct decision.
``If I had a child who was talented enough, I'd want him to go to the J.O.'s,'' said Willard. ``I know it's fun here [at the City/County meet], but the J.O.'s are tremendous. Besides, some of the summer swimmers [who don't swim year-round] have a chance to shine this weekend.''
The Blacksburg Sunfish, which are in third place, are missing one of their best swimmers, Eunice Kim, who has gone to the Junior Olympics.
``For her individual development and growth, the J.O.'s [are] the right place for her,'' said Sunfish coach James Wolfle. ``From my standpoint, I'm trying to get my fastest kids to go to J.O.'s. ... There's not much of a conflict on my part. There is a conflict because kids want to be with their teammates.''
UPSET: Hunting Hills' Lissa Wood was the surprising winner in two of the strongest girls' events. With powerful swimmers Carolyn Bucher and Brooke Fonder in the field, Wood swam away with gold medals in the 15-16 division of the 100-meter individual medley and the 50 freestyle. She nipped Bucher by less than a second in both races.
Wood is 17 but she's able to race in a younger age division because her birthday is after June1.
``I'm friends with both [Bucher and Fonder],'' said Wood, a rising senior at Cave Spring. ``Brooke's one year behind me in school. Carolyn, in my opinion, is one of the best swimmers in the country, but she's been off a couple of months and is just getting back in shape.''
RECORD TIME: Four swimmers set multiple records during Friday's competition. Spring Run's Andy Bauman set three and Castle Rock's Matthew Smith, Lady of Nazareth's Bernetta McGuire and Elks Club's Morgan Maxwell set two each.
by CNB