Sophomore Parmenter Wins Three Events

IRVINE — Jennifer Parmenter, who last week won two events at Southern Section Division I finals, was a three-event winner on the first day of the Speedo Grand Challenge Swimming Invitational Friday at Heritage Aquatic Complex.

Parmenter, 16, a sophomore at Los Angeles Baptist who was representing Rose Bowl Aquatics, won the 200-meter individual medley, the 200 backstroke and the 50 freestyle, with record-breaking times coming in two of those events.

Her time of 2 minutes 19.25 seconds in the 200 IM broke Japanese Olympian Suzu Chiba’s 1996 meet record by .41. In the 200 back, Parmenter bettered Nicole Beck’s 1995 record by more than two seconds (2:21.72).

In the 100 breaststroke, it was a sweep by 12-year-olds as Rose Bowl’s Carly Geehr won the event in 1:14.96, and Irvine Novaquatics’ Kristen Caverly finished second in 1:15.51. Noticeably absent, however, was Olympian Amanda Beard of the Novaquatics, who missed the event because she had to take a test at Irvine High.

“She’s been missing too many days of schools,” said Beard’s father, Dan. “She missed eight days when she was in Sweden for Short Course World Championships, and she missed some others, so she had to take this test today.”

Beard will be competing today and Sunday, where she’ll be swimming one of her specialty strokes, the 200 breaststroke.

Beard’s teammate, Steve West, who barely missed making the U.S. Olympic team last year, set a record in the 100 breaststroke, winning in 1:03.94. West’s time eclipsed his 1995 mark of 1:06.25.

West, who seemed happy with his time, trains four days a week while holding down a full-time job.

“I feel good about that time. Especially since the horrible times I had at the [Short Course] World Championships two months ago,” West said. “My goal now is to make the U.S. Team for the World Championships. So I have to really work hard.”

Trials for the Long Course U.S. World Championships team are in July in Nashville, Tenn.

Although West indicated he would like another shot at the 2000 Games, he said he’s not sure if he wants to train four more years for the next Olympic trials.

“I’ll take one year at a time,” he said. “It’s a big commitment.”

Bart Sikora, 19, of the Mission Viejo Nadadores, was a double winner Friday. Sikora, a member of Poland’s Olympic team last year, won the 200 IM (2:09.61) and the 200 backstroke (2:06.98).

Other winners included James Davison of Mission Viejo, who won the 400 free and Adam Schmit, 31, of Shore Aquatic, who won the 50 free (23.52).