Don’t Expect Much From U.S. Swim Team In Atlanta

Most of American swimming’s old guard got washed away at the Olympic Trials, leaving a bunch of youngsters to disprove projections the combined U.S. teams will win only four gold medals at the Atlanta Games.

Summer Sanders, Anita Nall, Mel Stewart and Tom Jager - all gold medalists in the 1992 Olympics - retired after failing to make another team.

Amy Van Dyken, Brooke Bennett, Amanda Beard, Gary Hall Jr. and Tom Dolan emerged as the hottest new prospects at the Olympic trials that ended Tuesday. But many of the U.S. swimmers will be underdogs for medals.

“We cannot be favored in any event,” said Richard Quick of Stanford, the head women’s coach. “I don’t know how we could structure anything so we could be favored for a gold.”

Based on world rankings for 1994-95, the American women are projected to win no gold, six silver and three bronze in Atlanta. The Chinese women would win 10 gold, four silver and four bronze and top the medal standings with 18.

The picture isn’t quite as bleak for the U.S. men. The rankings suggest they would win four gold, three silver and five bronze for a leading 12 medals. Russia would be second with eight medals overall, including five gold.

The trials were not a showcase for fast times, leaving many to wonder about the quality of the U.S. team.

For the first time since 1920, no world or American records were set.

The women should show the biggest improvement in the four months leading up to the Olympics.

Van Dyken’s goal is to go under 25 seconds in the 50 free. She won the trials in 25.17.

Much is expected of the three girls who are the first 14-year-olds on the team in 20 years.