Fastest Swimmer Sinks On Technicality

The fastest woman didn’t swim the 400-meter individual medley final in the U.S. Olympic Trials on Wednesday night. The second-fastest woman did and she won.

Kristine Quance blew away the field by 4 seconds in the morning preliminary heats only to be disqualified for an obscure violation rarely called at the world-class level.

Allison Wagner, the second-fastest qualifier, easily won the final in 4 minutes, 41.61 seconds to earn a spot on the Olympic team. Whitney Metzler of Glen Rock, Pa., claimed the second berth by finishing second in 4:46.28.

Quance’s elimination for using an illegal stroke created a new controversy for U.S. swimming officials on the opening day of the Olympic trials, a meet already overshadowed by the presence of freestyler Jessica Foschi, who tested positive for steroids last year.

U.S. Swimming reversed a two-year ban on Foschi and gave her two years’ probation, clearing the way for her to swim today in the 200 freestyle.

Jenny Thompson was the day’s other surprise. She failed to make the team in the 100 freestyle, an event in which she is a former world record holder and the 1992 Olympic bronze medalist.

Thompson was the only swimmer to break 56 seconds in the prelims. She did so again in the final, but it wasn’t enough. Amy Van Dyken of Englewood, Colo., became the first swimmer on the 1996 Olympic team with a victory in 55.27.

Quance, meanwhile, has three more chances to make the Olympic team, in the 100 breaststroke, the 200 breaststroke and the 200 IM.