LONG BEACH, California, 12 June 2004 — Craig Stevens, who was thrust into the spotlight in swimming mad Australia when he held superstar Ian Thorpe’s Olympic fate in his hands, won the 800m freestyle at the Janet Evans Invitational meet on Thursday in his first competition since the Australian Olympic trials.
Stevens posted a personal best of 7min 54.47sec in the event, which is not on the Olympic program for men, to edge American Erik Vendt (7:55.10).
The 23-year-old Australian was especially pleased with the time since it came in the midst of stringent training, and on the heels of two weeks of altitude training with some of his Australian Olympic teammates in Flagstaff, Arizona, followed by a week of training in Phoenix.
“I haven’t been under eight minutes in hard training — that was a two-second personal best for myself,” he said. “I can’t complain.”
Stevens shot to prominence earlier this year as he decided whether to give up his 400m freestyle berth at the Athens Olympics to pave the way for defending Olympic champion Thorpe to swim the event.
Stevens, who announced on April 26 that he would forego the event to concentrate on the 1,500m free in Athens, said it was a relief to have the whole matter behind him and focus again on training.
He admitted the attention over the past couple of months wasn’t what he was used to.
Thorpe, who also qualified for the Athens Games in the 100m and 200m freestyle as well as three relays, was part of the Australian group that trained in Arizona. He is among the dozen Aussies entered in this US grand prix event, which is being held in a temporary outdoor pool that will serve as the venue for the US Olympic trials in July.
In the only other event on Thursday’s schedule, American Kalyn Keller won the women’s 800m free in 8:31.97, ahead of compatriot Hayley Peirsol, who clocked 8:35.06. Australian Linda MacKenzie was third in 8:35.26.
