For Heyns, World-Record Performance Twice as Fun

Penny Heyns surprised herself early Saturday by setting a world record in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke during the sixth annual Janet Evans Invitational. But just to make sure, Heyns broke the record again several hours later.

Heyns, a South African who competes for the University of Calgary, broke Australian Rebecca Brown’s five-year-old mark of 2:24.76 with a time of 2:24.69 in qualifying, then bettered that with a mark of 2:24.51 in the final at USC McDonald’s Swim Stadium.

“I’m really pleased that I came back and did it tonight because . . . my track record is that I always seem to [swim fast] in the morning but then in the evening, I don’t come back [strongly],” said Heyns, who already owns world records in the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke.

“I was really concentrating on being a little relaxed [in the final]. But this is really amazing because I still get to the wall and feel like I have something left. But, I guess that’s how you’re supposed to feel.”

Heyns, a graduate of Nebraska, won gold medals in the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the 1996 Olympics. She was not expecting to swim so fast at the Evans Invitational because she is still in midseason training.

“Never in my wildest dreams [did I think] I would do this,” Heyns said. “I lifted [weights] on Monday and I’ve been training hard. This is almost scary.”

Heyns was not the only South African swimmer to have a big day. Ryk Neethling of Hillebrand, Ariz., became the first to win three individual titles in the meet when he won the 200 freestyle.

For the third day in a row, Neethling edged friend and rival Chad Carvin. Neethling had set meet records in the 800 freestyle on Thursday and the 400 freestyle on Friday, and won the 200 in 1:50.71 over Carvin, who swam for Mission Viejo and finished in 1:51.64.

Neethling said that he was motivated by Heyns’ morning race.

“To see Penny break the world record, if something like that doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what will,” he said. “We have been on the same national team for five or six years now. We’ve become really close . . . because the South African team is really small. . . . She’s awesome.”

Neethling will try for his fourth title today in the 1,500 freestyle.

“I always have a good time when I come here,” he said. “Hopefully, I can keep this going into the [Pan Pacific Championships next month].”

Jenny Thompson of Stanford claimed her second title of the meet by winning the 50 freestyle in 25.75 seconds over Joscelin Yeo of California. Thompson, who won the 100 freestyle on Friday, did not qualify for the 200 freestyle final.

Another winner in the four-day meet that will end tonight was Tom Wilkens of Santa Clara, who won the 200 breaststroke in 2:16.09 and the 400 individual medley in 4:23.79.