Boys swimming: Peirsol goes ‘Krayze’ at Invitational

Tony Altobelli

LOS ANGELES - Sometimes it’s important to remember that when you

talk with Newport Harbor High junior Aaron Peirsol, you’re talking to a

16-year-old kid who happens to be a world-class swimmer.

Shortly after stunning the packed house at the USC Swimming pool by

defeating the best swimmers in the world in the 200-meter backstroke at

the Janet Evans Invitational the topic that lit his face the brightest?

Tonight’s Metallica concert next door at the L.A. Coliseum.

“Man, that’s going to be a killer show,” Peirsol said with boyish

glee. “My buddy is going to the concert and he didn’t get me a ticket

because he didn’t think I was worth the $70 bucks. Maybe you could get me

a media pass or something.”

Perhaps not worth $70 at the moment, but if he keeps this current

pace, he’ll be able to have Metallica play at his senior prom.

Peirsol, competing for the Irvine Novaquatics, knocked off some, if

not all the best backstrokers in the world, including current

world-record holder Lenny Krayzelburg, with a time of 1:59.01, edging the

USC Swim Club star’s time of 1:59.34.

The win is the first for Peirsol over Krayzelburg. In fact, it’s the

first time Krayzelburg has been beaten in a 200-meter long course event

since 1996.

“There weren’t too many top swimmers away from this event,”

Novaquatics Coach David Salo said. “This is a great for Aaron to have

this win under his belt. I don’t think necessarily for his confidence,

because that’s already strong. But there’s nothing wrong with getting

under someone’s skin.”

Krayzelburg was second, while Croatian Olympian Gordan Kozulj was

third with a 2:00.73.

Despite the big accomplishment, Peirsol remained calm and cool,

recognizing that his biggest race takes place August 9 at the Olympic

Trials in Indianapolis, Ind.

“I’m sure Lenny shrugged it off,” Peirsol said. “I’ll do the same. I

definitely think we both learned from this race. We each have four weeks

and I’m not sure how much you can improve in only four weeks.”

Peirsol got off the wall slower than both Krayzelburg and Kozulj,

posting a 28.27 after 50 meters, good for third place.

“That’s a part of his race we’ve been working on,” Salo said. “We’re

still going to keep improving on that as well as his turns for

Indianapolis.”

Peirsol, a three-time CIF individual champion at Newport Harbor, found

his stroke in the next 50 meters, moving ahead of Kozulj, but still

behind Krayzelburg by just over one second.

“I couldn’t see anything,” Peirsol said when asked if he knew how

close he was. “The sun was right in my face. All I saw was sky and sun.”

The lead actually stretched to 1.57 seconds by 150 meters, but that’s

when Peirsol slammed it into overdrive.

“That’s actually been the closest he’s ever been to Lenny at that

point,” Salo said.

With each stroke, Peirsol inched closer and closer to last year’s U.S.

Swimmer of the Year and swam a remarkable 30.21 in the final 50 meters.

“I think that Aaron sent out a message to the rest of his

competitors,” Salo said. “Make sure you have a big enough lead, because

he’ll track you down.”

Finally, after Peirsol and Krayzelburg hit the wall, the scoreboard

flashed the times and the Novaquatics’ fans and teammates went crazy with

the results.

“Honestly, I’m not all that surprised,” Salo said of the win. “We’ve

been getting closer and closer each time. This time, we finally caught up

to him.”

Peirsol’s time was the second-fastest in his career. He swam a 1:57.03

in the Senior Nationals last year.

“I still haven’t had a 1:58 yet,” Peirsol joked. “I’ve gotten 1:59s

and that one 1:57. Maybe soon.”