Targeting world record

Steve Virgen

Aaron Peirsol stopped short of making any predictions for today’s

men’s 100-meter backstroke race that includes an intriguing field of

swimmers and is billed as the most competitive men’s event in the

U.S. Olympic trials.

However, on Thursday, Peirsol, the former Newport Harbor High swim

standout, said he’s due to break the world record in the 100 back

today at the U.S. Olympic trials at the Charter All Digital Aquatic

Centre in Long Beach.

Today’s 100 back will take place during the evening session that

starts at 4:45 p.m. Team USA will take the top two in each event.

“I feel like I’m ready [to break the world record in the 100

back],” said Peirsol, who recorded the top time in the 100 back

semifinals Thursday, finishing in 54.22 seconds. “If I can do it or

not, that’s the question. I’ll be gunning for it. The guy [Lenny

Krayzelburg] who owns the record is in the final. To break it with

him in it, that would mean a lot.

“I’m due,” said Peirsol, who was unshaven for Thursday’s race. “I

just hope for a good swim. It’s not a very easy heat.”

Krayzelburg, the 2000 Olympic gold medalist, set the world record

in 1999, when he finished in 53.60. Peirsol came within one

one-hundredths of a second (53.61) when he won the 100 back title at

the FINA World Championships last summer.

In addition to Krayzelburg, Jeff Rouse, the 1992 gold medalist in

the midst of a comeback after seven years away from the sport, will

also be in the final, as will Peter Marshal, who qualified second in

55.09 and Randall Bal, who qualified fourth in 55.52. Bal and

Marshall have been training at Stanford with Rouse, who is a former

world-record holder.

Peirsol owns the world record in the 200 back (1:55.15), which he

broke in March of 2002. Peirsol said he has the same feeling now as

he did before that 2002 race, but he acknowledged the quest for the

world record will come under different circumstances.

“It’s a different situation,” said Peirsol, who recently signed a

lucrative contract with Nike, forfeiting his final two years at the

University of Texas. “When I broke the 200 back it was just me

against me. Now I got seven guys pushing me. But that actually might

be even more helpful.”

Eddie Reese, the Texas head man who is also the U.S. Olympic head

coach, said Peirsol will be at his best today. Peirsol said it would

take a special swim to win the event. Reese said Peirsol is capable

of such.

“Aaron has probably worked harder into these trials than anybody

on my team because he’s so tough and he’s so fast,” Reese said. “He’s

talking about going really fast [tonight]. He gets excited about who

he has to swim against. He’s excited about Michael [Phelps] being in

the 200 back. He loves challenges and it doesn’t matter who it is.”

Peirsol began his day with preliminaries in the morning. He

qualified second, winning his heat in 54.93. Krayzelburg qualified

first in 54.91, but came back with a 55.05 in the semifinal. However,

Peirsol is aware of Krayzelburg’s capabilities, and vice versa. A

rivalry seems to be renewed.

“He’s the most dangerous guy in the field,” Peirsol said. “He can

go 54-flat any day of the year. This was the semifinals. He wasn’t

wearing a cap.”

Said Krayzelburg: “I like to think when we race each other we

bring out the best in each other. That’s the case with me. He brings

out the best in me.”

Thursday’s Olympic trials also brought out the best in Brendan

Hansen, Peirsol’s college teammate, who broke the world record in the

men’s 100 breaststroke final in 59.30.