Pajer guides first Olympian

Steve Virgen

Brian Pajer, the UC Irvine swim coach, beamed with pride Tuesday as a

historic moment occurred for his club team, the Irvine Aquazots.

Kristen Caverly finished second in the women’s 200-meter

backstroke and became the first swimmer for the Aquazots to make the

U.S. Olympic team at the swim trials at the Charter All-Digital

Aquatic Centre in Long Beach.

The Aquazots began in the spring of 1999. Pajer, a UCI alumnus,

had coached for the Irvine Novaquatics and worked with Aaron Peirsol,

guiding him to swim the backstroke. Peirsol is the world-record

holder in the 200 back and won that event, along with the 100 back at

the swim trials this week.

Caverly, 19, of Stanford finished in 2 minutes, 12.70 seconds

behind Margaret Hoelzer, who touched the wall at 2:11.88.

“It’s great,” Pajer said. “I’ve coached her since she was 8 years

old. To see her go from that young to this level and make the

Olympics, it’s awesome.”

Pajer said Caverly’s performance should help his club team.

“For the program, I think it gives it credibility,” Pajer said.

“The program is capable of getting swimmers to the highest level.

We’ve always known that, but it’s a nice way to come around to show

everyone else what we already knew.”