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August 17, 2004 10:19 pm

200 individual medley fits Beard perfectly

By NORM FRAUENHEIM

The Arizona Republic

ATHENS, Greece — Amanda Beard is at her third Olympics, but the 200 individual medley might as well be a new pair of shoes.

It didn’t take long for her to discover that it’s almost a perfect fit.

In Beard’s first attempt at the event in international competition, she won an Olympic silver medal Tuesday.

"I’m still trying to figure out how to go about it," she said after finishing at 2:11.70, within striking distance of the world’s most accomplished medley swimmer, Yana Klochkova (2:11.14) of the Ukraine. A little bit more figuring and the former Univesity of Arizona star will win the gold in four years.

For now, however, her silver medal is promising sign for what she intends to do Thursday in the 200 breaststroke. Beard came to Athens to win her first individual gold in her speciality.

"I think everybody has one event that they love and claim as their own," said Beard, who continues to live and train in Tucson. "For me, that’s the 200 breast." Beard, who has won silver in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events, has become the world’s best in the event during the last year. She holds a world record that at different times also has been held by Australia’s Leisel Jones and China’s Hui Qi.

The gold figures to go to one of the three.

If momentum counts for anything, Beard’s chances are good.

She narrowly missed the medal stand in the 100 breaststroke Monday with a fourth-place finish.

"I thought I swam well, but it’s still frustrating not to come away with a medal," she said. "In a way, that was good, because it motivated me. Now, I’ve won a medal that I really didn’t expect. It definitely boosted my confidence." After sitting in fifth through the backstroke and butterfly, Beard jumped to second during the breaststroke leg, which also included a challenge from fourth-place Agnes Kovacs (2:13.58), a Hungarian and Arizona State star.

But Beard could not quite overtake Klochkova, who also won gold in the 400 individual medley.

"Freestyle isn’t exactly my strongest suit," she said. "I’m here because of my breaststroke. At the same, I have to stay close in the butterfly and backstroke. I can’t let the rest of the field get too far out in front.

"I’m not Superwoman at breaststroke, either." A gold medalist would be super enough.

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