YOU’RE NEVER TOO old, they say. Well that can certainly be applied to Janet Evans, 40, who registered, not one, but two Olympic qualifying times to advance to the US Olympic trials this June.
Evans won three gold medals as a teenager at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, including a world record setting performance in the 400 meters. She retained her 800 meter freestyle title in 1992, but retired after an underwhelming showing in Atlanta 1996. At those games, Evans was one of the foremost athletes to cast aspersions on Michelle Smith, whose three gold medals in Evans’ events were subsequently tarnished when Smith was found guilty of tampering with a urine sample.
“This is my first big event with fast kids since 1996, I felt really good starting off, especially in the first 400 (meters).” Evans told the Associated Press at the Austin Grand Prix yesterday.
The mother of two recorded a time of 8 minutes and 49 seconds in the 800 meters, remarkably just 12 seconds slower than her Olympic time in 1996.
“It was always my best event,” she said of the 800. “I remember what I’ve accomplished and what I’ve done, but it doesn’t affect me now. It was so long ago.”
On Friday, Evans achieved a time of 4 minutes, 17 seconds in the 400 meter freestyle but will be focusing on the longer distance when the US trials come around in the summer, a month before the start of London 2012.
Watch Evans’ reaction to making the 400m cut on Friday here.
YouTube credit: USASwimmingOrg
Additional reporting by AP
