ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 23, 1996 TAG: 9607230076
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: Associated Press
Two more Olympic golds and three more silvers gave the United States one of its best nights in the pool Monday. And its biggest star, Janet Evans, wasn't even in the water.
Her U.S. teammates salvaged a day that began with Evans' astonishing failure to qualify for a race she has dominated, the 400-meter freestyle. Instead, it ended with five more medals when Beth Botsford and Whitney Hedgepeth finished 1-2 in the 100 backstroke, the women's 400 freestyle relay team won gold; and silvers were won by Gary Hall Jr. in the 100 freestyle and Tom Malchow in the 200 butterfly.
The only thing missing was Evans' familiar, springy stride to the medals podium.
Evans, who has four gold medals from two previous Olympics, still could tie speed skater Bonnie Blair for the most golds among U.S. women if she wins the 800 freestyle on Thursday night.
She didn't get to do that Monday night because of Ireland's Michelle Smith.
A ruling just before qualifying allowed Smith to compete and she won the 400 freestyle, becoming the first double gold medalist at the Summer Games. She won the 400 individual medley Saturday.
Evans, who will retire after these Olympics, didn't get to the 400 final because she finished ninth in morning heats. The cut was eight.
Smith is an unlikely champion. She entered the Olympics ranked 41st in the 400 IM and out of the top 50 in the 400 freestyle, but she could end up with four gold medals if she wins the 200 IM and 200 butterfly.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected an appeal by the United States, Germany and the Netherlands of an International Olympic Committee decision allowing Smith to compete.
The United States leads swimming competition with 12 medals - four gold, seven silver and one bronze.
In the 400 freestyle, Smith pulled in front midway through the race and kept stretching her lead to win in 4 minutes, 7.25 seconds. Dagmar Hase of Germany, who edged Evans for the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics, was second in 4:08.30. Kirsten Vlieghuis of the Netherlands took third in 4:08.70.
Evans won in the 1988 Olympics when she was 17, setting a world record of 4:03.85 that still stands. And she hadn't lost that race in six years until finishing second at the 1992 Olympics.
Smith had the second-best qualifying time in the 400 freestyle earlier Monday. Had she been excluded from the race, Evans would have made it as the eighth and final qualifier.
Smith swam her qualifying time for the Olympics on July 6, one day after the deadline. FINA, swimming's international governing body, said she couldn't compete, then asked the IOC for direction.
In the 100 freestyle, world-record holder Alexander Popov outstretched Hall to win in 48.74. Hall, of Phoenix, finished in a career best 48.81.
``It was probably one of the toughest races in my career,'' said Popov, the first repeat winner of the 100 since Johnny Weissmuller in 1924 and 1928.
In the next race, Botsford of Baltimore and Hedgepeth of Rocky Mount, N.C., posted career best times of 1:01.19 and 1:01.47.
American women put a climax on the night as Angel Martino, Amy Van Dyken, Catherine Fox and Jenny Thompson won the relay in an Olympic record 3:39.29.
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP 1. U.S. swimmer Amy Van Dyken (right) embracesby CNBteammates Angel Martino (left) and Catherine Fox after Jenny
Thompson's anchor leg gave them a victory in the women's 400-meter
freestyle relay Monday night in Atlanta. color. 2. Smith (headshot)