NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- It comes down to this for Beth Botsford: She needs to strengthen her shoulders.
The North Baltimore Aquatic Club star came up short in the 200-meter backstroke in the Phillips 66 National Swimming Championships last night, finishing fourth because she slowed in the last 100 as a result of shoulder soreness stretching back to early summer.
"It's a lot harder bringing it back now," Botsford said. "I had problems in both shoulders -- tendinitis and rotator cuff -- plus a stomach virus.
"That took its toll. I was cutting practice short. That was good for the long run, because I didn't risk serious injury, but poor preparation for this meet."
Her time [2: 14.50] was four seconds off her best. She did a 1: 05 in the first 100 and a 1: 09 in the telling final 100.
"I definitely have to strengthen my shoulders," Botsford said.
Despite the disappointing 200, in which she trailed Amanda Adkins, Lea Maurer and Lia Oberstar, Botsford made the team for the world championships in Australia in January with a second in the 100 backstroke on Monday.
She also qualified in the 100 for the Pan Pacific Championships, PTC Aug. 10-13 in Japan, but declined.
"She was in Japan in June, and we figure once in Japan in one summer is enough," NBAC coach Murray Stephens said. "As an Olympic champion, she swam in an exhibition there during the International Hall of Fame program."
Swimmers on the world-championships team can earn prize money for medals -- $20,000 for gold, $10,000 for silver and $5,000 for bronze. Botsford will decline the money, just as she did the $70,000 she could have collected for her 100 backstroke and medley-relay victories in the Atlanta Olympics.
A Garrison Forest junior, Botsford intends to swim in college, and doubtless will command a full scholarship, but would be ineligible in the eyes of the NCAA if she accepted prize money now.
"I asked a lot of swimmers in Atlanta what I should do," Botsford said. "They all said not to take it, that the college swimming experience was the favorite part of their careers."
Former NBAC swimmer Anita Nall, who won three Olympic medals in 1992, accepted the prize money. She is attending Arizona State, but can't swim for the school.
University of Texas senior Neil Walker qualified for the worlds in his fourth individual event with a second in last night's 50 freestyle. He'll swim the 200 backstroke today as the meet concludes.
Tom Dolan captured his seventh national title and second this week, taking the 200 individual medley despite cramps, dizziness and an asthma attack. He has long suffered from asthma.
NOTES: Brad Schumacher (Bowie High, University of Pacific) was 15th in the 50 freestyle. He made the world team based on his third in the 100 free as a 400 freestyle-relay member. In her fourth and final event, the Retriever Aquatic Club's Megan Melgaard (Severna Park) was 50th in the 200 backstroke. Frederick's Beau Wiebel (Middletown High, University of Georgia) tied for 26th in the 200 individual medley with a 2: 09.16. Gary Hall, swimming's rebel, has a new look: a gold tooth with a star cut into it. An Atlanta Olympics souvenir, he said, "a creative effort by my dentist." No relation, no typos: The sixth and eighth finishers in the women's 100 breaststroke were Lindsey Ertter and Lindsay Etter, respectively. Ertter, 14, is from Great Falls, Va., and Etter, 21, is from Houston. The words on Bill Roberts' T-shirt elicited a chuckle: "If Swimming Was Easy, They'd Call It Football." Roberts, Navy's assistant coach, is here looking for recruits and watching Mids senior captain John Loftin. After finishing 60th in Monday's 100 freestyle, Loftin was 59th in the 50 freestyle in 24.39 seconds yesterday.
Swimmers who qualified for the world championships yesterday: Women's 800 freestyle: Brooke Bennett, 8: 28.79; Diana Munz, 8: 36.26. Men's 50 freestyle: Bill Pilczuk, 22.60; Neil Walker, 22.63. Women's 200 backstroke: Amanda Adkins, 2: 12.62; Lea Maurer, 2: 12.88. Men's 200 individual medley: Tom Dolan, 2: 01.18; Ron Karnaugh, 2: 02.88
Pub Date: 8/01/97
