CRANBURY, New Jersey, August 22. ONE of the greatest performances of the summer was Dara Torres' American-record showing in the 50-meter freestyle at the United States National Championships in Indianapolis earlier this month. Clocking 24.53, Torres broke her own American mark of 24.63. Days earlier, Torres won the 100 free in 54.45, the second-fastest time of her career.
But, what about the possibility of Torres adding the 100 butterfly to her agenda? Well, don't count on it. During an interview with Swimming World Magazine in Indianapolis, Torres indicated that her plate is full with the sprint-free events. As a 40-year-old, recovery doesn't come as quickly as it once did and adding the fly to the equation would be too much.
During her last comeback, in 2000, Torres raced three individual events at the Sydney Olympics, earning bronze medals in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly. This time around, however, she has opted to be careful, a wise decision. So, don't look for Torres in the 100 fly, an event in which she formerly held the American record. Do look for Torres to continue this splendid return to the water, with a trip to Beijing sitting out there.
