TRACY CAULKINS: SHE'S NO. 1 - Swimming World Magazine

USS NATIONALS WOMEN'S EVENTS BY BOB INGRAMPHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN HELMSTRACYPASSESTARZANDara Torres (left) and Debbie Risen were theonly new faces in the top spot at Gainesville,but Tracy Caulkins made the all-time No. Ispot with her 38th and 39th wins.50 FreeAMERICAN AND U.S. OPEN RECORDJill Sterkel, Texas (3-20-81) 22.41DEFENDING SHORT COURSE CHAMPION (Cambridge, 4-10-81)Jill Sterkel, Longhorn 22.51DEFENDING LONG COURSE CHAMPION (Brown Deer, 8-15-81)Jill Sterkel, Industry Hills1982 FINALISTS (April 9, 1982)Dara Torres, 14, Tandem 22.44Jill Sterkel, 20, Longhorn 22.46Laurie Lehner, 24, Florida St. 22.87Annie Lett 20, Bartow 23.23Lisa Remele, 18, Solotar 23.27Paige Zemina, 14, Fort Lauderdale 23.45Beth Emery, 20, SA Milk 23.52Susan Tietjen, 21, JCSC 23.64Here's one taken right out of a Fantasy Island script.Imagine, if you will, that you're a young 14-year-oldswimmer who has only been to a USS Senior Nationalstwice. When you arrive on Fantasy Island as guests ofRoarke and Tattoo, you tell them your "fantasy" is towin your first national title in the 50 yard freestyle.That's simple enough.But then you add that in winning the event, you'd liketo beat the defending champion--the four-timedefending champion. In fact, you'd like to beat the girlwho has never lost this race to another American."I couldn't believe I beat her," exclaimed an excitedDara Torres--only 14 years old--after she outtouchedAmerica's premier female sprinter, Jill Sterkel, 20, ofLonghorn, 22.44 to 22.46.It was hard to believe that Torres beat the shortcourse American record holder and long course worldrecord holder in this event, but it was very true.And not only was it a shot-in-the-arm to theyoungster from Tandem Swim Club in SouthernCalifornia, but it was also good medicine for U.S. swimming."They're the swimmers who are going to make U.S.swimming better," Sterkel said, referring to up-andcomersin general. Having swum at Nationals since1972, Sterkel knows. She's been in that position before.And as a veteran with 15 career AAU/USS titles underher belt, she added, "It also helps make a champion better."But for the moment, everyone seemed to want toshare the excitement with the slender 5-9, 135-poundchallenger."She had a heckuva swim. It was great," Sterkel said."People said I never had any guts at the end of therace. I wanted to show everyone I had guts," analyzedTorres.Dara's coach, Terry Palmer, really didn't haveanything to say about his swimmer's performance. Instead,he let his actions do the talking for him. "Mycoach just hugged and kissed me," Torres said.Swimming World/June 45