Men's Swimming

    Jan. 6, 1998

    USC Swimming Contingent Set for Major Role at World Championships

    LOS ANGELES - The USC men's and women's swimming program will have 7 swimmers and 2 coaches competing at the 1998 World Swimming Championships, in Perth, Australia, Jan. 7-18.

    Among the current USC swimmers competing at the World Championships are senior Lenny Krayzelburg (U.S.) and juniors Lindsay Benko (U.S.), Bela Szabados (Hungary) and Mark Kwok (Hong Kong). Recent alums Brad Bridgewater (U.S.) and Kristine Quance (U.S.), both 1996 Olympic gold medalists, and David Meca (Spain) will also compete.

    USC swimming coach Mark Schubert and USC diving coach Jeff Shaffer are both serving as assistant coaches on the United States team. Highlighting USC's group is Krayzelburg, the reigning NCAA champion in the 200-yard backstroke and currently the top-ranked swimmer in the world in both the 100-meter and 200-meter backstrokes, and Quance, a contender in the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medleys, 100-meter breaststroke and the 200-meter butterfly. They were chosen as Swimming World's 1997 Male and Female Swimmers of the Year.

    Bridgewater will compete in the 200-meter backstroke, the same event in which he won the gold medal in Atlanta in 1996. Benko, a 4-time NCAA champion, will compete in the 200-meter freestyle and 800-meter freestyle relay.

    Szabados will compete in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyles while Kwok will race in the 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter and 400-meter individual medleys and 400-meter freestyle. Both are NCAA All-Americans. Meca will compete in both of the Open Water races, the 5-kilometer and 25-kilometer freestyles. 

    USC day-by-day at the World Championships in Perth, Australia
Jan. 7    -    David Meca (5-kilometer free)
Jan. 11   -    David Meca (25-kilometer free)
Jan. 12   -    Kristine Quance (400m IM)
               Bela Szabados (200m free)
Jan. 13   -    Lindsay Benko (200m free)
               Mark Kwok (400m IM)
               Kristine Quance (100m breast)
Jan. 14   -    Mark Kwok (200m fly)
Jan. 15   -    Bela Szabados, Mark Kwok (400m free)
               Lenny Krayzelburg (100m back)
Jan. 16   -    Kristine Quance (200m IM)
Jan. 17   -    Mark Kwok (200m IM)
               Lindsay Benko (800m free relay)
Jan. 18   -    Kristine Quance (200m fly)
               Lenny Krayzelburg, Brad Bridgewater (200m back)