The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, JuIy 8, 2003- 21 ____ k~4LL \~jILL ~ Porenta's Oympi dream draws dloser Milton swimming star breaks 57-second -~ mark in lOOmfreesiyle at World Trials By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion J enn-ifer Porenta's Olympie dream drew a huge step doser to reality recently in Victori a. There Mvilons 18-year-old sssî,,mming ace delivered three top- eighl pertormances ai the World Trials,. highlighting her ssesî coasi campaign with a second-place lin- sh inflie I IX-mieire Ireestyle June 29. Moire i npoiiaily Ilian securing silser. the local pooi shark mian- aged 1o dip undertheL 57-second miark a (ceal achies cd hy onls iire ni Canada's six qualiicis loi thie 2(10) Summier Gamnes. While ()Iympic Ones lhav e impro ed significantly silice ihen. Porenla*s 56.8(6,,cl,ori ceriainly puis lier ini elite conipany. -Breaking 57 secoinds has been a dreamni o'mine lfor a sshile:' said the Ireestyle star. ssho %v as a scant .14 seconds beinid golden girl Laura Nicholîs. "Aller posîîng a 57.18 in the heat eveni, i really put il in nîy head ihat i could do il (go under 57s). I'd neyer been that locused in my life.- And having besîed her 100m record ilire imes already thîs year, the Olympic conîcoder bel ieves the best is yei 10 come. -1 really îhink îhaî there's stîll rnom for improve- ment. 1 can still gel better with my breathing andi other lhings.- Porenta had actually been strug glîng up util the World Trials \)wiih some sprîng llness hindering lier preparations andi gol oh lii a îcky siarl in the 410m inreestyle. ss hich she essenlially hîîiibed ss ith a 241h place lînîslî. I vsas ssearing a ness, suit and il kînd id hurt mny slîîulders ai lirsi. But ti he 41)0nisni ' nue olmy main es enis. so 1 ically ss asn i ss on îed ai Qîiicklx' rallviiig (fromi is sub- par siari. sle iurned in tsso straighî personal besîs iii the June 28 210mn --lte second ofd s'hcli, a 2:1)3(19. ssvas gond enouIgh loi- ses enth in the fInaIs. Rccalled Pnretita, That gave nie a lot of confidenîce and acted like a springboard (or the 1l(Xm." Following her silver-medal per- formance in the 1 00m, Multon's top swimmer capped the World Triais wiîh a ftfth-place showing in the 50m freestyle June 30. She jusi missed selîîng a new individual benchmark by clocking in ai 26.52, and was a hearibeai away from clinching anoîher medal. Porenta's 1010 and 200m limes have qualîfîed her bo compele ai next monîh's FISU World University Cames in South Korea. She saîd. 'l'm really excîîcd about this. 1 îîced some more intemalîuîn- aI experictîce. lits a big step.: But Porenta ssîll need a financial boost tb make il overseas, and any- otie sishing 10 help sponsor her trip s asked Io contact local swîm insîruclor Emîl Dimitrov ai (905) 878-4130). Meanss hile, Ielloss Milionian Krîsîîn Mcilroy alsn participated ai the Wnrld Trials - highlighîiîîg lier efforts wiîh a 201h place per- formance in the 200m backsîroke. The 16-year-old also broke the îop-30 in the 50m backsîroke. fi- ishîng 28th. St'îe Leffluiîcan bc reaclied ut Jr. Sox rally to topple G'town Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Jennifer Porenta proudly displays the silver medal she captured in the 10Dmi freestyle at the reent World Trials in Victoria. The Junior Red Sox gave their coaches aîd ltans more than a tcss anxious moments in Georgetowni Wedncsday evening. Expecîed to deliver anoîher mercy bealing on the basemcîîî-dwelling Eagles, Milton însîead was sîuck n tîcutral utîtil the final inning - when a now-or- neyer surge resulîed in fine runs anîd an eventual 12-5 comcback victory. "Oh yeah, very much so," said manager Glenn Turner. when asked about feeling nervous as the nighî wore on. "We sure left il (offensive bursi) 'tilI the last minute. We should have put îhem away imuch sonner." Ryan Harper picked up the win with two-and-a-third innings nI relief work- following a solid showing by Kevin Cooper - and also facîored heavily int the îîinth-inning rally wiîh a pair of mons. Overaîl, Conan O'Brien was the top offensive per- lormner wilh four bits and an RFi. Millon's cluîch comeback punctuaîed a raîher long and emolionally-charged clash, in which catcher Mike Austen and Iwo hosi players were thrown out. Remarked Turner, il was a night of fireworks alrighî." The Red Sox travel 10 Brampton Thursday evening for a gaine that could essenîially determine who qual- ifies for Ibis year's Ontario 'C' charnpionships, which Milton won last surrmer. FRE a LT!a (Fîve 36kg bags) FRE INSTALLATION When you buy a Culligan Water Softener d 623 MAIN ST. EAST, MILTON (905) 8l8m2474