Olympic champs to miss U.S. nationals, Goodwill Games

Olympic gold medallists Lenny Krayzelburg and Misty Hayman head the list of top U.S. swimmers who will miss their national championships or the Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia.

Krayzelburg and Hyman will miss both the nationals, due to start in California on Tuesday and the Goodwill Games starting on August 29, because of shoulder injuries.

Krayzelburg, a triple world record-holder who won three gold medals in Sydney last year, underwent surgery two weeks ago and will be out of the water for another four weeks.

Hyman, who upset Australia's Susie O'Neill in the 200-metres butterfly - an event in which O'Neill, the world record-holder, had not been beaten in six years - at last year's Sydney Olympics injured her shoulder training several weeks ago, then reinjured it.

"It's nothing serious," Hyman told Reuters, "but my doctor says I won't be able to use the shoulder for another several weeks."

Also missing from both meets are world 50 and 100-metre freestyle champion Anthony Ervin, world record holder for the 50-metres breaststroke Ed Moses, Olympic 400-metre freestyle bronze medallist Klete Keller, Olympic bronze medallist Kaitlin Sandeno, and Olympian Maddy Crippen, who broke her jaw in an auto accident two weeks ago.

Other Olympians passing on both meets include silver medallists Kristy Kowal, Diana Munz, Ian Crocker and Erik Vendt.

Relay gold medallist Courtney Shealy will also miss both meets.

School Commitments
American 50, 100 and 200-metre backstroke record-holder Natalie Coughlin, a sophomore at the University of California, has decided she cannot afford to miss school, as has Maggie Bowen and Olympic 200-metres backstroke silver medallist Aaron Peirsol.

Olympic 100-metre breaststroke gold medallist Megan Quann, a high school senior, is entered at the U.S. nationals but has said she does not plan to compete at the Goodwill Games.

USA team captain Josh Davis will compete at the nationals but has also decided to pass on the Goodwill Games.

"I'd love to go to Brisbane and swim in the Goodwill Games," Davis, a three-time Olympic gold medallist said, "but I don't want to be away from my wife and kids and I can't afford to give up two weeks of my time without compensation."

Sixteen year-old Michael Phelps, who set a world record in the 200-metre butterfly at the World Championships, is entered at the Nationals, but only in the 100-metre butterfly and 200-metre individual medley.

He has already indicated he does not plan on going to Brisbane.

Prospects
The American prospects for the Goodwill Games, however, are not all bleak. Triple Olympic gold medalist Brooke Bennett, who did not swim in the March selection meet for the World Championships is in good health and ready to re-establish herself as the queen of distance swimming.

Gary Hall, Jr., who won two gold and two silver medals in Atlanta and a gold, two silvers and a bronze medal in Sydney, will be competing, though only in the 50-metres freestyle.

Tom Dolan, the 1996 and 2000 Olympic champion in the 400m individual medley, hopes to compete in Brisbane, though he has only returned to training after a long post-Olympic layoff.

Dr. Ron Karnaugh, an orthopedic surgeon, hopes to become the oldest member of the US team competing at the Goodwill Games.

Karnaugh, 35, swam in the 1992 Olympics and just missed making the 1996 and 2000 US Olympic teams. He was a silver medalist at the 1998 Goodwill Games.