Zikarsky Ends With a Victory

It just isn’t the same for Bjorn Zikarsky, who won the 100-meter freestyle on the last day of competition Sunday at the Speedo Grand Challenge Swimming Invitational in Irvine.

Zikarsky, 29, a member of Germany’s bronze-medal winning 400 relay team at the Atlanta Games, is in the clutches of burnout and knows this meet at the Heritage Aquatic Complex in Irvine is his last.

“I had to really work on that one [100 free],” Zikarsky said after the race. “It’s being mentally prepared that’s the hard part now. To get up for a race now is very difficult. Especially since I’ve accomplished all the goals I set for myself.”

Zikarsky, representing the Irvine Novaquatics, beat Bart Kizierowski of the Mission Viejo Nadadores, who swims collegiately for California. Zikarsky finished in 52.58 seconds; Kizierowski in 53.00.

“I competed for USC and I swam in the Olympics. Those were my dreams and goals,” Zikarsky said. “So I have nothing left to do in swimming.”

Zikarsky, who has lived in Southern California the last 10 years, will be leaving the area in two months. He plans to attend graduate school back East to earn his master’s degree in business.

The Novaquatics’ Steve West, 25, who just missed making the U.S. Olympic team last year, had a great swim in the 200 breaststroke. He set a meet record of 2:18.11. West was more than five seconds better than the mark he set in 1994. West won the 100 breaststroke Friday.

Philippe Demers of the Novaquatics capped the meet by winning the 200 butterfly in 2:05.96, just missing a meet record. The Nadadores’ Steven McLeod, 18, won the 1,500 freestyle in a meet record time of 16:06.18. McLeod’s time bettered Matt Carter’s 1996 meet record by more than 15 seconds. The Nadadores’ James Davison was second at 16:15.12.

Olympian Amanda Beard struggled in the 200 breaststroke but came on strong in the last 25 meters to win in 2:35.40. Beard, 15, who will be training hard the next two months in preparation for the World Championships, was challenged by Shannon Cullen of Redlands, who finished second in 2:36.07.

Jennifer Parmenter capped her three days of swimming as the 16-year-old Rose Bowl Aquatic swimmer won the 100 freestyle in 58.19.

In team scores, the Novaquatics scored 450 points to finish ahead of the defending champion Nadadores, who had 391, in the men’s competition. Industry Hills was third with 161. Rose Bowl won the women’s competition with 257. The Novaquatics were second with 193.