Saturday, July 21, 2001
Local Olympians in world swim meet
Dusing, Phenix to swim relays
By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer
When are the World Championships an anticlimax? When you're Nate Dusing, and you're swimming only in a relay.
The Covington Catholic grad is in Fukuoka, Japan, for Worlds, which begin Sunday. Longtime girlfriend Erin Phenix (Ursuline) is with him — she'll also swim a relay — mirroring their joint medal-winning trip to Australia last September for the Olympics.
What makes his glass half-empty? Dusing is 22, his college career is over, and he needs cash. Sponsorship dollars that could extend his swimming career aren't thrown at relay swimmers.
“This is my first time ever at Worlds, so it's a pretty big deal in that right,” Dusing said by phone Friday from Japan. “But it's kind of like a steppingstone. Since I'm only doing one event, a relay, I'll do my best and try to win a medal. Hopefully it'll set me up good for the Goodwill Games. That's a little more important to me right now.”
That meet may yield more money if Dusing can fare well in individual events. Since the U.S. Summer Nationals — which serve as the Goodwill Games qualifier — are Aug. 14-18 in Fresno, Calif., and the Goodwill Games are Aug. 29-Sept. 9 in Brisbane, Australia, this 800-meter freestyle relay (July 27) may be the most insignificant race of his summer.
Phenix just finished her sophomore year at the University of Texas, where Dusing still has a year of classes left toward his marketing degree. Her 400 freestyle relay Monday will provide needed experience; this is just her second international meet. But for her boyfriend, this is just another line in a loaded resume.
“He's been at the international level since he was in high school,” Phenix said. “It gets to a point where you've achieved all you wanted to achieve. Who knows how long he's going to be swimming?”
Dusing has long said he would swim at least through the summer of 2002. As reigning NCAA swimmer of the year and the American record-holder in two events (200-yard individual medley and short-course 100-meter butterfly), the talent to target another Olympics is there.
The Villa Hills, Ky., native is well-rounded, yet has never established himself as the nation's best in any single event.
“I'm so in limbo,” Dusing said. “I don't know how far I'm going to go with (swimming). I'll take it as it goes. I'm not going to get too uptight about it.”
Dusing is one of six swimmers for his relay; he'll swim the morning preliminary. Likely he'll have to finish in the top two splits to be asked to swim the finals. The U.S. is expected to finish second to Australia, as it did at the Olympics.
Phenix is in a similar position, slated to swim a morning prelim with hopes of returning for finals. Phenix's greatest collegiate acclaim has also come in team efforts; Texas' 200 and 400 free relays set NCAA records this spring.
“I may have expected too much of myself after the Olympics, but I had a good college season,” she said. “Making this team was one of my goals. I'm taking this meet as a step toward nationals, and hopefully I'll start qualifying (for international meets) in multiple events.”
Dusing and Phenix said the Japanese have been hospitable hosts. They have spent free time in a mall next to their hotel. “They have J. Crew and Armani stores in there,” Phenix said.
As for the inevitable question: No, they aren't engaged yet. Their 5 1/4-year relationship, though, is going strong.
“I still have two more years of school, and we'll see where he goes with swimming,” Phenix said.
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Local Olympians in world swim meet
