Smith's opponents running scared

MICHELLE SMITH opponents are running scared, it appears. The medal quest continues for Smith in tonight's 400 metres freestyle, although some swimming superpowers - among them the United States - attempted to spoil the party yesterday by objecting to her participation in the event.

Germany, Netherlands, Australia, Costa Rica and the USA all sought to block Smith's entry in the 400m free, but to no avail. Smith, who recorded the fastest time in the world this year over the distance in Pinecrest, Florida, on July 7th, was only ratified over the weekend after an appeal by OCI president Pat Hickey to IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch.

FINA, the world governing body, had last week refused to accept Smith's request to compete in the event because the time - four minutes 8.64 seconds - was set after the July 5th deadline. However, a subsequent admission by ACOG (Atlanta Committee for Olympic. Games) that they had made an error in dealing with the matter enabled the IOC to side with Smith, the Irish representatives claiming it was simply a "change of name" (for Marion Madine) rather than a new entry.

There wasn't a murmur from the other countries, however, until Smith devastated the field in Saturday night's 4(K)m individuals medley. Suddenly, the opposition sat up and took notice; and the result was a rush of objections to Smith's participation in the distance freestyle event where the USA's "queen of the pool" Janet Evans, Germany's Dagmar Hase and Kerstin Kielgass, Costa Rica's Claudia Poll, Netherlands' Carla Guerts and Australia's Hayley Jane Lewis had expected to battle for the medals.

Smith yesterday claimed she was "tired" after the mental and physical exertions in Saturday night's historic victory in the 400m individual medley and opted for rest and a massage in preparation for her next assignment.

"It is just a bit optimistic to be talking of four medals, but I plan to take it one race at a time. It is going to be tough for me because I have got four events and it is only over seven days and, with the heat and humidity, it is going to be very hard to compete over such a period," said Smith.

But the Irish swimmer's immense impact - by virtue of her win over Allison Wagner and Krisztina Egerszegi in the 400m individual medley - has ruffled the established distance freestylers.

Evans, for one, wasn't even aware Smith was entered in the 400m freestyle, until informed yesterday. The American owns three freestyle world records (ranging from tonight's discipline to the 1,500m) and has collected four swimming gold medals: three in Seoul in 1988, where she won the 400m IM, 400m freestyle and 800m freestyle, and another in Barcelona in 92 where she won the 800m freestyle.