Janie Wagstaff

Two of the greatest butterfly specialists in swimming history, Mark Spitz and Michael Gross, got together last Thursday for an informal training session at UCLA's Sunset Recreation Center. Spitz, four-time individual Olympic gold medalist who held the 100- and 200-meter butterfly world records 16 times, is making a comeback after 17 years away from the sport.

For the first time since 1978, the United States could win the men's and women's World Championship, Jan. 7-13 in Perth, Australia. The men have never lost, but the American women have been defeated by East Germany in the last three competitions. "I don't see any single nation challenging us, so our goal is to take on the rest of the world," said Dennis Pursley, U.S. Swimming's national team director.

With the exception of 1984, when the Soviets and their satellites boycotted, the United States has not led the medal standings in the Summer Olympics since 1968 at Mexico City. But because of the disintegration of government-sponsored sports systems in two former countries, the Soviet Union and East Germany, the United States could challenge here for No. 1. A look at U.S. hopes in each of 28 medal sports: Archery Jay Barrs of Mesa, Ariz.