Kaitlin Sandeno

Irvine High senior Amanda Beard broke two Sea View League records during the girls' league finals at Heritage Aquatics Complex in Irvine Friday. Beard, a silver medalist in the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke at the 1996 Olympics, set league records in the 100 breaststroke and the 100 butterfly, a stroke she has recently developed into one of her two main events. Her time in the 100 breaststroke, 1 minute 3.62 seconds, broke her record time of 1:03.83 she set at league finals in 1996.

Nicole Shiflett of Agoura High placed fifth in the 50-yard freestyle and Sarah Bultema of Westlake was fifth in the 100 butterfly in the Southern Section Division I swim championships Friday at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach. Every race but the boys' 100 breaststroke was won by swimmers from Orange County schools, with one national record and nine section records set. Shiflett swam a career best of 24.

The 100-meter freestyle isn't one of Kaitlin Sandeno's top events, but her performance Friday at the TYR Swim Meet of Champions in Mission Viejo suggested otherwise. Sandeno, the American-record holder in the 400 individual medley, won the race in a personal-best 56.27 seconds, beating Lacey Nymeyer by .26 of a second. "I'm sure the win will turn some heads," said Sandeno, who won gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2004 Olympics. "A lot of people think of me as a long-distance swimmer.

There were no surprises on the first day of the Swim Meet of Champions as local favorites Chad Carvin and Kaitlin Sandeno dominated the men's and women's 800-meter freestyle Thursday at Marguerite Aquatic Swim Center in Mission Viejo. Carvin swam a business-as-usual race, winning in 8 minutes 8.65 seconds. Mark Warkentin of Buena Swim Club in Ventura was second in 8:14.69. Although it was well off his personal best of 7:57, Carvin was excited by his performance.

The Japanese Olympic team dominated the Swim Meet of Champions in Mission Viejo Thursday, setting two meet records in the day's only event, the 800 meters. Masato Hirano's men's mark of 8 minutes 1.88 seconds was more than two seconds faster than George DiCarlo's previous record. Sachiko Yamada narrowly missed setting a Japanese women's record, but her time of 8:32.93 broke the previous best of 8:33.37 set by Olympian Janet Evans. Teammate Yasuko Tajima had the second-best time (8:42.40).

Tara Kirk of Stanford set a world record in the 100-meter breaststroke Friday during the second day of the NCAA Division I women's championships. Kirk was timed in 1:04.79, becoming the first woman to ever swim under 1:05 in the event. The old mark of 1:05.09 was set last year by Leisel Jones of Australia. It was the second world record in two days in the meet. The swimmers were competing in a 25-meter pool, as opposed to 50-meter lengths they would swim in Olympic competition.

A celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day will take place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at the Orange County Fairgrounds. The event will feature clinics, exhibits and appearances by female athletes, including Olympic gold medalists and players from basketball, softball, soccer and extreme sports.

Three Olympians won events on the final night of the Phillips 66 U.S. National Swimming Championships, including USC freshman Erik Vendt, who captured the men's 1,500-meter freestyle in 15 minutes 33 seconds. Robert Margalis was three seconds back and Chris Thompson, who beat out Vendt for the bronze medal in Sydney, Australia was third. "It's not a bitter rivalry Chris and I have," Vendt said, "but any time you've lost to a guy, you want to come back and beat him."

Natalie King Fountain Valley, Softball The Texas-bound pitcher proved why she is one of the county's best last week, recording four shutouts, giving up only eight hits and striking out 53. And all of this came against some of the county's stiffest competition. She struck out 14 in a 1-0 Sunset League victory over No. 6 Marina, then struck out 15 in a two-hit, 1-0 victory over No. 2 Foothill in the Baron Classic tournament championship game.