Last weekend, Lauren Cornet became the first Duke swimmer since 1981 to compete in the NCAA swimming and diving championships when she finished 20th and 21st in the 100- and 200-breaststroke events, respectively.
"When I got there, I was pretty intimidated," she said. "Most of the girls seemed physically bigger, taller, stronger. I felt young an\d small, like someone in the presence of greatness.
"Normally I have lots of confidence when I go into a meet, I don't know why I felt the way I did this time."
Considering the prestigious field, Cornet's feelings were understandable. She swam against a number of Olympians, including University of Arizona sophomore Amanda Beard, who won gold in 1996.
To make things even more difficult for Cornet, she ran up against equipment failure. Her goggles began filling with water following the start of the 100- breaststroke, making it at first difficult, and then impossible to see.
"I don't know how it happened," she said. "I dove in and they half-filled with water. By the second lap they were completely full and I couldn't even tell if I was swimming in a straight line. They came off at the turn and were around my neck the rest of the swim, kind of choking me."
Cornet was still able to finish in good time, touching in 1:03.24, only half-a-second off her season best. The 200-breaststroke was problem-free, as she cruised to a time of 2:16.53, also about half-a-second off her season-best time.
"I was really happy with the way the meet went," said Cornet. It was tough with the first swim starting out like that, but I was prepared for that and was able to come back and step it up the next day."
The competition capped an amazing season for the freshman from Great Falls, Va. At the end of her first year of collegiate swimming, she already holds four individual school records in the 50-freestyle, 100-freestyle, 100-breaststroke and 200-breaststroke events. Additionally, she was a member of four record-breaking relay swims this year, adding her name to the books in the 200-medley, 400-medley, 200-freestyle and 800-freestyle relays.
"The Duke swimming program has helped me a lot," she said. "It's improved me so much. I perform better when I'm relaxed and I love swimming with this team."
As for her overall experience at the most prestigious collegiate meet, Cornet had only one thing to say: "I really want to go back."
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