CAPE FINDS MAP AT OLYMPIC TRIALS

Cape Girardeau has not exactly been noted for turning out national-caliber swimmers over the years, but there probably aren't very many communities of similar size that will have two competitors in the United States Olympic Swimming Trials.

Jon Younghouse and Erin Vogt, who have made their mark as two of the top swimmers in the country, have each met qualifying time standards in three events for the Olympic Trials, which begin Wednesday in Indianapolis. Approximately 1,300 male and female swimmers will participate during the week-long competition.

"It's pretty nice that we're both from Cape and we're both going to be in the trials," said Younghouse, who earlier this year completed a brilliant four-year career at the University of Texas.

Said Vogt, who has so far had an equally impressive two-year career at the University of Arizona, where she will be a junior, "Cape is pretty small, and I think it's really impressive that we're both from there and we made it (to the trials)."

Neither swimmer will be favored to make it to the 2000 Olympics that begin Sept. 15 in Sydney, Australia, although Younghouse is ranked high in his three events and figures to have the best shot of the pair.

But both Younghouse and Vogt, in recent telephone interviews from their respective training bases in Austin, Texas, and Tucson, Ariz., say they are excited about the meet and look forward to having the opportunity to compete against some of the world's premier swimmers.

"It's really exciting, but there's a lot of pressure and it's making me fairly nervous," said Younghouse. "I'm just going into it looking at it like I have a chance, and if it's meant to happen, it will happen. If not, I've had a great career."

Said Vogt, "I'm excited. I'm just ready to go and tired of sitting around. It's going to be tough, but I feel like I have nothing to lose. I have no expectations, no pressure. I'm just going to do my best and it's going to be a really good experience, that's the way I'm looking at it."

Younghouse, a 1996 graduate of Central High School who was heavily recruiting after a standout prep and age-group career, earned eight All-American honors during his career at Texas, which he capped this year by helping lead the Longhorns to the NCAA championship.

"Winning the national title has definitely been one of my swimming highlights so far," he said. "That's one of the main reasons I came to Texas, to have a chance to do something like that."

Younghouse qualified for the trials in the 200-meter freestyle, the 400-meter freestyle and the 1,500-meter freestyle. He said he's not yet sure if he will compete in the 1,500, perhaps instead saving all of his energy for the 200 and 400, which he considers to be the events in which he has the best chance of making the Olympics.

Younghouse enters the trials ranked fourth in the 400 and eighth in both the 200 and 1,500. Only the top two finishers in the 400 and 1,500 make the Olympic squad. In the 200, the top six qualify, with four helping out on the 4x200 relay team.

"It's going to be an outside chance for me to make it. Obviously it will be really hard," Younghouse said. "But I'm not that far off. I only have to move up a couple of spots, and if I can have some really good races...it's whoever is on that day. I'm going to have to obviously race real well, but anything can happen in races like that."

Younghouse, a sport management major at Texas who needs 24 hours to earn his degree, hasn't yet decided if he will stay in competitive swimming should he fail to make the Olympic squad.

"I really haven't thought about it that far ahead," he said. "I'm just going to give this my best shot and see what happens."

Like Younghouse, Vogt has fashioned a tremendous college career --and she still has two seasons of eligibility remaining. And, like Younghouse, she had a standout prep and age-group career, although she actually graduated from Marquette High School in 1998 after moving from Cape Girardeau to St. Louis in order to compete for one of the country's top club programs.

Vogt, who has earned four All-American honors already, helped lead Arizona's women to a second-place national finish this year.

"We really had a good season and it was a lot of fun," she said.

Vogt qualified for the trials in the 400-meter individual medley, the 200-meter individual medley and the 200-meter butterfly, events in which only the top two make the Olympics. She plans to compete in all three events this week.

A communications major at Arizona, Vogt knows she will be a definite longshot in all three events, since she enters the trials ranked no higher than 20th in any of the races. Still, that won't keep her from giving it her best shot and being happy regardless what transpires.

"I know it's going to be really hard for me to make it," she said. "But it's still going to be a lot of fun."

And, no matter what the outcome at the trials, Vogt knows she'll have a lot to look forward to when she returns to school.

"We (Arizona) should be favored to win the national title next year," she said.