CdM’s Gabert enjoying ride

Steve Virgen

For Stephanie Gabert, the task at hand involves the 200-meter

breaststroke at the U.S. Olympic swim trials July 11. But the big

picture features preparation for the 2008 Games.

Gabert, a swim standout who will be a sophomore at Corona del Mar

High in the fall, is a longshot to grab one of the top two spots in

her event and make the U.S. Olympic team. But she still has lofty

goals for a 14-year-old, as she prepares for the trials, which are at

the Charter All-Digital Aquatic Centre in Long Beach.

“My goal is to make the semifinals of the 200 breaststroke,” said

Gabert, who has been training with Brian Pajer and the Irvine

Aquazots at UC Irvine. “I’m really excited about [the Olympic

trials]. It makes me feel really good with such an accomplishment of

making it this far.”

Gabert qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials with an exciting

performance at the Spring National championships in Orlando, Fla.,

Feb. 11. She finished 21st in the 200 breaststroke in 2:35.94. The

qualifying time was 2:35.99. She’s hoping to drop her time at least

one second July 11.

Just to be able to compete in the U.S. Olympic trials has brought

confidence to Gabert, and some anxiety, as well.

“I’m a little nervous, but it’s a good kind of nervous,” she said.

Gabert has been aggressive in her approach to the U.S. Olympic

trials, Pajer said. Within the past two years, Gabert has made

strides to become a better swimmer, closer to entering the class of

the nation’s elite. Along the way, she has collected honors, such as

qualifying for the U.S. Olympic trials.

She also helped bring the first CIF Southern Section Division II

girls swim title to Corona del Mar this past spring. Gabert captured

the CIF Division II championship in the 100-yard breaststroke,

setting a meet record by finishing in 1:03.36. She broke her former

record, which was 1:03.94, established the day before in the

preliminaries, May 14.

In addition, she contributed to the victorious 200 medley relay.

“She has shown a tremendous amount of improvement over the past

year and a half,” said Pajer, who is also the head coach of the UCI

swim teams. “Actually I started working with her when she was 9. When

she turned 10, you could see her potential. From there on it was just

a matter of getting better.

“She has made a lot of improvements with her ability to compete,”

he continued. “She used to look at herself that she couldn’t compete

at the top level. It’s been great to see her transition. She’s right

there in the top 25 in the nation.”

Pajer also becomes excited when he thinks of Gabert’s potential.

She’s on course to achieving greatness in 2008, he said.

“I would like to see her get in the top 16, to get her into the

finals [July 12],” Pajer said. “She has to drop a couple of seconds.

She is capable of that. In 2008, with making improvements, there’s no

reason why she can’t [make the U.S. Olympic swim team].”

Gabert has been improving in swimming ever since she took up the

sport when she was 4 and joined the Harbor View swim team, headed by

Ted Bandaruk, who has been coaching the program for the past 28

years.

When Gabert first started out with Bandaruk, he noticed she was a

special type of swimmer.

“She’s just a natural,” Bandaruk said. “She was one of those kids

who went through the water, just like butter. So smooth, even as a

little girl.

“Up until 12, when she left the program, she still holds about

two-thirds of the girls records for the team, and I have had a lot of

great girls come through the program from the port streets,” he

continued. “And, what’s great about Stephanie is she is one of those

kids who really works hard, but doesn’t brag about it. She does it so

smoothly. She’s a very quiet individual.”

Gabert’s mother, Cheri, had a strong premonition swimming would be

the sport of choice for Stephanie Gabert, who thoroughly enjoyed

swimming as a child, and still does, Cheri Gabert said.

“She must have been a dolphin in her previous life,” Cheri Gabert

joked. “It’s been a real blessing to be in this area, which has been

great for her and her swimming. She loves the water.”

Stephanie Gabert’s father, Paul, and his wife have seen their

daughter mature throughout the past two years en route to her

qualifying for the Olympic trials. When Stephanie Gabert competed at

the Spring nationals, she traveled without her parents for the first

time.

Paul and Cheri Gabert stayed at home and tracked their daughter on

the Internet. This time, they will be present in Long Beach to watch

her, to see her mature, as she takes steps closer toward the 2008

Games.