HARDY'S HOME-POOL ADVANTAGE.

Byline: Erik Boal

Special to the Daily News

Many of the world's top swimmers have fond memories of competing in the Olympic pool at Belmont Plaza.

Jessica Hardy has established a legacy there.

Whether it was training there as an up-and-coming age-group swimmer, winning Southern Section titles and setting national high school records at Long Beach Wilson, capturing a Pacific-10 Conference championship during her two-year stint at Cal or even dabbling in water polo, Hardy is a household name in one of Long Beach's most famous buildings.

"I used to practice in that pool. I grew up in the gutters there. I have a lot of good memories and plenty of bad memories there as well," said Hardy, 20, who grew up less than three miles away from the facility that was constructed for the 1968 U.S. Olympic Trials.

"It brings a lot of comfort and a lot of confidence, because I've raced in that pool so many times and I've done it successfully so many times."

Although Hardy still regularly attends water polo matches at Belmont Plaza -- site of two Olympic Trials and a pair of NCAA Championships -- to watch her sister, Amanda, play for Wilson, this weekend marks the first time the Trojan Swim Club standout will compete in the famed arena as a professional, having signed a contract last year with Speedo that runs through 2012.

Hardy is one of 23 U.S. national team members racing at the Southern California Grand Prix of Swimming, the second of eight stops on the Toyota Grand Prix series leading up to the U.S. Olympic Trials, scheduled for June 29-July 6 in Omaha, Neb.

Former USC All-Americans and NCAA champions Erik Vendt, Kaitlin Sandeno, Larsen Jensen and Klete Keller are also scheduled to appear at the four-day meet, along with world record-holder Michael Phelps in his final appearance in Southern California before the Olympic Trials.

"Having all of them traveling and coming to my home pool means a lot to me," said Hardy, who will race in breaststroke and freestyle events Saturday through Monday. "It's very comforting and exciting every time I get to race there."

Hardy's appearance Saturday in the 100-yard freestyle will mark the first time she has raced at Belmont since last year's Pac-10 Championships.

A lot has transpired in the past 10 months, including her decision to forgo her final two years of eligibility at Cal and turn professional, her reunion with former Irvine Novaquatics coach and current USC program head Dave Salo at Trojan Swim Club and her championship in the 100-yard breaststroke at the U.S. Short-Course Nationals in Atlanta in November.

But in order to arrive at one of the most impressive stretches of training and racing in her career, Hardy had to endure a number of frustrating results during the summer long-course schedule.

"One thing about when I train with Dave is that I tend to take longer than I would like to get adjusted," Hardy said.

"I definitely took some steps backward, not only in terms of competition, but with the training as well. I was giving it my best, but my best wasn't good enough. But I had to have faith in myself and faith in my coach and faith in my racing capabilities that it would all work out for the best."

Salo, one of the most respected breaststroke coaches in the world, had the confidence to break down the stroke of the former 100-meter world record-holder and build it back up during the summer months.

Although Hardy didn't gain any ground on Trojan Swim Club teammate Rebecca Soni, former Stanford talent and American short-course record-holder Tara Kirk or world record-holder Leisel Jones of Australia, she persevered to enjoy stellar results at two meets in November and reap the benefits of an amazing training program the past three weeks, which has included running, bungee cords, weightlifting, medicine ball workouts, boxing, jumping rope, rowing and swimming for more than four hours a day.

"The key element to breaststroke training is to understand and appreciate that breaststrokers are not like other swimmers and that their training is unique," Salo told Swimming World Magazine. "What I mean is that breaststroke training is significantly different from training in the other strokes. There are no elements more important than others, but timing is crucial. I break the stroke down into its many components, train those components as separate entities, then put it back together to train for timing."

After winning two events at the first Grand Prix stop Nov. 9-11 in Minnesota, Hardy clocked a lifetime-best 58.74 seconds in the 100-yard breaststroke three weeks later in Atlanta. It was her best mark since May 2005, when she became the first high school swimmer to go less than a minute, lowering her own national record enroute to winning the Div. I title in 59.20 during her senior year at Wilson.

"That was a turning point for me," Hardy said. "I hadn't gone a best time in almost three years and it was beginning to get really frustrating, but I just had to keep faith. I felt good about my stroke and I knew I had put the work in and finally it all came together. I knew it would eventually happen, I just didn't know when."

Before Hardy left for Atlanta, Salo told her she "better go a 58."

The result gave Hardy the confidence that she can approach Kirk's American record 57.77, perhaps as soon as April 9-13, when she competes in the Short-Course World Championships in Manchester, England.

"I'm not even happy with my 58, because I know I'm capable of (better)," Hardy said. "I have left the pool every day (since Christmas) thinking that's the hardest I've ever worked and then I come back and work even harder the next day."

Friends, family and spectators shouldn't expect Hardy to deliver any jaw-dropping performances this weekend like she did in high school, especially coming off so many intense workouts. But the opportunity to race Kirk and so many other national-team swimmers has Hardy ready to add to her Belmont legacy.

"I'm going to go with my instinct and say that every person is on the same page. Everybody will be exhausted coming off Christmas training and we'll probably have trouble finishing races," Hardy said. "I'm just looking forward to go there and race. It's not about time, it's about pushing myself to become even better."

Phelps returning to SoCal for Grand Prix

Michael Phelps' final appearance in Southern California before the U.S. Olympic Trials might not produce an American or world record.

The Club Wolverine standout isn't even the favorite to win every race he's entered in at the Southern California Grand Prix of Swimming.

But those spectators hoping to catch a glimpse of the world's most recognizable swimmer one last time on his journey to Omaha, Neb., and eventually Beijing, will have plenty of opportunities this weekend at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach during the second of eight stops on the Toyota Grand Prix tour.

Phelps, owner of 17 world titles and six world records, is scheduled to compete in nine events during thefinal three days of the competition, which begins Friday with the 1,000-yard freestyle. The highlight could be Monday night's three-race gauntlet of the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke in less than 45 minutes, one which Phelps attempted last year, challenging the world-class trio of Ian Crocker, Aaron Peirsol and Brendan Hansen in consecutive races en route to a victory and two second-place finishes.

Although the Longhorn Aquatics' standouts won't be joining Club Wolverine, Trojan Swim Club and other teams this year in Long Beach, Phelps will definitely be challenged by his fellow national-team members, especially since he's not scheduled to swim the 200 freestyle and 200 butterfly, events in which he holds the world record.

"I just use it as motivation to get myself ready for (the rest of the year)," Phelps said.

"I've watched my races a lot lately because it pushes me to get back to the level I was at (during World Championships)."

Phelps arrives in Long Beach following a three-week stint at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., having endured more than 70 swimming, conditioning and weightlifting sessions after arriving Dec. 26 for altitude training.

"Erik Vendt and I said that we're not going to take a day off before trials," Phelps said. "We're not taking anything for granted."

Since he captured six gold and two bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Phelps' pursuit of eight gold medals -- a mark that would top Mark Spitz's haul of seven golds at the 1972 Munich Games -- has been the most discussed topic during the countdown to the Beijing Olympics.

"If he could race them all, he'd be a threat to win nine of the 13 (individual) events," Spitz said at the Golden Goggles Awards in November.

Although he was named Swimmerof the Year for the fourth consecutive year by Swimming World Magazine, Phelps had to battle some adversity in October and November after suffering a broken wrist. He returned in time to win two events at the short-course national championships in Atlanta and appears more motivated than ever to excel in 2008, beginning with a typical Phelps schedule this weekend.

"Not being able to train like I'm used to was frustrating," Phelps said. "Right now I'm just trying to remain focused and train as hard as I can, so I can accomplish everything I know I'm capable of."

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Jessica Hardy swims in the 100-yard breaststroke for Cal during the 2006 Pacific-10 Swimming and Diving Championships at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

Steven Georges/Staff Photographer

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