MARMONTE SWIMMING LEAGUE: OLYMPIC HOPEFUL LEADS T.O. GYURIS WINS 3 EVENTS; ROYAL GIRLS TAKE TITLE.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - If Thousand Oaks freshman Vanda Gyuris goes on to fulfill her dream and swim for Hungary in the 2004 Olympics, her home fans in Ventura County will look back fondly on the day the 14-year-old took the Marmonte League championships by storm.

Without interrupting her training to taper for the meet - and not even entering her specialty, the 100-yard freestyle - Gyuris nevertheless turned in a dominant performance, leading her team to a second-place showing Friday afternoon at Rancho Simi pool.

Not only did Gyuris win the 50 freestyle in 24.87 seconds, she won the 100 butterfly and followed that by anchoring Thousand Oaks' victorious 200 free relay.

Her day was even more remarkable considering Gyuris has her sights set solely on the Hungarian junior national championships this summer. Her flight to Budapest leaves June 19, as soon as school lets out.

``This is just a sideshow she's putting on for the rest of us,'' Thousand Oaks coach Sharon Blanchard said. ``But she really likes high school swimming and all the friends she has made.''

Gyuris will swim in Hungary's junior nationals in the hopes of qualifying for the European junior championships at the end of July. After that meet, Gyuris will know whether she could represent Hungary in the Athens Olympics. She has been a local club swimmer here for eight years.

``I'm not sure if it's realistic yet,'' said Gyuris, who has visited the country every summer with her Hungarian-born parents. ``After the summer, we'll see what happens.''

In the meantime, she will enter the 50 free and 100 free at next week's Southern Section Div. II championships. And even though she is just a freshman, Gyuris believes she has a chance at winning the 100. Her best time in the event so far this season is 53.55, and her older brother is a section record holder.

On Friday, Gyuris beat Royal of Simi Valley junior Jenny Modglin, her friend from club swimming, to win the 100 fly. Blanchard put Gyuris in the event to garner Thousand Oaks some needed team points, and her youngest swimmer more than responded.

``I didn't think I could pull it off, but I did,'' Gyuris said of beating Modglin. ``I'm pretty happy with it. Sometimes it's hard swimming against friends, but we pushed each other.''

Meanwhile Friday, the Royal girls won an unprecedented third consecutive league championship as senior Christine Creek finished her career a perfect 8 for 8 at the meet. Creek won both the 200 individual medley (2:09.40) and 100 breaststroke (1:06.28) in her final tuneup before the section championships.

Creek swam on Royal's victorious 200 medley and 400 free relay teams. Senior Katherine Azar also was a member of both teams and captured the 100 freestyle in 55.88. The Royal girls, who beat Thousand Oaks 447-421 1/2, are expected to contend for the Division II championship.

On the boys' side, Agoura defeated Thousand Oaks 478-320, but Newbury Park teammates Darin Green and Casey Nathan stole the show. Green defeated Nathan by 0.11 seconds in the 200 free before Green returned the favor in the 500 free. Green won in 4:55.13, only three-hundredths of a second faster than Nathan.

Other multiple-event winners Friday were Agoura's Jesse Mann (200 IM, 100 fly) and teammate Richard Young (50 free, 100 free). On the girls' side, Westlake senior Nicole Slezak won both the 200 free and 500 free, the first time she had done so at the league championships.

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Westlake High's Nicole Slezak reacts to winning the 200-yard freestyle Friday.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News