NO MEDAL, BUT ALWAYS A CLASS ACT KRAYZELBURG 0.02 SHY OF BACKSTROKE BRONZE.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

ATHENS, Greece - Not the way he wanted to go out, just nicked at the wall, left to be brave in the aftermath, to say the right things.

Lenny Krayzelburg is good at that, too, of course. A young man who can be counted on. Pleasant in victory and defeat, a bit heroic win or lose.

And this was a painful loss, a final one.

Krayzelburg, the world record-holder in the 100 backstroke, a three-time Olympic champion in Sydney, Australia, was left off the medal stand by the narrowest of margins on a windy Monday evening in Greece.

``It's not the end of the world,'' Krayzelburg said. ``You move on. I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning anyways.''

It has been a long and wondrous journey for Krayzelburg, who came to the U.S. from Russia with his parents as a 14-year-old, earned a scholarship at USC and became the most dominant backstroker of his time.

Only now that time has passed. He had two shoulder surgeries after Sydney, and soon will have another. He battled back, again became world class and joined Aaron Peirsol on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team.

He wanted to go out on top of the podium, but when the race ended, it was his heir and friend, Peirsol who took the gold. Austria's Markus Rogan was second and Japan's Tomomi Morita third - just 0.02 seconds ahead of Krayzelburg in fourth.

The American flag was raised, but this time to honor Peirsol.

``It would have meant a lot to me to have Lenny standing up there with me,'' Peirsol said.

That was the plan, of course. The way the two had talked about since the sun-drenched trials back in Long Beach. That they would come to Greece and stand shoulder to shoulder as the anthem was played and lift their medals together.

``Our dream was that we were going to go one-two,'' Krayzelburg said. ``However one-two was going to be, it was going to be great. He came through on his part.

``I'm really happy for him. Obviously I'm disappointed in myself and my swim, but it is what it is, and it's just part of it.''

And this is it for Krayzelburg. There will be no more attempts at pushing his shoulder to the limit, no more punishing efforts at returning to another Olympics.

``This is it,'' he said.

There will be a final swim or two, however. The U.S. is favored to win the 400 medley relay. Peirsol will swim the final, but Krayzelburg is expected to swim in the prelims, and possibly in the semifinals.

Just swimming in the prelim will give Krayzelburg a final medal if the U.S. goes onto the podium.

``I still have a relay, so hopefully I can still swim a little bit better,'' he said. ``It would be upsetting to see if I can go faster than the winning time that would have gotten the medal. I'll just try to help the team win the final on Friday.''

No one doubts Krayzelburg will go all out even in a morning prelim. He ruled the backstroke for four years, until his shoulder injury put him on the comeback trail and Peirsol emerged as the world's newest dominant backstroker.

``As long as he's still swimming, he's the man,'' Peirsol said. ``He's taught me so much. You can't dethrone a king while he's still in power.''

Krayzelburg, who will be 29 next month, won't be much longer. He has made plans for a future away from international swim meets.

He is fluent in Russian and has prepared for a broadcasting career. He's previously provided commentary on Moscow television. He's formed the Lenny Krayzelburg Foundation to help develop swimming in inner-city areas.

And it's not like he'll never see a pool again.

``I really don't want to pinpoint what I'm going to do,'' he said. ``I have a number of opportunities in the swimming world with swim schools and swim camps. I have other business ventures I'm in. I think I have a pretty bright future outside the sport.''

He'll have major shoulder surgery, not because he wants to continue as a competitive swimmer but continue a normal lifestyle.

``I'd like to try other recreational sports,'' he said. ``Maybe come back in synchronized diving in four years.''

At the beginning of the year, shoulder pain was still so intense he was uncertain if he could even be back on the Olympic stage, back to say a few last goodbyes.

``But this has definitely been a great ride for me,'' he said. ``I'm happy that I got a chance to swim in another Olympics. I'm extremely disappointed that I didn't win, (let alone) place in these Olympics, but that's just how it goes sometimes. It's part of sports.''

Not the way he wanted it to end, but still with a classy ending.

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Photo:

Lenny Krayzelburg, right, looks to the scoreboard after teammate Aaron Piersol, left, wins gold in the 100 backstroke.

Anja Niedringhaus/Associated Press