Swimming Mom Finds Time Is Still on Her Side

Crissy Ahmann-Leighton looked like a swimmer who had faltered, not one who had scored an impressive comeback victory in the 100 butterfly Sunday at the Janet Evans Invitational at USC.

Yet Ahmann-Leighton had won her specialty with a stirring final 25 meters to defeat teammate Ashley Tappin by .73 of a second.

Still, her post-race frown and angry glare did not surprise her coach, Rick DeMont of the Hillenbrand Swim Club in Tucson, Ariz.

“She’s a competitor,” DeMont said. “She loves to get what she wants. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

What Ahmann-Leighton wants is another taste of the Olympics. In 1992 in Barcelona, she won gold medals in the 400 medley relay and the 400 freestyle relay and a silver in the 100 butterfly.

With such lofty standards, it is easy to understand her consternation over failing to reach the time goal she set for herself on the final day of the invitational.

Later, when assured that DeMont was pleased with the effort, Ahmann-Leighton, 25, felt better. After all, she returned to swimming in February after taking time out to become a mother.

Ahmann-Leighton represents an increasing group of U.S. swimmers who are mounting comebacks in time for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. In some ways, the older ones feel as if they must defend themselves.

“I think we all have our reasons for why we retired,” she said. “But no one feels they have to redeem themselves.”

Ahmann-Leighton wants to forget her past efforts to concentrate on the here and now. But she understands she has piqued interest in her comeback because of her 21-month-old son, Alex.

Put simply, not many mothers are swimming world-class times. Still, she wonders why the fuss, considering mothers in other sports such as track and field are succeeding.

“They tend to make us older than we are,” Ahmann-Leighton said. “They think we have one foot in the grave.”

Ahmann-Leighton is not alone in Tucson. Some other twentysomethings have joined her there in trying to reach Atlanta.

Kelli King-Bednar, 25, of Hillenbrand, won the 100 breaststroke in 1 minute 12.92 seconds, edging Alison Fealey, 17, who finished in 1:13.19. King-Bednar was disappointed in 1992 when she finished third at the U.S. trials in the 100 breaststroke and failed to make the team.

She said having swimmers such as Ahmann-Leighton and Melanie Valario, 26, in the pool with her helps. But she enjoys the youngsters too.

“They remind me of why I started doing this and how much fun it is,” King-Bednar said.