Parmenter Runs Out of Steam

A touch of flu kept Jennifer Parmenter out of the pool and home in bed Friday during the Janet Evans Invitational swim meet at USC.

Yet, like a fish, Parmenter had to get back in the water.

Parmenter, 17, a seven-time U.S. champion from Granada Hills, returned Saturday but placed a disappointing fifth in the women’s 400-meter individual medley in the final day of the three-day meet at McDonald’s Swim Stadium.

Parmenter, competing for Swim Pasadena, recorded the field’s top qualifying mark earlier in the day at 4:53.94 but appeared to tire quickly in the final.

Parmenter trailed Corrie Murphy of Team Trojan by nearly four seconds after the butterfly and backstroke legs. Parmenter timed 4:54.49, nearly four seconds behind the pace of winner Jamie Cail of Golden West.

Cail timed 4:50.65, ahead of Brittany White of North Baltimore (4:51.22) and Murphy (4:51.89).

Parmenter, City Section champion in the 100 breaststroke and 200 freestyle, suffered nausea and vomiting after a lackluster showing Thursday in the 800 freestyle. She made the decision to swim after awakening Saturday morning.

But Parmenter didn’t use illness as an excuse. Or that she was eager to enter a meet in which she has competed more times than she can remember.

“I feel OK,” Parmenter said. “It really didn’t hurt my swim that much. I’ve been having some other problems with family and stuff, too. I’m pleased with my swim. I’ve been to this meet so many times.”

Terry Stoddard, coach of Swim Pasadena, said the illness had to affect Parmenter.

“I think it made her a little weak today,” Stoddard said. “But I’m really happy with how she did, considering the circumstances.”

Anthony Ervin of Hart High and Canyons Aquatics placed fifth in the men’s 50 freestyle with a time of 23.77. Ervin tied for 10th place in the 100 freestyle final Friday.

Ervin, a member of Canyons Aquatics since he was 8, has qualified for the Senior Nationals next month in Clovis in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle.

Sabir Muhammad of Santa Clara won the men’s 50 freestyle in 23.10.

In the women’s 50 freestyle, Amy Jones of Cleveland High, swimming for Canyons Aquatics, finished fourth in the consolation final in 27.07.

Jones, 15, who in June set City Section records in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle, qualified for the Senior Nationals in the 100 freestyle.