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August 23, 2004 1:01 pm

Women kayakers advance despite last-place finish

By MARIBEL VILLALVA

Gannett News Service

SCHINIAS, Greece - Despite finishing last in its race, the U.S. four-women kayak flatwater team will move on to the semifinals in the 500-meter event at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Team members Marie Mijalis of Shreveport, La.; Carrie Johnson of San Diego; and Lauren Spalding and Kathryn Colin, both of Honolulu, completed their first heat Monday with a time of 1:36.9 seconds at the Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoe Center. Germany won the heat in a time of 1:31.6.

Colin said the team would improve its performance for the semifinals.

``Our heat wasn't bad, but I think we had some jitters going in today,'' Colin said. ``We struggled a little bit with the rowing, and that's something we need to remember for Wednesday.''

Hungary and China joined Germany in advancing to the finals. Teams ranked four through seven move to the semifinals, and since only five teams competed in the heat, both fourth-place Australia and the United States moved on to the semis.

Johnson said the team has been practicing together only since February.

``We're a relatively new team, and we may be at a disadvantage because of that,'' Johnson said, adding she felt the Olympic butterflies in her stomach.

David Yarborough, executive director of the U.S. Association of Canoe/Kayak, said Colin has emerged as the natural leader among the group. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she competed in the K-1 and K-2 women's flatwater competitions.

``I can be kind of a control freak,'' Colin said. ``But, even though we're a young team, everybody is really mature. I just try to take care of a lot of the little technical things.''

Johnson will compete solo in the women's K-1 flatwater competition on Tuesday, and Colin and Spalding will team up for the women's K-2 flatwater competition.

Winds were gusty, but Mijalis said they were not a hindrance because they were tailwinds.

``We had problems with the weeds in the water,'' Mijalis said. ``We kept hitting the weeds, and it was hard for us to find our rhythm.''

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