Beard's specialty at the time was the butterfly, and she hated the breaststroke. That was until she began working out with Brian Pajer, a swimmer who was a finalist in the breaststroke at 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials. Pajer taught Beard the correct kick for the breaststroke, and soon her times began to improve. In January 1994 she swam the 100-meter breaststroke in a time of 1:33. By August 1994 she had cut her time to 1:15.
Takes on the world
Beard progressed so quickly in 1995 that she skipped junior competitions and entered senior events. She earned Rookie of the Meet honors at the Phillips 66 Spring Nationals, then took first place in both the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke races at the Olympic Festival. At the Phillips 66 Summer Nationals, Beard won the 100-meter breaststroke and finished second at the 200-meter breaststroke to earn a spot on the U.S. Pan Pacific Championships team.
Beard admitted to being nervous in her first appearance as a member of the U.S. national team. "I was sitting up in the stands a half-hour before my race and my legs were shaking and I was feeling sick to my stomach," Beard admitted in the Orange County Register.
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