Competitors don't bother senior

Senior Jenn Cristy, IU's most-decorated swimmer, will start her last Big Ten Championship today with the 50-yard freestyle.\nBut Cristy, an All-American, has decided to use a different method in preparing for this meet. \nShe doesn't want to think about the wealth of talent swimming beside her. She's ignoring the Olympians and All-Americans with whom she'll be traversing the 25-yard pool. Instead, she'll focus on how fast she can go when competition begins today at the Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic Center.\nThe meet runs through Saturday night.\nDuring the past three years, Cristy found herself gazing around the starting blocks, sizing up the conference's elite beside her. Now, in her final Big Ten meet, it's time to forget about them.\n"This will be the first year that I focus on myself," Cristy said. "I know (other talented swimmers) are there, but instead of worrying about them I'm determined to come into the meet with blinders."\nFor Cristy, blinders wasn't a cliche -- she meant it.\nCoach Dorsey Tierney and Cristy discussed painting the sides of her goggles so she couldn't see past her lane while racing. The two decided against it because the fumes were nauseating, Cristy said.\nBut ignoring the overwhelming talent of the nation's top swimming conference might prove to be a whole challenge in itself. Michigan is especially strong in the sprints, Cristy's forte. Among the talented Wolverines, Cristy will square-off against perennial rival Jennifer Crisman. The likeness between the two doesn't end with their similar names. \nThey first swam against each other as underclassmen in high school at the Junior Nationals Meet, in which Crisman edged out Cristy by one place. In college head-to-head match-ups, Cristy has had Crisman's number consistently, but going into this weekend's all-important meet, Crisman has the advantage in the 50-yard freestyle by .3 seconds.\nCristy doesn't mind being the underdog. \n"I enjoy being the chaser much more that being the chasee," Cristy said. \nAnother talented Wolverine sprinter will be prowling the pool deck this weekend. Freshman Samantha Arsenault, is swimming in her first Big Ten Championship. Although she is new to the pressure of the Big Ten conference, the Hoosiers know not to be fooled by her collegiate inexperience. \nArsenault has competed in the world's biggest swim meet -- and won. She is fresh off a gold-medal performance at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympic Games in the 800-yard freestyle relay. \nCristy and Arsenault are right with each other in the 100-yard freestyle. Arsenault's best time thus far is 50.71 seconds, Cristy's top effort is 50.88. Although the order of swimmers in the relays is yet to be determined, it is a safe bet that Cristy and Arsenault will meet in the 800-yard freestyle relay as well. Cristy will most likely lead off the relay because she has set the goal of breaking her old 200-yard freestyle record. According to NCAA rules, only the first leg of a relay can count as an individual time.\nCristy said she saw Arsenault swim in the Olympics this summer, but it didn't make too much of an impression.\n"I saw her in the Olympics, but I didn't think twice about it," she said. "That's what my problem is, I get worried about people. Right now, I'm gung-ho. This is my last meet here, and it's going to be everything or nothing."\nCristy is already an accomplished swimmer: three-time All-American; three-time All-Big Ten; three-time NCAA qualifier; school record holder in nine different events and 2000 Olympic Trials qualifier. But she is confident she can add a couple more notches to her portfolio. Tierney agrees.\n"This could be (Cristy's) most rewarding year as a collegiate swimmer," Tierney said. "She has had to endure many inconsistencies and uncertainties related to being a senior with which she is unaccustomed."\nSophomore sprinter Anne Williams, who will also be competing against Michigan's talented sprinter corps, echoed Tierney's confidence in IU's top swimmer.\n"Jenn is like no competitor I've ever met," Williams said. "When she gets the fire inside of her, there is absolutely no stopping her"