Blonde Prodigy

At Topeka's big outdoor municipal pool, the starter's gun barked for the 100-meter freestyle in the National A.A.U.'s Senior Women's swimming championship. Six of the U.S.'s best women swimmers soared off the pool's edge in flat trajectory and smacked into the water. By the time they turned at the far end of the 50-meter pool, a tall, 14-year-old blonde held the lead, increased it with each powerful stroke, finished well out in front. Susan Christine ("call me Chris") von Saltza had done it in 1:03.5, set a U.S. record. Less than an hour later she windmilled to a new world's record in the 200-meter backstroke with a 2:37.4 clocking. Still dripping in her black suit, Chris hustled to a telephone, called her mother in Saratoga, Calif. "Guess what I did, Mummy?" she cried. "I won the 100-meter freestyle. And guess what else I did, Mummy? I won the 200-meter backstroke and set the world's record." Freckled, blue-eyed Chris already looms as the brightest U.S. prospect in a new crop of U.S. swimmers that promises to challenge the current supremacy of Australia's girl prodigies.

Chris first turned out for competitive swimming three years ago. George Haines, coach of the high-rated Santa Clara Swim Club, gave her a cursory look and ordered some laps in the pool. Haines checked back later, found Chris had done 115 laps, went to work at making her a champion. Haines was satisfied with her powerful kick, but worked long hours to strengthen her arm and shoulder muscles, taught her a high recovery stroke for greater power. In her basement at home, Chris wrestled doggedly with pulleys and weights.

At twelve, she qualified for the 1956 Olympic trials, just missed becoming the youngest girl ever to make the team. She and Haines promptly embarked on a four-year program aimed at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, where Chris may get a crack at Australian Stars Lorraine Crapp, Dawn Fraser and lisa Konrads. Beginning this fall, Chris will get up every weekday at 5:30 a.m., get to the pool by 7 for a go-minute workout, return for two more hours after school. Evenings, she will concentrate on homework to maintain her straight-A average at Los Gatos High School in the hope of entering Stanford in 1961.

Last week Chris had to share top billing with 16-year-old Sylvia Ruuska of Berkeley, Calif., another potential world-beater who specializes in the longer distances. Sylvia set a world record (5:43.7) in the 400-meter individual medley, an American mark (20:34.6) in the 1,500-meter freestyle. In the one event where the two met, Sylvia used her greater strength to outlast the smoother-stroking Chris in the 400-meter freestyle. At week's end, U.S. prospects for dethroning the Australian girls looked brighter.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.