OLYMPIC MONITOR

By Lawrence Mondi

AN OLYMPIAN TO GO--FROM TOGO

Two years ago, Dagbovi John Senakwami didn't know how to swim, but today he's tantalizingly close to becoming an Olympian. He has no endorsements and no chance at a medal, but he does have a dream: to be the first swimmer to represent his homeland, the African nation of Togo, in the Olympics. It could be a made-for-TV fable if it weren't for politics.

Despite his muscular build, Senakwami, 30, is not quite a world-class athlete. He's a music teacher who came to New York City in 1987 to further his career. In the meantime, he fulfilled a lifelong "obsession" with water and taught himself to swim. Despite an awkward technique, he was a fast learner. During workouts at Lehman College, he met John Collins, who coaches, among others, 1992 gold medalist Lea Loveless, and who was impressed with Senakwami's determination. The Togolese took a leave from his job with the Boys Choir of Harlem and began training six or more hours a day. Soon he was swimming the 100-m freestyle in 60 sec.--off the record of 48.21 but respectable nonetheless. "I'm amazed," says Collins. "I never thought he would stick it out."

Now the politics. Last month Togo's Sports Minister told Senakwami that he would make the team. But then Senakwami heard that Togo's Olympic Committee said he had to meet a qualifying time lower than his present pace. Senakwami says fina, swimming's governing body, sometimes waives the rule to help promote the sport--and will do so. "It's an excuse," he says. "Somebody in Togo doesn't want me to go." If so, Togo will be losing not just an Olympian but also a parable of persistence. Says Senakwami: "I refuse to give up." --By Lawrence Mondi

HOT ON THE TRACK

Sprinter Frankie Fredericks of Namibia will be making a strong run for the title of "World's Fastest Human" at the Olympics. Last week in Helsinki he ran the third-fastest 100 m ever, in 9.87 sec., finishing ahead of world champion Donovan Bailey of Canada. Fredericks is also a contender in the 200, an event dominated by Michael Johnson. A few days earlier, Johnson won the 200 at the U.S. Olympic trials in 19.66 sec., breaking the 17-year-old world record.

THE HIGHS AND LOWS

Less than a month before competition begins, 1992 high-jump gold medalist Javier Sotomayor of Cuba, the only man to clear 8 ft., has yet to find his form. At a recent meet in Havana, he failed to make 7 ft. 1 in. on his first jump and passed on his next two. The 6-ft. 6-in. Sotomayor has been slow to recover from an inflamed left knee. He predicted that it will take a leap of at least 7 ft. 9 in. to win in Atlanta. "I'm not going for the record," he said. "I only intend to win."

BETTER THAN SECOND SKIN

A new fabric may save swimmers crucial micro-seconds. Swimsuits coated with water-repellent resins have been developed independently at Speedo International and Tyr. The resins give the suits a silklike effect by reducing the rippling that occurs in human skin. Speedo has supplied its suits, which feature distinctive stripes of the new material and include knee-length versions, to teams in 46 countries, and a few swimmers may make a splash with them in Atlanta.