Summer Olympics 2000 Perez not just competing, but winning

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Thursday, September 28
Perez not just competing, but winning
Associated Press

PENRITH, Australia -- Angel Perez's Olympic winning streak continues.

Perez, who won consecutive legal battles over his eligibility, helped paddle the United States into the men's two-man 100 meters finals by finishing third in a semifinal heat Friday.

Perez and Peter Newton weren't even the U.S. entry in the event until last week when they beat Stein Jorgensen and John Mooney in a intrasquad raceoff.

Those four will share a boat Saturday (Friday night, U.S. time) in the K-4 finals. The quad is the United States' best chance for a kayak medal. The Perez-Newton duo is the only other chance, with its race Sunday (Saturday night, U.S. time).

"I won the first battle by being here and racing for the U.S.," Perez said. "I think it would be pretty special to win a medal. We have the same chance in both boats."

Jorgensen's solo bid in the 500 was zapped Friday when he finished eight of nine boats in a semifinal. Jorgensen, a former world champion in the 200, entered the race as a tuneup for the K-4.

Kathy Colin fizzled in her bid to make the finals in the women's solo and pair events. She was sixth of nine in the K-1 and along with Tamara Jenkins finished sixth of seven in the K-2.

Perez and Newton had a rocky 1999, with health problems mostly to blame. Things were going great this year until the black cloud regarding Perez's eligibility blew in.

Perez competed for Cuba in the 1992 Olympics, then defected to the United States in 1993. He has represented the country internationally since '97 and became a citizen in '99.

Olympic rules, however, require a three-year lag between nationality changes. The IOC refused to budge, but last week Perez got the Court of Arbitration for Sport to agree he was no longer Cuban after defecting seven years ago.

"Last year was bad physically because we were both sick," said Perez, who lives in Miami. "This year has been pretty good physically, but hard mentally."

Perez and Newton led at the halfway mark, just as they had in the first round. They were caught shortly after, but had no trouble maintaining third for the last available spot in the finals.

"We put together a really good race," Newton said. "It really feels good considering a week ago we didn't even know if we'd be together and now we're in the finals."

The start of the semifinals Friday were delayed half an hour because of fog so thick you could sit in one grandstand and not see the one across the water.

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