Forbes, CHS set for state

Yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But Sam Forbes almost learned a costly lesson that one shouldn't overdo it.

Despite a large breakfast of eggs and sausage last Saturday morning, the Australian foreign exchange student was still able to qualify in three events at the Northern 4A Swimming Championships at the Carson Aquatic Center for this Saturday's NIAA 4A meet. The meet will be held at 1 p.m. at the University of Nevada.

Forbes took second in the 200-yard individual medley to qualify for state despite feeling the effects of his huge breakfast.

"I felt like I was going to throw up," said Forbes about how he felt after that race. "I felt like I was real sick.

"But I didn't throw up. I ate a bad breakfast. I don't usually eat that much before a race."

So was Forbes thinking he needed extra energy for last Saturday's meet? "I wasn't thinking anything," he said. "It was just what was there."

To be sure before Saturday's meet, Forbes will eat a much lighter breakfast. Forbes eventually felt better and went on to win the 100 butterfly last Saturday in 55.88 seconds despite being the last swimmer off the blocks at the start.

"I usually go away pretty slow," he said. "It's just how it happened. I'm not usually that slow." "Maybe just nerves," Forbes also said on why he got off to such a slow start.

Forbes' most gratifying race came in the last event of the day, the 400 freestyle relay in which he teamed with John Wandel, Andrew Cardinal and Matt Grunert took second to qualify for state. "That was the most exciting race of the day I would say," Forbes said.

The most frustrating race for Forbes was the 200 medley relay in which he, Wandel, Garrett Clayton and Cardinal took fourth in 1:48.00. They were just edged out by the Douglas team of Trevor Schaff, Mike Freeman, Justin White and Wilson Hayes, who took the third and last qualifying spot for state in 1:47.64.

But Carson will still be well-represented at state. Wandel also qualified in the 50 free and the 100 backstroke and Grunert, who qualified in the 200 free. Carson's 200 free relay of Scott Wandel, Kellen Dale, Grunert and Clayton also qualified.

For Carson's girls, Jamie Engan is a legitimate threat to be a double state champion in the 200 and 500 freestyles. Engan, Katie Wandel, Hilary Schlager and Jessica Goddard also qualified in the 200 free relay. Forbes' goal is to at least finish in the top three in the 100 fly.

Forbes came to Carson City from Melbourne, a city of 3 1/2 million people. He admitted he wasn't too thrilled about the idea of coming to a smaller city when he first came to Carson. He said his first choice was to come to the United States, but that he didn't have any choice in which city he would go to.

"I was hoping it would be L.A., New York, that kind of thing," he said. "It turned out real well. I've enjoyed it a lot. I wasn't that glad about coming to a small town, but since I've been here I've really liked it."

One of the major reason why his stay has been enjoyable, Forbes said, is the people, including the family he's stayed with, the Beaudettes, and his teammmates. He said he's had "a lot of fun with this guys," referring to the other members on the swim team.

Other changes that Forbes had to become used to included the weather and his class work. He has been a junior this year at Carson, but when he returns to Australia, he'll begin the second half of his sophomore year. As far as the weather, Forbes said, "I'd never seen snow before."

Australia is one of the two world powers in swimming along with the U.S. The swim club that Forbes comes from has produced four Olympic swimmers and Forbes attending the swimming competition at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.