Women's kayak team ousted in semifinals

By MARIBEL VILLALVA

Gannett News Service

SCHINIAS, Greece - The four women that made up the U.S. K-4 kayak flatwater team were in disbelief Wednesday after their boat failed to qualify for the finals of the 500m flatwater race at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

The team finished last in the semifinals with a time of 1:35.86. The women on the team are Kathryn Colin and Lauren Spalding of Honolulu, Carrie Johnson of San Diego and Marie Mijalis of Shreveport, La.

``This wasn't a possible scenario for us,'' Colin said. ``I knew we could do it. Nothing really went wrong for us out there, but I guess this just wasn't our day.''

The reality of the situation set in once the women had left the dock area. Mijalis called her twin sister, Jeanne, who was a few yards away working as a kayak commentator for NBC.

``They were all back there crying. They are very sad,'' Jeanne Mijalis said.

None of the Americans who competed in their respective semifinal events advanced. The two-man kayak team of Andrew Bussey and Jeffrey Smoke finished seventh, and the two-man canoe team of Jordan Malloch and Nathan Johnson finished last among eight boats.

``It was a very disappointing day for all of us,'' said David Yarborough, executive director of the United States Association of Canoe/Kayak.

Colin and Spalding still have an opportunity to compete for a medal when they compete in the semifinals of the women's K-2 500m flatwater race Thursday at the Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoe Center. Johnson also is still alive in the women's K-1 500m flatwater semifinals.

But Wednesday was the end of the line for Mijalis, whose only Olympic competition was the K-4.

On the other side of the water, Mijalis' family cheered for the first-time Olympian. Wearing red, white and blue baseball caps that said, ``Go, Marie,'' the Mijalis clan was all smiles, despite her boat failing to advance.

``There are about 11,000 athletes here, and our daughter is one of them. How wonderful is that?'' said Elaine Mijalis, who lives in Miami.

It was in December that Mijalis contemplated not trying out for the Olympics because her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and her sister, also a kayaker, sustained serious injuries while training.

Jeanne's injuries kept her from making the Olympic Trials with her sister in the two-woman kayak category.

``I think Marie felt very alone at the time and she wanted to be there for us, but I kept telling her that I would be fine and she needed to fulfill her dreams,'' Elaine Mijalis said.

Elaine is now cancer-free and took off her cap to show that her hair is growing back after losing it to chemotherapy.

She said the family will not leave Athens without a celebration, even though they won't be leaving with a medal.

``We're going to get together in a very exclusive restaurant that has a great view of the Acropolis and have a great time. We are very proud of our daughter,'' she said.