"Here, there is more emphasis on speed than back home," Ford said. "The big adjustment was getting used to swimming in a short pool."

Success Story

Two of Ford's highest honors came before he arrived in Cambridge. Ford was ranked 17th in the world in the 1500 in 1981 and rose four places to number 13 the following year.

He also participated in the Commonwealth and World Championship Games during 1982.

Coming on the heels of these successes, Ford's arrival at Harvard turned into a nightmare.

Ford caught a severe case of mono. He raced in the Eastern Conference Championships and placed fourth in the mile--with his worst time in several years.

"The coaches were expecting a lot from me," Ford said. "I felt a lot of pressure, but I wasn't fit enough for competition.

"I'm grateful to my coaches, because they were very understanding during my first couple of years," Ford added. "They didn't put any pressure on me--they were hoping that things would click, and luckily they did."

Things clicked for Ford in his junior year when he won the mile in the Eastern Intercollegiate Seaboard Conference meet and placed second in the 500. "Our team won for the seventh consecutive year," Ford said. "It was the icing on the cake.

"I'm the sort of a swimmer who does not have natural talent," Ford said. "But I think I make it up with hard work."

Ford also gives credit for his success to working with good coaches and teams.

"If Tim had lived 500 years earlier he would have been canonized," senior swimmer Lars Reierson said. "He's a man with no vices."

Ford's ultimate goal could be making the 1988 Olympic Team. "I'd like to keep on swimming and if I'm still swimming, I'll try for it."

"Tim has been the backbone of the team for a long time," Reierson said. "He is soft spoken, but when he does say something everyone listens."

"I just like swimming--so I will continue with it," Ford said. "When I stop enjoying it, I will stop swimming."