The Hindu : Peirsol powers his way to two world records

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 09, 2002

Sport

Sport - Swimming

Peirsol powers his way to two world records

MOSCOW April 9. Two Americans, Lindsay Benko and Aaron Peirsol, set three short-course world records on Sunday at the World swimming championships, with Benko winning the women's 200m freestyle and Peirsol taking the 200m backstroke and contributing to the men's 400m medley relay.

Therese Alshammar of Sweden got her fourth gold medal of the meet in the 50m freestyle, but had to swim twice to do so after problems with the timing system forced a second running of the final.

Australia's Grant Hackett, although laid low by a virus that had forced him to pull out of one event early in the week, picked up his second gold of the championship, crushing his competitors in the 1,500m freestyle. American Chris Thompson and Christian Minotti of Italy were silver and bronze.

Martina Moravcova of Slovakia also got her second gold of the week in the 100m butterfly. ``This is my second record. I am extremely excited,'' Peirsol said after his individual victory in 1 minute 51.17 seconds, but before the relay; he also holds the world record for the event in a 50m pool.

``This result is the product of many years of training,'' said Peirsol. Marko Strahija of Croatia and Slovenia's Blaz Medvesek took second and third.

Peirsol's opening leg of the medley relay put the United States ahead, but the lead then seesawed several times with Australia and Ukraine. Jason Lezak then stormed through the final segment to finish the event in 3:29.00. Australia and Russia won silver and bronze. Benko said that her new record and even her victory came as a surprise. ``I was hoping to win, but never expected it,'' she said. ``I am beside myself with joy.'' China's Yang Yu and Xu Yanvei finished behind her.

In the 50m freestyle, the top three women in the first swimming of the final finished in the same positions when it was held a second time after the timing device problem was fixed.

Alshammar, who had previously won the 100m freestyle and been on two gold-winning relay teams, finished the second time in 24.16, followed by Britain's Alison Sheppard and American Tammie Stone.

Moravcova trailed at the halfway split in the 100m butterfly, but pulled ahead to win in 57.04. Petria Thomas of Australia and Anna-Karin Kammerling of Sweden got silver and bronze.

In other events of the meet at Moscow's Olimpisky sports complex, Ashley Callus of Australia won the men's 100m freestyle in 46.99. Jose Martin Meolans of Argentina and Algerian Salim Iles followed.

The men's 100-medley went to Slovenia's Peter Mankoc in 52.90. Finland's Jani Sievinen and Jakob Andersen of Denmark got silver and bronze.

Oleg Lisogor of Ukraine set a championship record in the 50m breaststroke at 26.42, followed by Jose Couto of Portugal and Eduardo Fischer of Brazil. Briton James Hickman won the 200m butterfly in 1:53.14, ahead of Australian Justin Norris and Romania's Ione Stefan Gherghel.

Jennifer Carroll of Canada set a championship record in the women's 50m backstroke at 27.38, with Americans Haley Cope and Diana MacManus in the silver and bronze positions.

Qi Hui of China won the women's 200m breaststroke in 2:20.91. Emma Igelstrom of Sweden — who had three world-record swims in the meet — ended in silver, followed by Mirna Jukic. — AP

Rehan's creditable show

Our Bangalore correspondent adds:

Rehan Poncha clocked 2:10.0 seconds in the 200m butterfly heats in the World shortcourse swimming championship.

Rehan's best in the long course at the Asian age group meet last season is 2:11.10 seconds.

According to his coach Nihar Ameen, the lone Indian entry did well in the first 150 metres but slackened the pace in the last 50 metres. With this Rehan is through with his engagements in the meet.

Nihar Ameen said, ''considering the fact that there was no one to guide him in this premier meet, Rehan did fairly well and the meet has certainly proved to be a good exposure''.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport