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8th Dec 2003 |
European Short Course Preview
Great Britain have entered the largest team ever at this Event for the 7th European Short Course Swimming Championships, to take place on December 11-14, 2003, in Dublin. The British team will open the Olympic season with 55 athletes, among them the World Champions Katy Sexton (200m backstroke) and James Gibson (50m breaststroke), thus exploiting the opportunity offered by LEN with a special regulation for Dublin to enter up to four swimmers in the heats.
Germany, too, are sending one of their largest team ever, with 37 athletes headed by the five-time 2002 European Champion Franziska van Almsick (25), who has a total of 22 European titles on short and long course on her credit. Dublin is an important station for van Almsick on her road to fulfil her last great dream in sports - the Olympic gold medal in her World record event, the 200m freestyle. Franziska van Almsick won the 200m free at the German National Short Course Championships last week clocking 1min56.38sec, but lost the 100m free to her Berlin club-mate Britta Steffen (53.87sec) in 54.22 seconds. In addition to Almsick, Germany also rely on the three World Champions, Hannah Stockbauer (400/800/1500m freestyle), Antje Buschschulte (100m backstroke) and Thomas Rupprath (50m backstroke). With altogether 143 medals, including 49 gold, Germany is the most successful nation in the past six editions of the European Short Course Swimming Championships.
41 Federations have entered the Championships in Dublin, a new record-entry by nations. Italy will come with the 200m individual medley Olympic Champion, Massimiliano Rosolino, 2001 World Champion Alessio Boggiatto (400m individual medley) and title holder Lorenzo Vismara (100m freestyle). Sweden have entered Olympic champion Lars Frolander (100m butterfly), World Short Course Champions Therese Alshammar (50/100m freestyle), Emma Igelstrom (50/100m breaststroke) and Anna-Karin Kammerling (50m butterfly), as well as title holder Stefan Nystrand (50m freestyle). The Swiss team boast top freestyler Karel Novy, the Czech Republic their European silver medallists, Ilona Hlavackova (50/100m backstroke) and Kvetoslav Svoboda (200m freestyle).
The 41 federations entered for Dublin are: Austria (AUT), Azerbaijan (AZE), Belarus (BLR), Belgium (BEL), Bulgaria (BUL), Bosnia&Herzogovina (BIH), Croatia (CRO), Cyprus (CYP), Czech Republic (CZE), Denmark (DEN), Estonia (EST), Faroes (FAR), Finland (FIN), France (FRA), Germany (GER), Great Britain (GBR), Greece (GRE), Hungary (HUN), Iceland (ISL), Ireland (IRL), Israel (ISR), Italy (ITA), Latvia (LAT), Lithuania (LTU), Luxembourg (LUX), Macedonia (MKD), Moldavia (MDA), Netherlands (NED), Norway (NOR), Poland (POL), Portugal (POR), Romania (ROM), Russia (RUS), Slovenia (SLO), Slovakia (SVK), Spain (ESP), Serbia&Montenegro (SCG), Sweden (SWE), Switzerland (SUI), Turkey (TUR), Ukraine (UKR). |
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8th Dec 2003 |
Unknown South African makes world stand up and take notice!
Lyndon Ferns is not a name that springs to mind when one thinks of the world's leading male sprint swimmers. However, that is exactly what Ferns has become following a stunning weekend's swimming in Texas yesterday. The previously largely unheard of 20 year-old recorded early season (presumably unshaved and not rested) long course swims of 22.34 and 48.99 for the 50 and 100 freestyles respectively. Having never gone under 50 seconds before, the Arizona State University sophomore now ranks 6th in the world in both events for 2003 and will seriously help South Africa's Athens medal quest in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay where he is likely to be joined by Roland Shoeman, Ryk Neethling and Nick Folker. |
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5th Dec 2003 |
German Swimming Coaches Conference Announcement
The German Swimming Coaches Association (DSTV) are organising their AGM and Coaches Conference from April 30th till May 2nd 2004 in Oostende, Belgium. The conference will be held in the German language and includes both theoretical and practical Talks and Lectures for Teachers and Coaches. The programme includes a special section for partners not involved in swimming (e.g. sightseeing, cycle tours) and a festive evening, including dancing. More information can be found at www.dstv-online.de or from President Georg Fuchs at Georg.SweeEng.Fuchs@t-online.de |
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5th Dec 2003 |
Swedish European Short Course Team
Sweden's team for the European Short Course Championships in Dublin next week has been announced as follows: Anna-Karin Kammerling, Emma Igelström, Josefin Lillhage, Ida Mattsson, Johanna Sjöberg, Ann Berglund, Hanna Eriksson, Gabriella Fagundez, Claire Hedenskog, Emelie Kirkegaard, Linda Knutsson, Destiny Laurén, Susannah Moonan, Carin Möller, Martina Svensson, Stefan Nystrand, Martin Gustavsson, Erik Anderson, Erik Dorch, Björn Lundin, David Nordenlilja, Marcus Piehl, Petter Stymne. |
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5th Dec 2003 |
Phelps and Stockbauer named World Swimmers of the Year
Swimming World Magazine has released the list of the 2003 swimmers of the year. America's Michael Phelps and Hannah Stockbauer of Germany were named male and female World Swimmer of the Year, while Alexander Popov of Russia, wins the 2003 European swimmer award. In the balloting for regional Swimmers of the Year, the results were as follows: Europe: Alex Popov (RUS), Hannah Stockbauer (GER). America: Michael Phelps, Amanda Beard. Pacific: Kosuke Kitajima (JPN), Leisel Jones (AUS). |
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5th Dec 2003 |
Seppala wins Finnish Sports Personality of the Year
World champion Hanna-Maria Seppälä was voted Finnish Sports Personality of the Year for 2003 by the country's sports media Thursday. The 19-year-old Seppälä, a former European Junior Champion, rewrote Finnish swimming history in July after winining the 100 freestyle at the World Championships in Barcelona, in the process becaming the first Finnish woman to win a world swimming title. The Seppälä family enjoyed further success when Hanna-Maria's mother and personal coach Mirjami Seppälä, was voted coach of the year. |
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1st Dec 2003 |
Denison and Hood inducted into UK Coaching Hall of Fame
Legendary Great Britain and City of Leeds swimming coach, Terry Denison MBE has been inducted into sports coach UK's Coaching Hall of Fame by HRH The Princess Royal at a prestigious ceremony held at the Café Royal, London. Terry, who retired in April 2003, deservedly receives the Mussabini Medal, which celebrates the contribution of coaches to UK performers who have achieved outstanding success on the world stage. Among the Olympians that have come through his programme, Terry coached Adrian Moorhouse to Olympic Gold in 1988. Adrian went on to set the world record, was top of the world rankings for six years and won four successive European titles.
As a coach Terry Denison has always strived to maximise the talent of every swimmer who stepped onto his poolside. This is why the City of Leeds Swimming Club has been the dominant force in British swimming for the last 30 years under Terry's direction - producing more national champions, national record holders and international swimmers than any other team. Named the Coach of the Year by the British Swimming Coaches & Teachers Association for 10 years in succession, he led the club to seven national team championships in a row. In 1990, the City of Leeds men's team travelled to Turin and were crowned European Club Champions. Terry has built up a club that truly lived up to his aim of making champions inevitable.
Now retired, he has taken on the Chairmanship of the British Swimming Coaching Teachers Association and his experience will continue to influence and benefit the sport. Terry says: "I am honoured and delighted to have been selected to receive this award. Being connected to the legendary name of Sam Mussabini is a very humbling experience for me. Coaching is a vital in every sport - and I'm privileged to have coached at the highest level with such marvellous swimmers." Each winning coach received their award from HRH The Princess Royal and David Whitaker, Chairman of sports coach UK, who comments: "To be a great coach you have to give commitment - Terry has done exactly this for the last 30 years. Terry has left a profound legacy on British and international swimming for which the sport and his swimmers owe him an enormous debt of gratitude. The Coaching Hall of Fame is designed to pay tribute to the people who stand on the sidelines but who are pivotal in developing sporting success. sports coach UK is working to maintain and improve coaching standards and coaches like Terry Denison, who we have honoured today, are responsible for helping us raise those standards."
Former BSCTA Vice-President Colin Hood is also bestowed with the Mussabini Medal for his long term success with disability athletes. Colin from Manchester has been coaching Paralympic Swimmer, Sarah Bailey MBE for 5 years, helping her to achieve two Paralympic silver medals, three world gold medals and seven European gold. Colin has also coached able-bodied athletes, Nicole Thornley and Adrian Turner as part of the England Commonwealth Games Team. As a result of his success, Colin has been a National Team Coach for over 10 years in able-bodied swimming, and the highest regarded coach in disability swimming since 1998.
The BSCTA extends sincere congratulations to both Colin and Terry for their success and for raising the profile of coaching within British sport. |
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29th Nov 2003 |
Another World Record for Jones!
Leisel Jones broke her second world record in as many days at the World Cup meet in Melbourne Saturday. She won the women's 200 breaststroke in 2:17.75 to knock over a second off the previous mark, set by China's Qi Hui last year. The 18 year-old Jones also set a new world record in the 100 breaststroke on Friday with a time of 1:05.09. Michael Phelps brought his gold medal tally for the meet to four with two further victories today and only just missed the world record in both. Phelps became the second fastest 200 backstroker in history with a new world cup record of 1:51.40 (only 0.23 shy of Aaron Piersol's world mark) and later followed this up with a further meet record when winning the 200 I.M. in 1:54.85 (just 0.20 outside Jani Sievenen's world record). |
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28th Nov 2003 |
Jones sets new World Record!
Australian Leisel Jones broke the women's 100 breaststroke short course world record at the World Cup in Melbourne Friday. Jones clocked 1:05.09 with compatriot Brooke Hanson not far behind in 1:05.45 and American Amanda Beard third (1:06.00). The swim surpassed Emma Igelstrom's previous world mark by 0.02. One day after losing Olympic 1500m champion Grant Hackett who collapsed at poolside on Wednesday after suffering an asthma attack, the event lost another of its biggest drawcards. Australian Ian Thorpe was forced out of the 100m freestyle with diarrhoea. Thorpe withdrew after feeling ill late in the day. "He was suffering from diarrhoea late today and saw the doctor before the race, who advised him to pull out," an Australian team spokesman said. Thorpe is still scheduled to swim the 50m freestyle on Sunday. In the meantime, it was business as usual for American sensation Michael Phelps who continued his great form by winning both his races. Phelps won the 200 butterfly in 1:52.27, before taking victory in the 100 I.M. in 53.30. In other news, Aussie sprinter Lisbeth Lenton showed she will be a force to reckon with come Athens next year after setting a new Commonwealth record and the second fastest swim of all time in the women's 100 freestyle with 52.64. The three-day meet features some of the British swimmers who are based at the offshore centre on the Gold Coast but unfortunately none were fast enough to progress to the finals on Day 1. |
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26th Nov 2003 |
Phelps shines at Qantas Skins Meet
Some of the world's leading swimmers were in action at the 2003 Qantas Skins with World Champions Ian Thorpe, Michael Phelps, Petria Thomas, Giaan Rooney and Matt Welsh leading the way with victory in front of a record Skins crowd at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. More than 6,100 people, the biggest Skins crowd ever and the biggest crowd at the pool since the 2000 Olympics, witnessed some wonderful swimming with the world’s best athletes setting out their cards with the 2004 Olympic Games looming large. Thomas and Phelps led the way, winning two Skins each with Thomas’s return to the pool capped off with victory in the sprint butterfly and the “broken 400m freestyle”. Phelps showed his class with identical victories in the sprint butterfly and the “broken 400m freestyle”. Thorpe returned from three weeks altitude training in Arizona to capture the sprint freestyle title with a win over fellow Australian Ashley Callus and USA Olympic star Jason Lezak. Other winners on the night were Leisel Jones, Lisbeth Lenton, Jennifer Reilly, Brenton Rickard and Justin Norris. The pre-meet hype all surrounded Phelps and Thorpe and both swimmers delivered in their individual events although the crowd was left feeling deflated after Thorpe decided to pull out of the final 4x50 freestyle relay event in which he was scheduled to anchor the Australian team against a certain Mr Phelps from the USA team. Thorpe said he was fatigued after the long journey back from America. There was also a minor scare when Grant Hackett collapsed after suffering defeat to Phelps in the broken freestyle event. He was attended to by doctors on poolside for an hour but made a full recovery and is expected to take his place in the line up for the Melbourne World Cup meet starting Friday. If any pre-Olympic psychological battles were won tonight, they certainly went to the boy from Baltimore. |
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25th Nov 2003 |
FINA World Cup Round 1: Daejon, Korea - Report
The first World Cup meet of the 2003-04 season in Korea proved to be a happy hunting ground for the Ukraine’s Yana Klochkova. Klochkova won a staggering six gold medals but it was Austria’s Mirna Jukic, as a winner of three golds and a silver, who clocked three of the top five female swims of the meet. Her final swim in the 200m breaststroke (2:23.19) gave her 973 points while the fourth and fifth best swims came in the 100m (1:07.76) and 50m (31.40) breaststroke respectively. Japan’s Mai Nakamura swam the second and third highest scoring races, gaining 970 points for the 100m backstroke (59.48) and 962 for the 50m backstroke (27.87). Klochkova, on the other hand, scored four in the top 13 but her best came in the 400 freestyle (4:10.66), the sixth best of the meet. By the time she won the 100m IM late in the evening she had slowed considerably but was still dominant. On the men’s side of the ledger, Germany’s Stefan Herbst was the standout with three golds and one silver. His 200 freestyle swim (1:45.19) earned 973 points, the same as Jukic, while he had two others top eight points scoring finishes. Croatian Gordan Kozulj won the 200m backstroke (1:55.52) to score 964 points in what was a fast race while Slovenian Peter Mankoc scored 960 points in the 200 IM (1:58.90), the only gold of his four medalst. |
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24th Nov 2003 |
Italy names European Short Course team
Olympic champion Massimiliano Rosolino will lead a 22-strong Italian team to compete at the European Short Course Championships in Dublin next month. Rosolino, bronze medallist in the 200 IM at the World Championships in Barcelona in July has been absent from the event for the past three years. The full team is as follows: WOMEN: Chiara Boggiatto, Alessandra Cappa, Paola Cavallino, Roberta Crescentini, Veronica Demozzi, Sara Farina, Elena Gemo, Sabina Mussi, Sara Parise, Federica Pellegrini, Chiara Pettenò, Francesca Segat. MEN: Alessio Boggiatto, Christian Galenda, Filippo Magnini, Christian Minotti, Mattia Nalesso, Matteo Pelliciari, Massimiliano Rosolino, Michele Scarica, Alessandro Terrin, Lorenzo Vismara. |
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14th Nov 2003 |
Delhi wins Commonwealth vote
The Indian city of New Delhi has won the right to stage the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the event's governing body said following the Commonwealth Games Federation congress in Jamaica Thursday. New Delhi received 46 votes compared to the 22 of Hamilton, Canada, the only rival. It will be the first time the Games have been held in India and the second in Asia. |
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13th Nov 2003 |
NCAA will test for THG
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has decided to hold tests to detect possible use of tetrahydrogestrinone (THG). Although the IAAF (the Athletics World Governing Body) and FINA have decided to perform retroactive testing, the NCAA will not test on previous events a spokesman said Wednesday.m |
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13th Nov 2003 |
Fuller drops accusations against Hodge
Australian swimmer Emma Fuller has retired the accusation and abandoned her apprehended violence order (AVO) against Australia's head swimming coach Greg Hodge. The 20-year-old Fuller refused to say why she has dropped the application. |
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13th Nov 2003 |
Germany names Olympic selections early
The German Swimming Federation announced on Tuesday the selection of 21 swimmers for the Athens Olympics next year. Former European record holder Mark Warnecke, who's not in the listed men's team, will be allowed another chance to qualify for the Games. WOMEN: Franziska Van Almsick, Vipa Bernhardt, Antje Buschulte, Petra Dallmann, Jana Henke, Nicole Hetzer, Annika Melhorn, Katrin Meissner, Sarah Poewe, Anne Poleska, Hannah Stockbauer, Sandra Volker. MEN: Lars Conrad, Steffen Dreisen, Stefan Herbst, Christian Keller, Thomas Lurz, Johannes Oesterling, Thomas Rupprath, Torsten Spanneberg, Jens Thiele. |
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10th Nov 2003 |
Malchow speaks about THG scandal
America's Tom Malchow has spoken out about the ongoing THG scandal: "The scandal is frustrating and annoying because the most of athletes don't cheat," he said. "But it does make you wonder how many people are doing this and how many drugs are still out there that aren't yet detected by scientists." Malchow is a member of the World Anti-Doping Agency's athlete ambassador program, which inform athletes of the dangers of taking supplements such as Creatine. "I used to take a multivitamin, but I stopped because it could be possible that it is mixed in a container used to store banned substance before it, then I don't want to take the risk." Malchow, who is training for next year's Olympics, is the current 200 Butterfly Olympic champion. |
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10th Nov 2003 |
Manchester bids for World Short Course
The English city of Manchester will compete with Lisbon, Trieste and Stockholm in the biddinf for the 9th FINA Short-Course World Swimming Championships in 2008. Upcoming SC Worlds are scheduled as follows: 2004, Indianapolis (USA), October 7-11 and 2006, Shanghai (CHN), dates to be defined. The host city for 2008 will be announced on October 6, 2004 at the FINA Bureau which will be held in Indianapolis. |
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7th Nov 2003 |
Phelps signs lucrative new contract with Speedo
American swimming sensation Michael Phelps has extended his contract, initially signed in 2001, with swimwear trade mark Speedo, until the 2008 Olympics. It is rumoured to be the richest contract in Speedo history and includes bonuses for him and his coach Bob Bowman. The new deal is said to include a $1million bonus for Phelps if he wins 7 or more gold medals at either the Athens or Beijing Games. The 18-year-old phenom set new world records in the 200 butterfly, 200 IM, 100 butterfly and 400 IM events at July's world swimming championships. |
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7th Nov 2003 |
British Swimming welcomes THG tests
British Swimming has welcomed FINA's move to re-test urine samples taken from this year's World Championships, in order to detect the newly discovered THG steroid. "FINA has been at the forefront of the fight against doping and the re-testing of samples from the World Championships will demonstrate its continued commitment," said British Swimming Chief Executive Mr David Sparkes. "I fully support this decision to re-test all samples and think it highlights the fact that dope testing should be compulsory for all athletes. The sooner compulsory blood testing comes into the sport the better." |
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9th Oct 2003 |
New Coach Development Officers required in England
sports coach UK is now seeking applications for 30 Coach Development Officers based across various counties in England. The new team is being established with the support of the Department of Culture, Media & Sport, Sport England, the National Governing Bodies of Sport and other partners based on the recommendations from the Coaching Task Force. The focus of the role will be to develop coaches by identifying their coaching needs and then building a sustainable support structure around them, which will incorporate coach education, mentoring and coaching practice. For further information and to apply for the CDO position in your county please go to www.sportscoachuk.org to download the details and application form. |
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9th Oct 2003 |
Thompson considers retirement
Veteran American Jenny Thompson has announced she intends to continue swimming until the 2004 Short Course World Championships in Indianapolis, pending her selection to the US team next year. "If I qualify for the team, I would never say ‘definitely,’ but the 2004 World Championships will likely be my last big swim meet, and it would be a highlight of my career if I can have that be a great experience," said Thompson to US Swimming. |
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8th Oct 2003 |
New General Secretary for World Swimming Coaches Association
The World Swimming Coaches Association (WSCA) has today announced the appointment of Brian McGuinness as the organisation's new Honorary General Secretary. The WSCA is an affiliation of National Swimming Coaches Associations from all over the world and this post has previously been held in the USA and Australia. McGuinness is a former Swimming Development Officer and has been involved in swimming for most of his career, working with squads from England, Scotland and Great Britain for over two decades. He is a National Organiser for the GMB trade union-led British Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association (BSCTA) and was asked to take on this post because of unique way that the BSCTA and GMB provide representation, support and development opportunities for swimming coaches and teachers in Britain. He comments: "I am extremely honoured to have been offered this position and it's only as a result of the BSCTA's partnership with the GMB that this has happened. I hope that the benefits and security that we provide for coaches and teachers in this country can now be replicated worldwide." The BSCTA is hosting a national conference in January in conjunction with British Swimming. Speakers at this event will include Britain's World Championship Medal Winning Coaches and GB National Sprint Coach Bill Bilczuk. The event will take place at the Royal Court Hotel in Coventry from 2 - 4 January 2004. If you require further information or comment, please contact Brian McGuinness on 00 44 (0)121 550 4888
Notes to Editors:
- The GMB is Britain's General Union, with over 700,000 members nationwide.
- The BSCTA is a constitutional association which represents the views of professional and voluntary swimming coaches and teachers on a national, regional and local level with respective governing bodies and employers. It provides IPD and development opportunities as well as recognising the achievements and good practice of its members. Via the GMB, the BSCTA provides legal and employment support for all aspects of their work. All swimmers winning medals at the recent FINA World Championships in Barcelona were coached by BSCTA/GMB members.
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7th Oct 2003 |
Britain bids for World Short Course
Great Britain is one of five nations who have submitted official bids to to host the 9th Short Course World Swimming Championships in 2008, the International Amateur Swimming Federation (FINA) said in Lausanne, Monday. The other four candidates are Hungary, Italy, Portugal and Sweden. FINA and the five candidates will meet in Lausanne on October 16, to discuss all the aspects of the organisation of the event. |
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30th Sept 2003 |
LEN coaching clinic at Euro Short Course
LEN will conduct a clinic for all Federation Coaches and Team Staff at the European Short Course Championships in Dublin this December. The clinic will be entitled "National Development – the role of Club Coaches", conducted by Hans Chrunac (SWE), and will be held in the City West Hotel. Exact time and date are to be confirmed. |
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27th Sept 2003 |
Rigamonti heading home
Swiss swimmer Flavia Rigamonti is to move back to Switzerland from her SMU college base in the United States to start training with her boyfriend coach in prepartation for next years Olympic Games in Athens. The 20-year-old swimmer from Canton Ticino won a silver in the inaugural women's 1500 freestyle at 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka, but she was forced to withdraw from this year's World Championships due to injuries she sustained in a cycling accident. |
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27th Sept 2003 |
Van Almsick angry at drug ban reductions
German swimming star Franziska van Almsick has protested against FINA's decision to reduce bans for drug cheats from 4 years to 2. "If someone has tested positive I think they should be banned for life," she told German newspaper Die Welt. Van Almsick, the world record holder in the 200 freestyle, won silver at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta behind Costa Rica's Claudia Poll, who recently learned that her current drug suspension will now be lifted in Spring 2004 instead of 2006. |
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26th Sept 2003 |
Kenney and Malone selected to US team
Skip Kenney (Stanford) and Pete Malone (Kansas City Blazers) have been selected as head coaches of the US men's and women's teams for the 2004 World Short Course Swimming Championships in Indianapolis. Kenney coached the men's team at the '96 Games while Malone was coach of the women's team at the 1999 Pan Am Games and head coach at the '94 Worlds. |
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25th Sept 2003 |
WADA announce changes to doping list
Following a two-day meeting held in Montreal the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Executive Committee has announced a new doping substances list. Of particularly note are that caffeine and pseudoephedrine will be removed from the current list of banned substances in order to prevent the suspensions of athletes using common cold remedies or drinking cola and coffee. The list will be ratified on October the 1st and will be effective from January 1st 2004 the agency stated. |
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24th Sept 2003 |
FINA reduces Poll's drug ban
Swimming world governing body FINA has reduced Costa Rica's Claudia Poll four-year ban by two years. Thirty year old Poll won the 200 freestyle at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and she tested positive for the norandrosterone in an out-of-competition test in February 2002. She will be back in the water for her first competition in March 2004, with the Games just five months away. "She has never stopped training and is in the shape to achieve the qualifying standard for Athens," said coach Francisco Rivas. The reduction has been made due to pressure from the IOC and WADA on all governing bodies to adopt two year bans for first time drug offences. |
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23rd Sept 2003 |
Van Almsick set to compete at Euro Short Course
German swimming star Franziska van Almsick, the world record holder in the 200 freestyle, is set to headline the European Short Course Championships in Dublin this December, her manager Regine Eichorn announced Friday. The five-time European champion will attend the SC German Nationals (28-30 November) then the SC Europeans (11-14 December), "Dublin is a step forward towards the Olympic Games" Said Eichorn. Meanwhile coach Beckmann is confident over Franzi's health "Franzi's shoulder is no longer a problem and she has resumed normal training," said the coach. |
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11th Sept 2003 |
Gary Hall Jnr forms international sprint team
Gary Hall Jnr, American record-holder in the 50m freestyle and eight-time Olympic medalist, has realised a longtime personal dream by forming an international sprint team. Located in Islamorada in the Florida Keys, the team is called the Race Club. The team is designed to bring together "talented male and female swimmers from around the world that have a shot at representing their country at the Olympics. We are looking to establish a core team of six sprinters in addition to myself," Hall said. "The team will have their housing and travel expenses to key meets paid for by The Race Club. Olympians from around the world will also join us to train for varied amounts of time. Jon Olsen, Olympic gold medalist in 1992 and 1996, will coach the group. "We will have unlimited access to the Islamorada swim facility consisting of a $7 million, 50 meter pool located right on the ocean. The team will have free access to weight training, yoga/pilates, core training, and massage therapy," Hall added. Male and female applicants must have a true shot at qualifying for the Olympics for their country. Minimum qualifying times: Men: Long course 50m 23.99 100m 52.99. Women: Long Course: 50m 26.99 100m 57.99. Qualified swimmers interested in participating in this program should send their applications to: theraceclub@garyhalljr.com. They are asked to include their: Accomplishments, Meets, Resume, Times, Friends in swimming, Press and other media, Reason for wanting to join (besides Islamorada being one of the most beautiful places in the world!). "Please feel free to provide any other information that will be valuable in choosing you for our team," Hall asked. "I have already begun my training and I would like my new training partners to begin as soon as possible! Availability is very limited to six swimmers, so early apologies to those that don't make it. I look forward to swimming with you!" |
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11th Sept 2003 |
Limpert to train in USA
Canadian Marianne Limpert, 30, intends to base herself in the USA to strengthen her bid to become the the first Canadian female swimmer to qualify for four Olympics. Limpert, who took silver in the 200 I.M. at the 1996 Olympics and was fourth in 2000, is likely to be based in Baltimore at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club (NBAC), with American world record holder Michael Phelps and his coach Bob Bowman. |
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10th Sept 2003 |
Phelps ponders freestyle challenge
American swimmer Michael Phelps said he could add the 200 and 400 metres freestyle to his program for next year's Athens Olympics. The teenage phenom, who broke five world records at the recent World Championships is considering racing Australia's superstar Ian Thorpe in his pet events. "It's a goal of mine to swim against him... You know, I'm a big racer, I want to race the best and he is the best in those events." Meanwhile his coach Bob Bowman was named American Swimming Coach of the Year by the ASCA (American Swimming Coaches Association), last weekend in San Diego. |
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9th Sept 2003 |
Phelps to compete down under
Australian Swimming today confirmed that the world’s number one ranked male swimmer, American Michael Phelps, will make the trip across the Pacific to compete in the Qantas Skins in Sydney, November 26 and the Aussie leg of the FINA World Cup in Melbourne, November 28-30. In what will provide Australian fans with a feast of world class swimming, Phelps the triple World Champion and world record-holder in the 200m fly, 200 IM and 400 IM will join Aussie World Champions Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and Matt Welsh and Italy’s Olympic champion Massi Rosolino along with many other international stars including Americans Amanda Beard and Lindsey Benko. Of great interest to swimming aficionados will be to see if the multi-talented Phelps gets the opportunity to race Thorpe and Hackett over 200m and 400m freestyle at the World Cup in short course format. Thorpe holds the short course world record for the 200m and Hackett the 400m. There has been much speculation in recent weeks since the brilliant 18-year-old from Baltimore followed up his emphatic performance in Barcelona with five titles at the Summer Nationals including American records in the 200m and 400m free, that he might include these two events in his Olympic program. Phelps swam 1:45.99 for the 200m, a time that would have given him the silver behind Thorpe in Barcelona and 3:46.43 for the 400m sufficient for bronze behind Thorpe and Hackett. His coach Bob Bowman recently indicated that these events are indeed options for his dynamic charge but there are many options and that the final mix will be kept under wraps until after the Olympic trials next July. Phelps indicated in a press release to announce his visit that he was looking forward to the opportunity to race Down Under. “I just love coming to Australia and every time I’ve been there it has been fantastic. The Olympics was a lot of fun and it was great to head back to Sydney and the Gold Coast earlier this year. The Skins meet sounds like a lot of fun and I have not swum too many major short course meets so visiting Melbourne, site of the 2007 World Championships will be great,” he said. Organizers are still to confirm what events Phelps will contest in both the Skins and the World Cup but have tentatively entered him in the butterfly and middle distance freestyle. |
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7th Sept 2003 |
Ireland names European Short Course team
Andrew Bree and Michael Williamson will lead a twelve strong Irish team to compete at the European Short Course Championships in their home country from December 11 to 14 this year in Dublin. WOMEN: Julie Douglas, Chantal Gibney, Claire Hogan, Lee Kelleher, Melanie Nocher, Emma Robinson, Sinead Tyrell. MEN: Andrew Bree, Steven Manley, Donal O'Neill, Muiris O'Riada, Michael Williamson. |
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6th Sept 2003 |
Britain announces big team for European Short Course Champs
British Swimming will send its biggest ever team to the European Short Course Championships in Dublin in December, the last major international competition before next summer's Olympics Games. Fifty-five swimmers have been named in the squad, after booking their places at the British Short Course Championships in Stockport in August. Up to four swimmers in each Olympic event were able to qualify, with the fourth place going to any juniors inside the qualifying standard laid down by National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham. World record holder Mark Foster, triple World University Games gold medallist Rebecca Cooke and World Champions James Gibson and Katy Sexton are among those included in the team, along with ten newcomers keen to pick up some vital experience in their quest to qualify for the Athens Olympics. Britain gives debuts to Danielle Berry (Durham), Lisa Chapman (Loughborough), Rachel Genner (Coventry) Sarah Healey (Loughborough) Jo Jackson (Durham) Cassandra Pattern (Plymouth) Gemma Spofforth (Portsmouth), Matthew Clay (Bath), and Euan Dale and Andy Hunter (Millfield). Looking to defend their titles from last year's championships in Riesa will be the former World record holder Sarah Price (Barnet), Olympic finalist Stephen Parry (Stockport) and Commonwealth Champion Alison Sheppard (Milngavie & Bearsden). Full team: WOMEN: Kirsty Balfour, Janine Belton, Danielle Berry, Ros Brett, Nathalie Brown, Grace Callaghan, Lisa Chapman, Rebecca Cooke, Kathryn Evans, Rachel Genner, Louise Gowans, Lauren Greenshields, Kate Haywood, Sarah Healey, Gemma Howells, Jo Jackson, Amy Konowalik, Georgina Lee, Melanie Marshall, Karen Nisbet, Cassandra Patten, Keri-anne Payne, Karen Pickering, Sarah Price, Stephanie Proud, Katy Sexton, Rebecca Shaw, Alison Sheppard, Gemma Spofforth, Claire Windeatt. MEN: Alan Bircher, Matt Bowe, Simon Burnett, Matthew Clay, Chris Cook, Todd Cooper, Chris Cozens, Euan Dale, David Davies, Ian Edmond, Matthew Edwards, Adam Faulkner, Mark Foster, Robin Francis, James Gibson, James Goddard, Andy Hunter, Matt Kidd, Gavin Meadows, Darren Mew, Steve Parry, Alex Scotcher, Graeme Smith, Gregor Tait, Adrian Turner. |
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10th Aug 2003 |
Phelps in incredible form at US Nationals
The current undisputed world's best swimmer underlined why he can claim this title with a set of totally incredible performances at the US Nationals which concluded in Maryland yesterday.
No satisifed with ending his season on the amazing high of 3 golds, 2 silvers and 5 world records at the World Championships, Phelps entered five events at the US Nationals and promptly won all five - a feat never before achieved by a male swimmer. Even Mark Spitz at his best could only muster four national titles in the same meet. Commencing with the 100 freestyle, Phelps signalled his clear intentions to be part of the American 400 freestyle relay in Athens with a stunning 49.19, the tenth fastest time in the world this year. Twenty minutes later he wrapped up the 200 backstroke in 1:56.10, a time only bettered in history by his two countrymen Aaron Piersol, the world record holder and Lenny Krayzelburg, the Olympic champion. The next day Phelps swam the 200 freestyle in 1:45.99, a new American record and fourth on the all time list, behind Thorpe, Hoogenband and Hackett. Doubling up to the 400 freestyle a day later, Phelps posted a winning time of 3:46.73, another American record. Although claiming he was "running on empty" after that swim, Phelps saved the best til last. On the final day of the meet he won the 200 I.M. in 1:55.94, bettering his own world record from the World Championships two weeks earlier. No other man has ever swum the event in under 1:58. r |
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9th Aug 2003 |
Kitajima confident for Athens double
Japan's double world champion Kosuke Kitajima is confident he can win double gold again in Athens next year. He believes his only rival is his time, "I have never targeted any particular swimmers but I have always trained myself with the hope of renewing my personal records," he said. "Thus, my rival is my record..." and about multiple world record holder Ian Thorpe he said: "I want to be a national hero like him, cheered on by everyone." |
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27th July 2003 |
World Championships ~ Day 8 Finals
After the conclusion of tonight's swimming a total of fourteen new world records had been set at the championships and one versatile 18-year-old, American Michael Phelps, added his fifth world record to his list of achievements tonight when he smashed his own global standard in the 400 I.M. Phelps swam the fly leg in 55.44 (+0.40 WR). Hungarian newcomer, 18-year-old Laszlo Cseh, was next in 57.24. After the backstroke leg Phelps split 1:58.22 to go -0.05 under his WR pace, with Cseh comfortably second in 2:00.86. At the 300m Phelps had dropped a huge –1.52 under WR pace with some hot breaststroke, but Cseh was not dropping off, turning in 3:12.77 (just +0.27 off world pace). The man of the meet powered home to wipe 1.56 seconds off his old world standard as he touched in 4:09.09. The Hungarian swam a brilliant race for silver clocking the third fastest swim in history 4:10.79, just 0.06 short of the old record. Cseh dropped almost five seconds off his best coming into this meet and in the process, he broke legend Tamas Darnyi’s national and Euro record – another young man to watch. The bronze medal went to Oussama Mellouli in 4:15.36 swimming for Tunisia but based in California at USC and coached by Mark Schubert.
In the men’s 50m backstroke Thomas Rupprath became the second man to go under the 25-second mark in the 50m back when he set a new world record of 24.80, 0.19 seconds under Lenny Krazelberg’s old mark set in 1999. Aussie Matt Welsh took silver tonight in a national record 25.01, to add to his gold in the 50 fly and bronze in the 100 backstroke. The South African team had been talking up their 19-year-old rising star Johannes Zandberg all week, so it was less of a surprise to them when he clocked a national record 25.07 to take bronze.
The men’s 1500m freestyle saw Aussie distance great Grant Hackett continue his relentless pursuit of excellence in the 30-lap race. The 22 year old Queenslander has been in a class of his own globally in this event for some time and, if anything, tonight showed that the pretenders to his crown have slipped away even further from the challenge. Hackett swam his own race tonight to take his third gold medal of the meet tonight in clocking 14:43.14, the 4th fastest swim in history. He holds seven of the top ten swims over the gruelling distance with that other Aussie distance champ, Kieren Perkins, owning the other three. He became the third man to win a championship event three times. The other two: Ian Thorpe and Alexander Popov. Back in the fight for the minor medals American, Erik Vendt was making up ground on Igor Chervynskyi. However, Chervynskyi hung on for silver in 15:01.04 to Vendt’s 15:01.28. Young Brit David Davies was fourth in 15:05.04, a new Welsh record ahead of a disappointing Larsen Jensen (15:08.25) and Fukuoka silver medalist Graeme Smith (15:12.64).
In the women’s 50m freestyle, world record-holder Inky de Bruijn took her second gold of the championships winning in 24.47. The Dutch triple Olympic champion was the only women to swim under 25 seconds in this competition having also clocked 24.75 in the prelims. Two rising Aussie stars - 17 year old Alice Mills (25.07) and 18 year old Libby Lenton (25.08) - took the minor medals and will certainly be in the mix at the Olympics next year.
Women’s 50m breaststroke: Chinese Luo Xuejuan won her second consecutive championship in this event when she clocked 30.67, just 0.03 seconds outside her meet record set last night. Aussie Brooke Hansen took the silver from the world record-holder, Great Britain’s Zoe Baker (31.37). Baker had gone 31.10 as fastest qualifier in the heats yesterday.
The women’s 400 I.M. saw Ukrainian world record-holder and title-holder Yana Klochkova up against fast improving Hungarian Eva Risztov. Klochkova held a lead from the first turn and although there was less than a second between the two the entire way, Risztov was never able to close the gap. Klochkova won in 4:36.74 with Risztov second (her third of the meet) in 4:37.39 and Romanian Beatrice Caslaru taking bronze in 4:41.86.
In the men’s 400m medley relay the America team was an awesome combination on paper: Peirsol, Hansen, Crocker and Lezak. Peirsol got the team off to a brilliant start clocking 53.71 (3rd fastest all-time). Hansen did a good job clocking 59.61 (2nd fastest all-time), Japan’s world record holder went 59.11 to record the fastest all-time split and put Japan in second place with the Russians holding third. Over to Ian Crocker. With the world record under his belt, he split an amazing 50.39 (fastest all-time), putting the US over three seconds in front of Japan and Russia. Jason Lezak swam the final leg in 47.83 and a new world record of 3:31.54 (-1.94 under the old mark set at the Pan Pacs last year by USA). That man Popov finished for Russia, getting by Japan’s Hosokawa in 47.95 to grab the Russians silver in 3:34.72. Japan took the bronze in a national and Asian record 3:36.12, just in advance of France 3:36.39. To finish the meet in style, Hoogenband recorded 46.70 (the fastest all-time relay split) in his freestyle leg for the Dutch to give them fifth spot (3:37.12). Popov ended the meet with three gold and a silver, his best world championships performance. |
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27th July 2003 |
World Championships ~ Day 8 Heats
World record-holder Michael Phelps was back in the pool for two swims this morning after his surprise loss in the 100 fly last night. The versatile 18-year-old American qualified second fastest in the 400 I.M. (4:14.72) behind another 18-year-old, Hungarian Laszio Cseh (4:14.11). In the women's event, Hungarian Eva Risztov was fastest in 4:42.89 from German Nicole Hetzer (4:43.48) and Ukrainian world record-holder and title-holder, Yana Klochkova (4:44.14). America set a meet record of 3:34.80 in the heats of the men's medley relay and will be very hard to beat tonight with an even stronger team. The big shock was the disqualification of Australia for a flyer on the first changeover. |
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26th July 2003 |
World Championships ~ Day 7 Finals
Just when Michael Phelps had been declared officially superhuman and all but unbeatable, along comes Ian Crocker to do the impossible. Yesterday, Phelps laid waste to Michael Klim's four year-old world record of 51.81 in the 100m fly (which had just been lowered to 51.76 by Ukraine's Andrei Serdinov in the previous semi-final heat) with an astonishing 51.47. The only questions in the minds of the capacity crowd at the Palau Sant Jordi tonight were could Phelps take that record down still further and, if so, by how much? The answers were: Yes. And: By a lot. But incredibly, it was not enough. Ian Crocker, a native of Maine who had been eclipsed by Phelps since the teen's meteoric rise to the top in the last two years, reached deep inside himself for what may be the most incredible of all the world records set here this past week. Crocker exploded at the start, immediately grabbed the lead and never let go. Splitting a mind-boggling 23.99 at the 50, he led Phelps, in seventh place, by 0.62. Then came the turn, and Phelps began mowing down opponents. One by one, they fell to his withering onslaught. Everyone of them...except Crocker. The Texan burst through the 51-second barrier, an unthinkable achievement just two days ago, as he touched in 50.98 seconds. Phelps followed in 51.10, well under his old mark. (Crocker's time is faster than Mark Spitz's winning time of 51.22 in the 100 free at the 1972 Munich Olympics!) Serdinov clocked 51.59 to take bronze, becoming the third fastest man in history. A record five swimmers in all swam under 52 seconds.
It was one of the greatest night's in history for British swimming. First of all, Katy Sexton followed up her 100m backstroke silver with an even better result in the 200 distance. Coming home in 31.35 on the final 50m, Sexton, who is coached by Chris Nesbit at the Portsmouth Northsea club, won her first major international gold to get the ball rolling for the British team. Her winning time of 2:08.74 was a Commonwealth record. She beat a fading Margaret Hoelzer (USA) who touched in 2:09.24. Russia's Stanislava Komarova was third in 2:10.17. Fuelled by the gold medal glory, sprint specialist Mark Foster then finally lived up to his potential on the world stage to take a superb silver medal in the one lap dash (22.20) just behind swimming legend Alex Popov (21.92) with Hoogenband in bronze. Then, it was Rebecca Cooke's turn. A final length sprint in the 800 freestyle final allowed her to ovehaul Brittany Reimer and collect a brilliant bronze medal in 8:28.45. The race was won by Germany's Hannah Stockbauer in 8:23.66, her third gold of the meet and enough to seal her the female swimmer of the meet award. America's Diana Munz took silver (8:24.19).
Holland's Inge de Bruijn, clad in a swim cap with "Princess" printed on the front, won the women's 50 butterfly in a new championship record of 25.84. America's Jenny Thompson swam a best time by over half a second to win silver in 26.00, while the world record holder, Anna-Karin Kammerling (Sweden) was third in 26.07.
In the women's 4 x 100 medley relay China won in a new championship record of 3:59.89 after a 1:05.79 breast split for Xuejuan Luo (fastest split of all-time) and 53.71 for Yu Yang. Jenny Thompson split a 57.40 100 fly to lead USA to a 4:00.83. Natalie Coughlin lead-off in a 1:02.26, almost 3 seconds slower than her best and obviously still not recovered from her fever. Australia had a good swim for the bronze in 4:01.37 lead by a solid backstroke lead-off by Giaan Rooney in 1:01.75.
Inge de Bruijn led the qualifiers for the 50 freestyle. De Bruijn went a 24.75, while Jenny Thompson qualified for tomorrow night's final in third spot with a 25.09 behind Lisbeth Lenton in 25.08. The big shock, and perhaps the biggest disappointment of the week for Britain was Alison Shepard's failure to qualify for the final after a slow 25.36 semi swim. |
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26th July 2003 |
World Championships ~ Day 7 Heats
Britain's sprint specialist Zoe Baker led the women's 50 breaststroke qualifiers in 31.10. Seven other swimmers swam inside 32 seconds and 32.54 placed 16th.
A new championship record time of 25.19 was the fastest time from the heats of the men's 50 backstroke. A second swim required 26.08 which proved just a fraction too fast for Britain's Gregor Tait, although he will be pleased with his 26.23 time, a new Scottish record.
In the women's 50 freestyle, Canadian based Scot Alison Sheppard was the fastest qualifier (25.16) ahead of Inge de Bruijn (25.26) and Jenny Thompsen (25.27). Reaching the semi-final required 25.88. Ros Brett was 32nd overall in 26.50, well outside her 25.30 best time which would have ranked her 4th.
Distance king, Grant Hackett, stroked a very impressive heat swim of 15:08.79 to be fastest qualifier for tomorrow night's 1500 freestyle final. Britain’s Graeme Smith (15:12.74), the silver medalist behind Hackett from Fukuoka; American Erik Vendt (15:13.41); Rookie British teenager, David Davies (15:13.93); Ukrainian Igor Chervynskyi (15:14.01) and Christian Minotti, silver medalist from ’02 Euros (15:14.84) should fight it out for the minor medals. In the womens medley relay, he USA qualified fastest and should be hard to beat, even without Natalie Coughlin. The Aussies, Chinese and Brits should be in the battle for silver and bronze. |
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25th July 2003 |
World Championships - Day 6 Finals
It was an amazing night of swimming at the Palau Sant Jordi pool in Barcelona with no less than 4 world records in the session. Two of those records fell to Michael Phelps, who became the first person in history to set world records in two different events in the same day. Strange as it may seem though, there was much more to tonight's story than "just" Michael. In a brilliant performance, Amanda Beard equalled the world record in the 200 breast; Aaron Peirsol took the 200 back; Grant Hackett won the 800 free; and Finn Hanna Seppala annexed the 100 free. In semifinal action, Ukraine's Andriy Serdinov broke the world record in the first semi of the 100 fly, holding it for almost three minutes until Phelps finished his swim; Alex Popov topped all qualifiers in the 50 free, taking another step toward an unprecedented sprint triple-double; Holland's Inky De Bruijn remained dominant in the 50 fly; and Russia's Stanislava Komarova posted the fasted 200 back time.
First of all, the men's 200 I.M. In a simply astounding swim, American Michael Phelps trashed his own outstanding world record by a massive 1.48 seconds, having now lowered it three times in the past month and finally leaving it set at 1:56.04 tonight. Prior to Phelps’ phenomenal run the record held by Finn Jani Sievinen of 1:58.16 had stood since the World Champs in Rome in 1994. And then there was Ian Thorpe. The Aussie champion had never swum this race before at an international meet. Thorpe held third place at the second turn behind George Bovell of Trinidad, but ahead of Olympic and world champ Italian Massi Rosolino and former world record-holder Jani Sievinen. Thorpe swam a better breaststroke leg tonight, holding third, but was behind the Italian at the final turn. He then powered into his best leg to come home over the top of Rosolino and touch him out by just 0.05 seconds, snatching silver in a Commonwealth record of 1:59.66 to Rosolino’s 1:59.71. Thorpe becomes the 5th fastest performer all-time. The 29 year old Sievinen was 4th in 1:59.98.
Many "experts" thought Phelps might go easy in his semi-final of the 100 butterfly as he had the 200 I.M. final to follow not long after this race and he could go for the record tomorrow night. That sounded a reasonable analysis before the semis were raced. First Ukrainian Andriy Serdinov, the European silver medalist upset the script a little racing home in a new world record of 51.76. American Ian Crocker went a quick 52.21 to equal his best time, taking second ahead of the European champ, German Thomas Rupprath (52.37). Then, in the second semi, there was a certain Mr Phelps. He turned in 25.11 (slowest of all 16 semi-finalists) but came home like no man has before in 26.36 to break the Ukranian’s short lived record by 0.29 seconds – 51.47.
In the women's 200 breaststroke final, Amanda Beard and Aussie Leisel Jones took the race out fast. Jones was well under world record pace at the 50 and again at the 100 with her 1:08.95, with Beard about a second behind but also just under WR pace. The American with her characteristic high action stroke was quickly gaining on Jones; and came home in 2:22.99, equalling the world record time set by Hui Qi, who took bronze in 2:25.78, Jones had to be content with silver in an Australian record 2:24.33.
Grant Hackett was not challenged tonight in the 800 freestyle final. Brit Graeme Smith was in second place early, but gave way to American distance hope Larsen Jensen at the 500 metres, and then Ukranian Igor Chervynski around the 700 mark. Hackett finished in 7:43.82, the 4th fastest swim all-time, 18-year-old Jensen set a new American record to take silver in 7:48.09 (4th all-time performer behind classy company, Aussies Thorpe, Hackett and Kieren Perkins). Chervynski took the bronze in a national record 7:53.15 with Smith just 0.33 further adrift.
American Aaron Peirsol showed clear water to his rivals in a dominant 200 backstroke performance, winning his second indidvidual gold of the championships when he touched in 1:55.92. European champion, Croatian Gordan Kozulj, clocked 1:57.47 to take silver with Frenchman Simon Dufour (1:57.90) holding off a fast finishing American rising star Bryce Hunt by 0.02 seconds to take bronze.
On her form at this meet, 18 year old Finn Hanna-Maria Seppala certainly looks she will be a major contender for the Olympic freestyle sprints next year. Seppala dominated from the start, flipping first in 25.96 well in advance of the field and holding her form to take gold in 54.37. The fast finishing Aussie champ Jodie Henry, seventh at the 50, came home over the top of American Jenny Thompson under the flags to take silver (54.58) with Thompson in the bronze position (54.65).
The men's 50 freestyle semi-finals saw Alex Popov lead the qualifiers in 21.99. American Jason Lezak clocked 22.14 to be second best, Dutchman Johan Kenkhuis was next (22.31), followed closely by Frenchmen Julien Sicot (22.32), Ukrainian Olersandr Volynets (22.34) and Pieter van den Hoogenband (22.36) with Brit Mark Foster (22.43) and Aussie Brett Hawke rounding out the eight.
Championship record holder Inge de Bruijn swam 25.94, making her the only qualifier under 26 seconds. China’s Zhou Yafei and world record-holder, Sweden’s Anna-Karin Kammerling, were next in 26.73. American Jenny Thompson just made it into the final after having taken bronze in the 100 free.
Russian Stanislava Komarova continues to look good in this event, the only swimmer to drop under 2:10 thus far. The 17-year-old clocked 2:09.39 to head British hope Katy Sexton (2:10.47) and Ukrainian Iryna Amshennikova (2:11.08). Pan Pac champion, American Margaret Hoelzer also made it through in 2:11.38 with Sarah Price (2:11.69), the second British finalist, still in with a chance tomorrow night. |
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25th July 2003 |
World Championships ~ Day 6 Heats
World record holder Inge de Bruijn was easily the fastest through the heats of the women's 50 butterfly in 26.33. It took 27.73 to make the semi-finals which was unfortunately 0.08 too fast for Britain's Ros Brett who recorded 27.81.
The American due of Michael Phelps (52.27) and Ian Crocker (52.35) were half a second clear of the chasing pack in the 100 butterfly heats. A second swim required 53.48 which was too fast for 2000 Olympic champion Lars Frolander who is clearly out of form at this meet.
Rebecca Cooke qualified in 4th place for the women's 800 freestyle final with a solid 8:32.95, just 0.51 away from the top spot held by America's Diana Munz although medal winning is likely to require significantly faster than this.
Alexander Popov continued where he left off last night in this morning's 50 freestyle heats by setting a new championship record in a very swift 21.98. This was 0.31 clear of Jason Lezak while Brit Mark Foster progressed in 10th place (22.59).
Sarah Price (2:12.92) and Katy Sexton (2:13.57) both comfortably qualified from the 200 backstroke heats in 6th and 9th place respectively. The qualifiers were led by Russia's Stanislava Komarova in 2:10.98 with 2:14.92 getting a second swim. |
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24th July 2003 |
World Championships - Day 5 Finals
Britain collected its 4th medal of the championships so far when Ian Edmond swam a brilliant 200 breaststroke final to take silver in 2:10.92. Although his time was slightly slower than his Commonwealth record semi-final, he was clearly delighted with the result as was his coach from the City of Edinburgh team, Tim Jones. The race was won by Japan's Kosuke Kitajima, who did the breaststroke double by adding a second gold and second world record to those from the 100 after taking victory in 2:09.42. Brendan Hansen took the bronze medal in 2:11.11 having been overhauled by Edmond in the final 25.
The men's 100 freestyle delivered the excitement and drama it had promised with one of the best fields ever assembled and three of the sport's all time legends in the middle of the pool - Thorpe, Hoogenband and Popov.Popov was out fast again, flipped first in 23.05 with Hoogie on his tail in 23.12. American hope Jason Lezak turned next (23.37), the Thorpedo was back in last place (23.67). On the second 50 Popov did not falter and stroked to the wall in 48.42 to take gold – a record third championship over the distance to go with Rome '94 and Perth '98. Hoogenband took the silver in 48.68, to matching his result in Fukuoka. Thorpe swam past Lezak in the final 5 metres to take bronze in 48.77, one place better than Fukuoka. Lezak finished fourth in 48.94.
In the women's 200 butterfly final, Polish world record holder, 19 year old Otylia Jedrzejczak, swam a controlled race to take gold in 2:07.56, holding off 18 year old Hungarian Eva Risztov (2:07.68) in the same result as the 2002 European Championships. Japan’s Yuko Nakanishi, took the bronze in 2:08.08 just 0.30 seconds in advance of American Mary Descenza.
Local favorite Nina Zhivanevskaya brought the house down when she won the first world championship gold medal by a Spanish woman in the 50 backstroke. Zhivanevskaya, who had previously swum for Russia (silver medal in '94 in Rome in the 100 backstroke) clocked a new championship record 28.48. Ilona Hlavackova from the Czech Republic lowered her best for the third time to take silver in 28.50 with Japan’s Noriko Inada taking bronze (28.62).
The women's 4 x 200 freestyle relay saw USA take its second women's relay of the meet in a new championship record time of 7:55.70. The team of Lindsey Benko, Rachel Komisarz, Rhiannon Jeffrey and Diana Munz were never headed after Benko blasted a 1:57.41 leading leg (the world's fastest time this year, a time that would have easily won the individual 200 final and also the fifth fastest performer in history). Australia looked to have the silver medal in their keeping until China’s Yang Yu swam a blistering final leg of 1:57.24 to get within 0.11 seconds at the wall. Australia 7:58.42 held on with China taking bronze in 7:58.53. Towards the end of the medal presentation, Australian Elka Graham collapsed and was carried from the dais for medical attention. It appears that her condition is not serious but she has had medical problems relating to low blood pressure that were at one stage going to keep her out of the meet.
Michael Phelps continued his supreme form at this meet in the 200 I.M. semi-finals. The boy from Baltimore pourned scorn on Don Talbot's suggestion that he had yet to prove himself on the world stage by reducing his own world record to 1:57.52. Olympic gold medalist, Italian Massi Rosolino, was next, over 2 seconds behind in 1:59.84, and Trinidad’s George Bovell dipped under the 2 minute mark to rank 3rd with Thorpe back in 5th.
In further semi-finals the world record-holder, Aaron Peirsol, swam the second fastest 200 backstroke in history to break his championship record from Fukuoka in 1:55.82, just 0.67 outside his world mark set last year in Minneapolis. The 20 year old was over 2 seconds in advance of brilliant young Russian Arkady Vyatchanin who set another national record in 1:57.88. Croatian Gordan Kozulj clocked a very fast 1:57.94 for third and newcomer Bryce Hunt was 4th fastest when he swam 1:58.04.
In the women's 200 breaststroke semis, American Amanda Beard was the fastest qualifier with a quick 2:25.54, ahead of Chinese world record-holder Qi Hui (2:26.30) and European champion, Austria’s Mirna Jukic (2:26.46). German Anne Poleska (2:26.53) and Aussie Leisel Jones (2:26.59) will also be fighting for the marbles. The title holder, Hungary’s Agnes Kovacs, missed the cut by 0.04, beaten to the last spot by teenage team mate Diana Remenyi.
The women's 100 freestyle semi-final action saw Finn Hanna-Maria Seppala continue to impress, clocking 54.48 to be fastest for tomorrow. American Jenny Thompson will be there (54.78), so too Aussie teenage duo Jodie Henry (54.78) and Libby Lenton (54.92), Holland’s Marleen Veldhuis (55.04), Slovakia’s Martina Moravcova (55.00), Elena Popchenko (55.13) and German Antje Buschschulte (55.20). |
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24th July 2003 |
World Championships ~ Day 5 Heats
The women's 100 freestyle was led by Finland's Hanna Maria Seppala in 54.82 with American Jenny Thompsen also dipping under the 55 second barrier. Britain's Alison Sheppard made it through to the semi-final in 15th place but will know that further progress will require her to swim faster than her 56.17 heat. Britain's other representative in this race Kathryn Evans swam 56.53 for 22nd overall. Pre-race medal contenders Therese Alshammar and Natalie Coughlin both went crashing out of the event with poor mid 56 performances.
Gregor Tait looked powerful and controlled as he progressed through to the semi-finals of the men's 200 backstroke in 6th place with 1:59.62. Aaron Piersol, the 100m champion looks a short priced favourite for gold, leading the way with 1:57.28. Unfortunately, British record holder James Goddard was unable to swim close to his best time and missed out on a second swim after recording 2:01.91. It took 2:00.73 to get a second swim.
Austria's Mirna Jukic gave a quality demonstration of controlled breaststroking to lead the women's 200 breaststroke qualifiers in 2:27.91, just ahead of American Amanda Beard (2:29.95). To make the semi-final required 2:31.42 but that will be without Britain's Jaimie King, who withdrew from the morning heats.
In the men's 200 I.M.
Michael Phelps looked a class apart when leading the qualifiers of the men's 200 I.M. in 1:59.71. Second was Auburn based Trinidadian George Bovell in 2:00.94. Britain's Robin Francis put in a solid swim to qualify in 14th position in 2:02.50 and had the pleasure of beating Ian Thorpe in his heat. With a 37 breaststroke split Thorpe has certainly got a lot of work to do if he is to challenge for the final of this event, let alone a medal, as his 2:02.54 was only good enough for 14th equal position from the morning heats.
The women's 4 x 200 freestyle relay provided a big shock when Germany placed 9th in the heats and failed to make the final. The American's lead the qualifiers in 8:02 from China and Spain, with Britain lying 4th (8:05.65) after splits of 2:02.26 (Belton), 2:02.21 (Lee), 2:01.24 (Nisbet) and 1:59.94 (Legg). A number of teams, including Britain will no doubt change their line ups for the final however.
Graeme Smith has given himself a great chance of a medal after qualifying in second place for tomorrow night's final of the 800 freestyle in 7:58. Grant Hackett leads with 7:55 while Larsen Jenson and Kurtis MacGillivary both went 7:59. Aussie Stephen Penfold will be in trouble with team bosses after he turned up late for his heat and missed his swim, while Greek swimmer Dimitros Manganas could also incur the wrath of his coach having stopped after the dive to fix his goggles before carrying on! Britain's promising distance prospect David Davies withdrew. |
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23rd July 2003 |
World Championships - Day 4 Finals
Britain's 28 year wait for an individual World Championship gold medallist finally came to an end tonight with a superb vicory for James Gibson in the 50 breaststroke. Gibson powered away from the field in the second half of the race to win in 27.56 ahead of defending champion Oleg Lisogor (27.74) and Hungary's Mihaly Flaskay (27.79). Darren Mew placed 5th in 27.92. Gibson was delighted with the victory and thanked his friends, family, coach Ben Titley and other support for the help they have given him. However, he acknowledged that the 100 breaststroke Olympic gold is the real target and that Titley and himself will be "unrelenting and uncompromising" in their quest for it.
As expected, Michael Phelps defended his crown and took the gold medal in the 200 butterfly in 1:54.35, the second fastest swim all-time, to complete the job he started yesterday when he smashed his own world and championship record. Tonight he was always just outside world record pace but sufficient to comfortably beat Japan’s Takashi Yamamoto (1:55.52), who got by American Tom Malchow in the final length for the silver medal. Malchow, the 2000 Olympic champion, was only 0.12 behind his countryman at the last turn but finished in 1:55.66 for the bronze.
In the final of the women's 200 freestyle, Alena Popchanka from Belarus took the gold medal after dueling with Slovakian Martina Moravcova for the entire race. Moravcova, who started in lane 8 after a poor semi-final swim, led the race until the 150 mark, but Popchanka made it to the finish first in 1:58.32 to Moravcova’s 1:58.44. China’s Yang Yu was not far away in a close finish to take the bronze in 1:58.54. USA’s Lindsay Benko, the fastest qualifier in both heats and semis, was not able to improve on her winning heat time of 1:58.84 to finish a disappointing 4th.
The Australians have not lost a major international men's 4 x 200 freestyle relay for some time now. Thorpe, Hackett and Craig Stevens were part of the winning team at Pan Pacs in 2002 and they were joined here today by 18 year old Nick Sprenger, swimming at his first major international meet. The Americans had Michael Phelps, Nate Dusing, Aaron Peirsol and Klete Keller to try and adjust the pecking order. Phelps swam a brilliant first leg, 1:46.60 (4th fastest all-time performer and a new American record) to Hackett’s 1:47.19. Dusing (1:48.79) and Stevens (1:48.74) swam almost the same times to maintain the Yank's advantage at half way. Aaron Peirsol, swimming freestyle internationally for the first time, was up against the inexperienced Sprenger. This was the critical leg as the Aussies had the Thorpedo waiting to bring them home. Sprenger stepped-up and edged past the backstroke champion with 1:48.24 to the American's 1:48.88, and sending Thorpe on his way to his third gold of the meet. Thorpe clocked 1:44.41, the second fastest split in history behind his 1:44.14 from Fukuoka, but Klete Keller also swam very well not giving up much ground to Thorpe and splitting 1:45.99. The Australians’ winning time was 7:08.58 with the USA in silver with a new American record of 7:10.26. Germany and Italy had a very close battle with the Germans taking bronze in 7:14.02 to 7:14.32. Britain's relatively inexperienced and new team of Simon Burnett (1:50.24), Ross Davenport (1:49.88), Robin Francis (1:48.55) and Ed Sinclair (1:50.28) will have been satisfied with their 6th place finish.
The men's 200 breaststroke semi-finals saw Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima come close to regaining the world record snatched from him by Russian Dmitri Komornikov last month. The 21-year-old Japanese was under world record pace at all turns but fell just fall short by 0.21 in a new championship record 2:09.73. Edinburgh based Scot Ian Edmond and American Brendan Hansen (2:11.33) were both also under world record pace at the third turn but fell short over the testing last 50 meters. However, Edmond's time was a brilliant new British and Commonwealth record, removing the marks of Nick Gillingham and Jim Piper respectively. Komornikov will be there tomorrow night, qualifying fifth in 2:12.74, behind Piper (2:11.88). Hungary's 14 year-old Dani Gyurta, swam a second slower than he did in the heats and failed to make the final cut.
The Russian legend Alex Popov looked to have the second semi-final of the men's 100 freestyle in his keeping but the flying Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband wore him down in the last couple of strokes to touch first in a hot 48.39 to Popov’s 48.51. In the first semi, Ian Thorpe also came from behind to power home in 48.71 from Jason Lezak in 48.78. Russian Andrei Kapralov also went under 49 seconds clocking 48.98.
Polish world record holder Otylia Jedrzejczak made it clear she will be the one to beat in the women's 200 butterfly final when she qualified fastest in 2:08.42. American Mary Descenza also swam well with 2:08.71. Two other swimmers were under 2:10: Hungarian teen Eva Risztov (2:08.88) and Japan’s Yuko Nakanishi (2:09.41).
In the women's 50 backstroke semi-finals local favourite Spaniard Nina Zhivanevskaya led the way with 28.52, just 0.03 seconds outside Natalie Coughlin’s championship record. Ilona Hlavackova from the Czech Republic swam 28.62 for second best qualifier with German world record-holder Sandra Volker third in 28.79. |
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23rd July 2003 |
World Championships ~ Day 4 Heats
The women's 50 backstroke heats got day four underway and it was Czech swimmer IIona Hlavackova who led the semi-final qualifiers with 28.67. A time of 29.24 made it through but this was beyond that capable by Britain's representatives. The silver medallist from the 100 last night, Katy Sexton recorded 29.85 while fellow finallist Sarah Price swam 29.66.
Alex Popov emphasised that nobody should write him off yet with a very comfortable and classy looking display in the men's 100 freestyle. His time of 48.94 was one of only three to break 49 seconds, the others coming from America's Jason Lezak (48.93) and Hoogenband, who just leads with 48.86. To make the semi-final required 49.86.
The women's 200 butterfly saw an excellent swim from American Mary Descenza to lead the qualifiers in 2:09.08, closely followed by Hungary's Eva Ristov (2:09.32). Brit Georgina Lee qualified in 14th position with 2:12.46 but will need to swim much quicker tonight if she is to make further progress.
New 100 metre champion and world record holder Kosuke Kitajima looked very impressive with easily the fastest time in the men's 200 breaststroke (2:10.66). Britain's Ian Edmond will be delighted to rank 2nd overall after the heats following his comfortable 2:12.07 swim. It took 2:15.20 to get a second swim. |
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22nd July 2003 |
World Championships - Day 3 Finals
A marvellous silver medal for Portsmouth Northsea's Katy Sexton was the British highlight of the thrid day of the World Championships in Barcelona. Coached by Chris Nesbit, Sexton made up ground on the leaders over the second 50 to finish in 1:00.86, equal second with Denmark's Louise Ornstedt. The gold went to fastest qualifier Antje Buschschulte of Germany in 1:00.50. Sarah Price finished a disappointing 8th place in 1:01.63.
The eagerly anticipated duel between Hoogenband and Thorpe in the 200 freestyle did not disappoint as both swimmers went head to head under world record pace over the first 100. Thorpe surged to the lead in the third lap and moved comfortably to the wall in 1:45.14. Hoogenband held his pace to finish in 1:46.43 with Hackett moving away from the rest of the field to take the bronze in 1:46.85.
Perhaps not for the last time this week, Michael Phelps set the pool alight with a blistering display in the semi-finals of the 200 butterfly as he lowered his own world record to an incredible 1:53.93. It was more good news for the British team though as not far behind Phelps was Stephen Parry in a new Commonwealth record of 1:55.90. This placed him equal second for the final tomorrow night and a great chance of a medal.
Britain looks to have a certain medal tomorrow night from James Gibson. Gibson set a new championship and Commonwealth record in the 50 breaststroke semi-finals of 27.46. He leads the field by 0.4 and barring disqualification, looks a banker for gold. In addition, the possibility of two Brits on the podium exists as Darren Mew improved on his heat time to rank 4th for the final in 27.98.
However, British spririts were dampened somewhat in the women's 200 freestyle as both Mel Marshall (2:01.05) and Karen Pickering (2:00.89) failed to progress from the semi-finals in times neither will be happy with. Lindsay Benko led the qualifiers (1:59.13) with Australian Elka Graham looking threatening in second place although all eight finalists are separated by less than one second.
In the women's 1500 freestyle, Hannah Stockbauer collected her second gold of the meet with victory in a meet record time of 16:00.18, well clear of the rapidly improving 17 year old Hayley Piersol (16:09.64) from America and compatriot Jana Henke who took bronze. Rebecca Cooke could not match her british record heat time and had to settle for 7th position in 16:20.41.
It was a great night for the Piersol family. Not long after Hayley's 1500 silver, her older brother Aaron jumped into the pool for the men's 100 backstroke final. And although 50 butterfly champion Matt Welsh led for the first 90 metres, it was Piersol who timed the race perfectly to overhaul the Australian in the final 10 and take gold in 53.61, history's second fastest ever time and just 0.01 outside the world record held by Lenny Krayzelberg.
Follwoing her world record in the semis last night, many exepected Leisel Jones to go on and win the gold in tonight's final. However, the defending champion, China's Luo Xuejuan had other ideas and took the race out in 30.83, well under world record pace. She tired on the second 50 but held on to win in 1:06.80. 1996 Olympic silver medallist Amanda Beard came through to take silver (1:07.42) to edge out Jones for the bronze (1:07.47) - will be left thinking what might have been given that her semi-final time would have secured gold. |
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22nd July 2003 |
World Championships ~ Day 3 Heats
No doubt spurred on by his bronze medal last night, James Gibson led the qualifiers for tonight's 50 breaststroke semi-finals in 27.54 and in this form, looks the hot favourite for gold. Darren Mew also safely qualified in 12th position (28.32).
American Lindsay Benko was the only swimmer under 2 minutes in the women's 200 freestyle as she led the way with an impressive 1:58.84. Britain's growing depth in world swimming was emphasised again with both Melanie Marshall (2:00.41, 5th) and Karen Pickering (2:01.57, 16th) making it through to semis tonight. However, both girls will know that it might take a sub 2 minute swim to make the final.
In the only other event of the morning, American swimming sensation Michael Phelps was a comfortable fastest qualifier for the 200 butterfly semis in 1:55.70. In what turned out to be a very fast field, Britain's Stephen Parry will be happy with his 9th place ranking of 1:58.11 but pre-race medal favourite Franck Esposito of France will be very disappointed to miss out, his 2:01.67 placing him 27th. It took 1:59.00 to get a second swim. |
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21st July 2003 |
World Championships - Day 2 Finals
James Gibson won Britain's first medal of the World Championships when he claimed bronze in the men's 100 breaststroke in a new Commonwealth record time of 1:00.37. Having gone out in what some commentators considered suicidal pace, 27.86 for the first 50 (0.63 inside the world record split), Gibson held on as best he could but could not prevent America's Brendan Hansen overtaking him in the last 5 metres to take silver (1:00.21 equal American record) and Japan's Kosuke Kitajima passing him with 10 metres to go for the gold medal in a new world record of 59.78. "It hurt like hell", noted the Ben Titley coached swimmer after the race, adding "I'm still way off the pace and it shows what I've got to do for next year".
Three world records were set during the session with the first one a real surprise in that it was set by Matt Welsh when winning the men's 50 butterfly in 23.43. Normally thought of as a backstroker, Welsh smoked it from lane 8 to take the win ahead of American Ian Crocker (23.62) and Russian Evgueni Korotychkine (23.72). Welsh's teammate and former world record holder Geoff Huegill was left stranded in 4th place (23.76) while Britain's Mark Foster could only place 7th (23.86) knowing that a repeat of his British record time set just a few weeks ago would have won him the silver.
It was another Australian who took the third world record. In the semi-finals of the women's 100 breasststroke, Leisel Jones stormed to an incredible 1:06.37 well clear of the chasing pack who were led by American Amanda Beard (1:07.57).
Despite a long glide into the wall, Jenny Thompsen hung on to take gold in the women's 100 butterfly final in a new championship record time of 57.96, just ahead of Poland's fast finishing Otylia Jedrzejczak (58.22) and Slovakia's Martina Moravcova (58.24).
Ukranian Yana Klochkova, the Olympic champion in this event, dominated the final of the women's 200 I.M. splitting under world record pace until the final freestyle leg, but still swam sufficiently fast to record the third fastest swim in history over the distance and set a new meet record of 2:10.75. Silver went to rapdily improving Alice Mills who set a new Australian and Commonwealth record (2:12.75) while China's Zhou Yafei took bronze (2:12.92).
German Antje Buschschulte, the bronze medalist in this event in Fukuoka, set a new lifetime best of 1:00.61 in qualifying fastest for the 100 backstroke final ahead of Spanish rival Nina Zhivanevskaya who also swam a PB 1:00.74. British swimmer Katy Sexton was third through in 1:01.32. Without world record holder Natalie Coughlin in the final, the gold is up for grabs. Japan’s Mai Nakamura, Russian Stanislava Komarova, Ukranian Iryna Amshennikova and Brit Sarah Price (lying 8th in 1:01.61) are all in the mix for medals.
One of the most eagerly contested events of the meet is shaping up as promised with Pieter van den Hoogenband (1:46.32) and Ian Thorpe (1:47.20) leading the qualifiers for the men's 200 freestyle final after tonight's semis. Grant Hackett is favourite to take bronze after his 1:47.72.
In the men's 100 backstroke American Aaron Peirsol clocked a championship record 54.28 to qualify fastest, breaking Aussie rival Matt Welsh’s winning time of 54.31 from ’01 in Fukuoka. Russian teenager Arkady Vyatchanin continued to impress, again lowering the national record he set in the heats to clock 54.49. |
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21st July 2003 |
World Championships ~ Day 2 Heats
The upset of the meet so far came when world record holder and defending champion Natalie Coughlin did not make the semi-finals of her best event, the 100 backstroke. The American could only manage 1:03.18 in the heats, which left her way down in 22nd place. However, world ranked number one and two swimmers, Britain's Katy Sexton and Sarah Price failed to capitalise on Coughlin's miserable effort when swimming 1:01.7 and 1:02.2 to place 6th and 9th respectively. Although they both obviously have another chance in the semi-finals tonight to rediscover their 'Trials' form, neither will be filled with confidence following their opening swims. Leading the way was Germany's Antje Buschschulte in 1:01.18 and it took 1:02.71 to get a second swim.
In the corresponding men's event, the American team suffered another blow when certain finalist Randall Bal was disqualified for swimming more than 15 metres underwater. Aussie Matt Welsh led the qualifiers in 54.79 with 55.67 making it to the semis.
The men's 200 freestyle looks certain to be another duel between Pieter van den Hoogenband and Ian Thorpe with both swimmers recording 1:47's in the morning heats, although it was the Dutchman who appeared to have the easiest swim. A steady 1:50.53 made it through for tonight's semi-final action.
In the women's 100 breaststroke, Australian Liesel Jones powered her way to a classy 1:07.75 just ahead of American Amanda Beard and compatriot Brooke Hanson (both 1:08's). Unfortunately, Britain's Jaimie King could only manage a 1:11.24, to place 22nd overall, some two seconds plus down on her entry and British record time from the Trials in March. A repeat of that time would have placed her in the top eight and easily in the semis, which required 1:10.53 to make. |
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20th July 2003 |
World Championships - Day 1 Finals
James Gibson and Darren Mew both swam the first 50 of their 100 breaststroke semi-finals way inside world record pace but faded in the last 25 to 1:00.47 and 1:01.6 respectively. Gibson's time equals his Commonwealth record and ranks him second for the final behind Katajima who became only the second man in history to break 60 seconds for the event with his 59.98 swim. Gibson is certainly hoping to be the third tomorrow night. Darren Mew will hope to be close as well having also made the final in 8th place.
The first gold medal of the championships went, predictably, to Ian Thorpe who became the first person ever to win 9 world titles and win the same title 3 times in a row, following his victory procession in the 400 freestyle. Thorpe's time of 3:42.58 was his slowest since 1998 but still nearly 3 seconds clear of his team mate Grant Hackett (3:45.17) who held on for silver from the Romanian Dragos Coman (3:46.87). Britain's Graeme Smith finished a disappointing 8th in 3:51.83, significantly slower than his promising heat performance.
The women's race went to a delighted Hannah Stockbauer of Germany (4:06.75), who just edged out Hungary's rapidly improving Eva Ristov with silver (4:07.24) and American Diana Munz taking the bronze (4:07.57).
As usual, the 400 freestyle relays produced some very exciting battles. The men's race was won by a much improved Russian team that was only half a second outside the world record and anchored by swimming legend Alex Popov. It was too good for the American team, who still swam very well for the silver, followed home by an outstanding performance from the French quartet. There are not many people who can say they have overtaken Ian Thorpe in a relay but this is exactly what French anchor Fred Bousqet did when recording the second fastest relay split ever (47.03) to edge out the Australians by 1/100th. Less than one second separated the top three female teams, with the touch just going to the USA after Jenny Thompsen's 53.44 (5th fastest all time split) anchor leg held off the challenges of Germany and Australia. Britain's women had to settle for 4th place in a time slower than that which gave them a medal 2 years ago in Fukuoka.
Martina Moravcova set a championship record in the first semi-final of the women's 100 butterfly (58.05) but promptly saw this broken in the next semi by Jenny Thopmsen (57.99). The final tomorrow promises to be very close.
A time of 23.47 in the semis of the men's 50 butterfly saw American Ian Crocker narrowly miss the world record by 3/100ths. Britain's Mark Foster looked much improved from his heat swim to place 4th overall for tomorrow's final in 23.76. |
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20th July 2003 |
World Championships get underway
The swimming events at the World Championships in Barcelona got underway this morning with the heats of the women's 100 butterfly as the first event. American veteran Jenny Thompsen led the qualifiers for the semi-finals in a highly impressive new championship record time of 58.14. Pre-race favourite Natalie Coughlin qualified comfortably in 5th place with 59.05. It took a 1:00.13 swim to make the semis. In the men's 400 freestyle it was no surprise to see the Aussie duo of Thorpe (3:47.44) and Hackett (3:48.35) lead the qualifiers for tonight's final. British hopes for an early medal are positive with Graeme Smith looking strong to place 6th overall in 3:49.90. However, David Davies found the going tough in his first ever World Championship race placing 19th in 3:54.70; three seconds behind his best time, although he is certain to have gained useful experience for his more favoured longer events later in the week. To make the final required 3:50.29. Less than two seconds separated the qualifiers for the women's 400 freestyle final with Germany's Hannah Stockbauer heading the list (4:09.78) and Canada's teenage star Brittany Reimer lying 8th (4:11.55). Britain's Rebecca Cooke placed 12th overall in 4:12.51, three seconds adrift of her personal best of 4:09.49 when winning the Commonwealth Games last year. James Gibson looked very impressive in the heats of the 100 breaststroke to qualify 2nd overall in 1:00.77 behind Japan's Kosuke Katajima and Darren Mew also made the semi-finals but will hope to go faster than his 1:01.96 heat. Britain's women's 4 x 100 freestyle relay have a great medal chance after placing 2nd behind Australia going into tonight's final. The men's race looks like a duel between Russian and the USA; Britain finished in 11th. |
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18th July 2003 |
Van der Meulen to move and coach in Scotland
Recently profiled BSCTA member, Gary van der Meulen has been appointed as the swimming coach for the Tayside & Fife Area Institute of Sport, based in Dundee. Commencing in October, Gary will also become a member of Scottish Swimming’s high performance coaching team under the stewardship of Tim Jones, the recently appointed performance manager, with the aim of continuing to develop the success of Scottish swimmers on the world stage. Canadian born Gary, who is the current coach to the Duncan Swim Team in Victoria, Canada, has strong international experience both as a competitor and a coach and is coach to Scottish Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alison Sheppard MBE. He was a coach for Scotland at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and is a regular member of the British team coaching staff including the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Gary is delighted with his new role in Scotland and will take up the post in October 2003. Commenting prior to his departure for the World Championships in Barcelona he said: “This is an exciting new position in Tayside and Fife. By working alongside local clubs and coaches I will be looking to help their athletes progress through from the Area Institute to the Scottish Institute of Sport and onto a new level in the international arena." |
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14th July 2003 |
Australian coach gets the sack
Coach to Elka Graham and Australian head men's coach Brian Sutton has been sacked from the national team after he missed a training session during the pre-World Championship training camp in Sindelfingen (GER), Australian swimming officials said today. "It's a quite difficult decision, we're all mates of Brian, but this is a team," said Greg Hodge, Australian National Performace Director. Sutton had been given compassionate leave to join the team late but when he did not arrive at the newly arranged time his position was reviewed and replaced by Scott Volkers, the women's head coach. |
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13th July 2003 |
World Championships venues announced
The 2007 World Swimming Championships will be held in the Australian city of Melbourne, while the 2006 short course Worlds will be staged in Shanghai (China), FINA announced yesterday. |
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