And more records fall....
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OMAHA -- The back-and-forth exchange of American records between Jason Lezak of Irvine and Garrett Weber-Gale of Longhorn (Texas) Aquatics continued tonight in the 100-meter freestyle in the U.S. Olympic swimming trials.
It may not be the last word in this event, or close to it, but Lezak reclaimed his American record in the semifinals tonight, going 47.58 seconds. Earlier, in the morning prelims, Lezak lowered his own mark and then Weber-Gale bested it one heat later.
No such problem in the semifinals. Lezak’s mark held up, and the second-fastest qualifier for Thursday’s final is Nick Brunelli (48.29), followed by Weber-Gale (48.35) and Cullen Jones (48.58).
‘I didn’t think it was actually attainable, but for me to come within hundredths of that, I can’t believe it,’ said Lezak of the world-record mark, of 47.50, held by Alain Bernard of France.
The march of American records continued in the next final with Katie Hoff winning the 200-meter freestyle, in 1:55.88, holding off a late surge from Allison Schmitt, who went 1:55.92. Hoff lowered her own American mark of 1:56.08, which she set in February.
Michael Phelps, who tonight won his third individual event, confirmed that he will not be swimming in the 200-meter backstroke, opting to drop the event from his busy program. Phelps won the 200 butterfly in 1:52.20
-- Lisa Dillman
