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Olympics Blog

Swimming: Larsen Jensen, in record time

By Helene Elliott
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BEIJING -- Swimmer Larsen Jensen of Bakersfield and Club Trojan obviously likes to move fast in the water -- he lowered his own American record in the 400-meter freestyle Saturday at the National Aquatics Center -- but he goes fast on land too.

Jensen advanced to Sunday’s final by winning his heat in 3 minutes 43.10 seconds, besting the record of 3:43.53 he set at the Olympic trials. Afterward, he zipped through the interview area and past the assembled reporters, saying only, ‘Sorry guys, I can’t.’ He left in his trail only a vision of the Olympic rings tattooed on his shoulder blade.

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Peter Vanderkaay of Ann Arbor, Mich., also advanced, with a time of 3:44.22. The winner of his heat was Australia’s Grant Hackett, in 3:44.03.

Vanderkaay was happy with his swim. ‘It felt controlled,’ he said. ‘I think I have a better swim in me tomorrow.’

-- Helene Elliott

Olympics Blog
Helene Elliott

Helene Elliott was with the Los Angeles Times’ Sports department from 1989 to 2024, first as a staff writer and then, starting in 2006, as a columnist. She became the first female journalist to be honored with a plaque in the Hall of Fame of a major professional sport as the 2005 winner of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Elmer Ferguson Award, awarded to writers “who have brought honor to journalism and to hockey.” A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, she has covered 18 Olympics.

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