Lochte led off the relay and finished the first 100 meters under world record pace. Lundquist, Adrian, and Van Wie held onto the lead and kept the team under record pace throughout the duration of the race. "It's definitely a good start for Team USA," Lochte said. "I'm proud to be part of the relay. Hopefully, we can keep the ball rolling." The Netherlands finished behind Team USA to win silver in 3:09.18 and Sweden earned bronze in 3:10.04.
Descenza won gold and set an American and championship record with her win in the 200m fly. Descenza came from behind in the last 50 meters to win the race in 2:04.27. Descenza set her first American record with the swim, breaking Mary T. Meagher's record of 2:05.65 from 1981. "I've been training so hard lately," Descenza said after her race. "This is my first personal American record so it's very emotional for me." Australia's Felicity Galvez won silver in 2:04.90 and Great Britain's Jessica Dickons won bronze in 2:05.09. Team USA's Erin Reilly (Danbury, Ct.) finished eighth with a time of 2:09.12.
Team USA's 800m free relay set an American record in their race, placing fourth with a time of 7:45.58. The team of Descenza, Margaret Hoelzer (Huntsville, Ala.), Reilly, and Rachel Komisarz (Louisville, Ky.), bested the previous American record by close to two seconds. The team from the Netherlands won gold and broke the world record in the event with a time of 7:38.90. Great Britain took home the silver medal with a time of 7:38.96, and Australia won bronze in 7:39.01.
In the women's 400m I.M. final, Julie Stupp (St. Louis, Mo.), who is swimming in her first international competition, finished seventh in 4:37.34. Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe won gold and set a world record with a time of 4:26.52. Great Britain's Hannah Miley won silver in 4:27.27 and Spain's Mireia Belmonte took home the bronze in 4:27.55.
In the men's 200m free final, Australia's Kenrick Monk won gold in 1:43.46, Australia's Kirk Palmer won silver in 1:43.50, and Italy's Massimilliano Rosolino won the bronze in 1:44.23. Team USA's Robert Margalis (Flushing, N.Y.) and Nathan Adrian had strong swims in the morning but did not qualify for the final.
In semifinal action, Jessica Hardy (Long Beach, Calif.) advanced to the final in the 50m breast with a time of 30.58. Elizabeth Tinnon (Bowling Green, Ky.) placed tenth in the semifinal with a time 31.08 and will be an alternate for Thursday's final. In the men's 100m back, Randall Bal (Fair Oaks, Calif.) followed up on a strong preliminary swim with a time of 50.86, and is ranked second entering Thursday's final. Peter Marshall (Atlanta, Ga.) finished ninth in 51.75 and will be an alternate for the final.
Mark Gangloff (Akron, Ohio) advanced to the final in the men's 100m breast with a time of 58.97. Lochte, who also swam in the event's semifinal, finished in 59.11 and did not qualify for the final. Margaret Hoelzer and Emily Silver (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) competed in the women's 100m back semifinal. Hoelzer qualified seventh with a time of 57.49 and Silver finished sixteenth in 1:00.52. In the men's 100m fly semifinal, Randall Tom (Wailuku, Hawaii) and Nick Walkotten (Hudsonville, Mich.) finished eleventh and twelfth, respectively. Tom finished in 51.69 and Walkotten finished in 51.73. Both swimmers are in Manchester representing Team USA for the first time in international competition.
Preliminary races will resume Thursday, April 10 at 9 a.m. BST and finals and semifinals will begin at 7 p.m. BST. During the evening session, medals will be awarded in the men's 400m I.M., 100m back, 100m breast, 100m fly, and 800m free relay, and the women's 50m breast, 100m back, and 800m free.
2008 World Short Course Championships Links
- Omega Timing Results
- Competition Schedule
- Free Streaming Video (if you live in the USA - Others, FINA may have a webcast for your area)
- A temporary pool has been built inside the Manchester Evening News Arena
