Zhao wins 100 backstroke for China's 2nd pool gold
Source: Agencies |
July 27, 2011, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AN intensive study of tapes of previous races helped propel China's Zhao Jing to the women's 100 meters backstroke world title in Shanghai yesterday, overhauling Olympic champion Natalie Coughlin in the process.
American Coughlin, the two-time Olympic champion in the discipline, had turned for home under world-record pace at the Oriental Sports Center but was swum down by the 20-year-old Zhang and Russia's Anastasia Zueva.
"I didn't swim at my full strength in the semifinal and after the semi, my coach and I studied video replays carefully and he asked me to pay more attention to details," Zhao said after she won gold in 59.05 seconds.
"The gold medal has significant meaning to me. It is definitely a huge boost to my confidence in the build-up to the (2012) London Olympic Games."
Zueva, who won silver in both the 100 and 200 backstroke at the last world championships in Rome in 2009, was forced to settle for second-best again, although she was desperately unlucky not to take gold, touching in 59.06.
"I am happy with the result, but I just lost by 0.01 second," Zueva said. "I made a mistake at the start."
The 28-year-old Coughlin, who has now won 17 world championship medals in total, six of them gold, faded over the last 15 meters to take the bronze in 59.15.
"It's my tendency to go out quick. The last 10 meters I felt very good," said Coughlin, who took 18 months off from swimming after the Beijing Olympics.
"It's my best time since my break from Beijing and I am satisfied with today's performance. Definitely, I can go faster and next year will be quite promising."
Food poisoning
Gemma Spofforth of Britain, the defending champion and world record holder, didn't make the final because of a bout of food poisoning in Shanghai over the weekend.
It was the second swimming gold for China at the 14th FINA World Championships after Ye Shiwen sprung a surprise in winning the women's 200 individual medley on Monday.
She beat Australia's Alicia Coutts and defending champion and world record holder Ariana Kukors of the United States.
Adding to the host's happiness were two bronzes in the other two women's finals yesterday.
Li Xuanxu (15:58.02) took the bronze in the 1,500 freestyle behind Lotte Fris (15:49.59) of Denmark and American world champion Kate Ziegler (15:55.60) while Ji Liping (1:06.52) snatched third place in the 100 breastroke, a race that was won by American Rebecca Soni (1:05.05), with Australia's Olympic champion Leisel Jones (1:06.25) finishing runner-up.
American Coughlin, the two-time Olympic champion in the discipline, had turned for home under world-record pace at the Oriental Sports Center but was swum down by the 20-year-old Zhang and Russia's Anastasia Zueva.
"I didn't swim at my full strength in the semifinal and after the semi, my coach and I studied video replays carefully and he asked me to pay more attention to details," Zhao said after she won gold in 59.05 seconds.
"The gold medal has significant meaning to me. It is definitely a huge boost to my confidence in the build-up to the (2012) London Olympic Games."
Zueva, who won silver in both the 100 and 200 backstroke at the last world championships in Rome in 2009, was forced to settle for second-best again, although she was desperately unlucky not to take gold, touching in 59.06.
"I am happy with the result, but I just lost by 0.01 second," Zueva said. "I made a mistake at the start."
The 28-year-old Coughlin, who has now won 17 world championship medals in total, six of them gold, faded over the last 15 meters to take the bronze in 59.15.
"It's my tendency to go out quick. The last 10 meters I felt very good," said Coughlin, who took 18 months off from swimming after the Beijing Olympics.
"It's my best time since my break from Beijing and I am satisfied with today's performance. Definitely, I can go faster and next year will be quite promising."
Food poisoning
Gemma Spofforth of Britain, the defending champion and world record holder, didn't make the final because of a bout of food poisoning in Shanghai over the weekend.
It was the second swimming gold for China at the 14th FINA World Championships after Ye Shiwen sprung a surprise in winning the women's 200 individual medley on Monday.
She beat Australia's Alicia Coutts and defending champion and world record holder Ariana Kukors of the United States.
Adding to the host's happiness were two bronzes in the other two women's finals yesterday.
Li Xuanxu (15:58.02) took the bronze in the 1,500 freestyle behind Lotte Fris (15:49.59) of Denmark and American world champion Kate Ziegler (15:55.60) while Ji Liping (1:06.52) snatched third place in the 100 breastroke, a race that was won by American Rebecca Soni (1:05.05), with Australia's Olympic champion Leisel Jones (1:06.25) finishing runner-up.
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