Lochte captures 2 more gold medals
Source: Agencies |
July 30, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
RYAN Lochte locked up two more gold medals at the FINA world championships in Shanghai yesterday, raising his victory total to four with at least one more event to go.
The American led from start to finish in the 200 meters backstroke, then rallied the US past France in the anchor leg to win the 4x200 freestyle relay.
"When Ryan is hot right now you don't want anyone else on the end of the relay," said Ricky Berens, who swam the third leg for the Americans.
Michael Phelps led off the relay, leaving the US third behind Paul Biedermann of Germany and Yannick Agnel of France.
Peter Vanderkaay then put the Americans in front at the halfway mark, but France led at 600 meters before Lochte passed Fabien Gilot with only one lap to go. "They were talking about me swimming the last leg," Vanderkaay recounted. "I said, 'Are you sure you don't want Ryan on that?' He doesn't surprise me anymore."
Earlier, Lochte won the 200 free and 200 individual medley - relegating Phelps to silver twice. He also set a world record in the 200 IM - the only world mark in swimming since high-tech bodysuits were banned 19 months ago.
Lochte has five medals in all, having also got a bronze in the 4x100 free relay on the opening night of what has turned out to be a stellar competition for the American. He'll also be favored in the 400 IM and could swim the medley relay on the final night of competition tomorrow.
Phelps, who swam the leadoff in the relay, has two golds, two silvers and one bronze.
Meanwhile, American Rebecca Soni won the 200 breaststroke to go with her 100 title from Tuesday.
Dead heat
Also, Jeanette Ottesen and Aliaksandra Herasimenia of Belarus finished in a dead heat for gold in the women's 100 freestyle, both clocking 53.45 seconds.
Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands touched third in 53.66 and Francesca Halsall of Britain and Femke Heemskerk of the Netherlands tied for fourth in 53.72.
It was the second time in these championships that there was a dead heat for gold, after Camille Lacourt and Jeremy Stravius of France shared the top spot on the podium in the men's 100 backstroke on Tuesday.
World record holder Britta Steffen dropped out after finishing 16th in morning heats on Thursday. The German swept both the 50 and 100 free at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the last worlds in Rome two years ago.
Daniel Gyurta of Hungary overtook Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan on the final lap to defend his title in the men's 200 breaststroke.
Gyurta clocked 2:08.41, while Kitajima, who was on a world-record pace with 50 meters to go, took the silver in 2:08.63. Christian vom Lehn of Germany earned the bronze in 2:09.06.
In the 200 back, Lochte hardly celebrated after hitting the wall in 1:52.96, more than a second in front of silver medalist Ryosuke Irie of Japan, while another American, Tyler Clary, took bronze.
Soni was being tapped for a world record in the 200 breast but struggled in the second half of the race, touching in 2:21.47 to hold off a late comeback from Yuliya Efimova of Russia. Efimova took silver in 2:22.22 and Martha McCabe of Canada grabbed bronze in 2:24.81.
In the men's 50 free semifinals, Brazilians Bruno Fratus and Cesar Cielo went 1-2, with American Nathan Adrian third, while French standout Alain Bernard just made the final eight.
Phelps led the 100 butterfly semifinals in 51.47, then hurried out of the pool to prepare himself for the leadoff leg in the 4x200.
The American led from start to finish in the 200 meters backstroke, then rallied the US past France in the anchor leg to win the 4x200 freestyle relay.
"When Ryan is hot right now you don't want anyone else on the end of the relay," said Ricky Berens, who swam the third leg for the Americans.
Michael Phelps led off the relay, leaving the US third behind Paul Biedermann of Germany and Yannick Agnel of France.
Peter Vanderkaay then put the Americans in front at the halfway mark, but France led at 600 meters before Lochte passed Fabien Gilot with only one lap to go. "They were talking about me swimming the last leg," Vanderkaay recounted. "I said, 'Are you sure you don't want Ryan on that?' He doesn't surprise me anymore."
Earlier, Lochte won the 200 free and 200 individual medley - relegating Phelps to silver twice. He also set a world record in the 200 IM - the only world mark in swimming since high-tech bodysuits were banned 19 months ago.
Lochte has five medals in all, having also got a bronze in the 4x100 free relay on the opening night of what has turned out to be a stellar competition for the American. He'll also be favored in the 400 IM and could swim the medley relay on the final night of competition tomorrow.
Phelps, who swam the leadoff in the relay, has two golds, two silvers and one bronze.
Meanwhile, American Rebecca Soni won the 200 breaststroke to go with her 100 title from Tuesday.
Dead heat
Also, Jeanette Ottesen and Aliaksandra Herasimenia of Belarus finished in a dead heat for gold in the women's 100 freestyle, both clocking 53.45 seconds.
Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands touched third in 53.66 and Francesca Halsall of Britain and Femke Heemskerk of the Netherlands tied for fourth in 53.72.
It was the second time in these championships that there was a dead heat for gold, after Camille Lacourt and Jeremy Stravius of France shared the top spot on the podium in the men's 100 backstroke on Tuesday.
World record holder Britta Steffen dropped out after finishing 16th in morning heats on Thursday. The German swept both the 50 and 100 free at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the last worlds in Rome two years ago.
Daniel Gyurta of Hungary overtook Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan on the final lap to defend his title in the men's 200 breaststroke.
Gyurta clocked 2:08.41, while Kitajima, who was on a world-record pace with 50 meters to go, took the silver in 2:08.63. Christian vom Lehn of Germany earned the bronze in 2:09.06.
In the 200 back, Lochte hardly celebrated after hitting the wall in 1:52.96, more than a second in front of silver medalist Ryosuke Irie of Japan, while another American, Tyler Clary, took bronze.
Soni was being tapped for a world record in the 200 breast but struggled in the second half of the race, touching in 2:21.47 to hold off a late comeback from Yuliya Efimova of Russia. Efimova took silver in 2:22.22 and Martha McCabe of Canada grabbed bronze in 2:24.81.
In the men's 50 free semifinals, Brazilians Bruno Fratus and Cesar Cielo went 1-2, with American Nathan Adrian third, while French standout Alain Bernard just made the final eight.
Phelps led the 100 butterfly semifinals in 51.47, then hurried out of the pool to prepare himself for the leadoff leg in the 4x200.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
