The world record in the women's 100m backstroke fell twice in prelims Monday at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming. Hayley McGregory first broke the record with a time of 59.15. Then Natalie Coughlin broke McGregory's record with a time of 59.03 in the very next heat. The record before Monday's prelims was held by Coughlin and stood at 59.21.
Here's a preview of what to watch for in tonight's semifinals and finals:
Women's 100m Back: Semifinal
The world record in the 100m back fell twice in prelims Monday. Hayley McGregory broke it first in 59.15. Natalie Coughlin then broke McGregory's record in the next heat in 59.03. The record before prelims was held by Coughlin and stood at 59.21.
Men's 200m Free: SemifinalThe day after their epic battle in the 400m IM, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are seeded 1-2 after the prelims of the 200m free. Larsen Jensen, Peter Vanderkaay, Klete Keller and Erik Vendt, all of whom swam in the 400m free Sunday, are also in the mix.
Women's 100m Fly: FINAL
Christine Magnuson set the Trials record in last night's semifinals in 57.50. She is seeded more than half a second ahead of the rest of the field, which includes 2004 100m fly qualifier Rachel Komisarz.
Men's 100m Breast: FINAL
Brendan Hansen was just 11-hundredths off his world record in last night's semifinals, turning in a meet-record time of 59.24. Mark Gangloff, who also qualified for this event in 2004, is seeded second.
Women's 100m Breast: Semifinal
The top three qualifiers in this event - Jessica Hardy (1:06.85), Rebecca Soni (1:06.90) and Megan Jendrick (1:07.06) - were under the former Trials record of 1:07.12, set by Jendrick in 2000.
Men's 100m Back: Semifinal
Randall Bal broke the Trials meet record in prelims, touching in 53.28. The previous meet record was held by Olympian Aaron Peirsol at 53.64. Peirsol, the world record-holder in this event, qualified for tonight's semifinals as the sixth seed. Ryan Lochte is the fourth seed. Peirsol and Lochte finished 1-2 in this event at last year's World Championships.
Women's 400m Free: FINAL
Three swimmers - Katie Hoff (4:05.61), Allison Schmitt (4:05.72) and Kate Ziegler (4:06.04) - swam faster than the 20-year-old meet record of 4:06.43 in prelims. The meet record was formerly held by Janet Evans.
Day 1 - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Finals Contested and Olympic Qualifiers:
Men’s 400m IM: 1. Michael Phelps (Club Wolverine) 4:05.25 (WR); 2. Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach Swimming) 4:06.08.
Men’s 400m Free: 1. Larsen Jensen (Trojan Swim Club) 3:43.53 (AR); 2. Peter Vanderkaay (Club Wolverine) 3:43.73.
Women’s 400m IM: 1. Katie Hoff (North Baltimore Aquatic Club) 4:31.12 (WR); 2. Elizabeth Beisel (Bluefish Swim Club) 4:32.87.
Highlights: Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff set world records in the men's and women's 400m IM. The American and U.S. Open record in the men's 400m freestyle also fell at the hands of Trojan Swim Club's Larsen Jensen. They are the first three swimmers to be named to the U.S. Olympic Team. "You saw how excited I was after that race," Phelps said. "I couldn’t start the Trials off on a better foot. I'll expect a dogfight every time (Lochte and I) get in the water. I love racing him, and I look forward to the 200 IM."
Day 2 - Monday, June 30, 2008
Finals Contested and Olympic Qualifiers:
Women’s 100m Butterfly: 1. Christine Magnuson (University of Tennessee) 58.11; 2. Elaine Breeden (Stanford Swimming) 58.21.
Men’s 100m Breaststroke: 1. Brendan Hansen (Longhorn Aquatics) 59.93; 2. Mark Gangloff (Swim MAC) 1:00.42.
Women’s 400m Free: 1. Katie Hoff (North Baltimore Aquatic Club) 4:02.32 (MR); 2. Kate Ziegler (The Fish) 4:03.92.
Highlights: Katie Hoff won her second event of the meet, qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Team in the women's 400m freestyle in meet record time. The University of Tennessee's Christine Magnuson and Longhorn Aquatics' Brendan Hansen also qualified for the Olympic Team, winning the women’s 100m butterfly and men’s 100m breaststroke, respectively. "I know you wanted to see a world record, but it wasn’t in the cards tonight," Hansen said afterward. "My goal was to make the team, and I’ve done that.”
Day 3 - Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Finals Contested and Olympic Qualifiers:
Men’s 200m Freestyle: 1. Michael Phelps (Club Wolverine) 1:44.10 (U.S. Open); 2. Peter Vanderkaay (Club Wolverine) 1:45.95; 3. Ricky Berens (Longhorn Aquatics) 1:46.14; 4. Klete Keller (Trojan Swim Club) 1:46.20; 5. Dave Walters (Longhorn Aquatics) 1:46.64; 6. Erik Vendt (Club Wolverine) 1:46.95.
Women’s 100m Backstroke: 1. Natalie Coughlin (California Aquatics) 58.97; 2. Maragaret Hoelzer (King Aquatics) 59.21.
Men’s 100m Backstroke: 1. Aaron Peirsol (Longhorn Aquatics) 52.89 (WR); 2. Matt Grevers (Tucson Ford) 53.19.
Women’s 100m Breastsroke: 1. Jessica Hardy (Trojan Swim Club) 1:06.97; 2. Megan Jendrick (King Aquatic Club) 1:07.50.
Highlights: Natalie Coughlin and Aaron Peirsol treated the crowd of 12,559 at the Qwest Center Omaha to back-to-back world records in the women's and men's 100m back. Michael Phelps set the U.S. Open record in the men's 200m free with a time of 1:44.10. It was his second win of the week after breaking the world record in the 400m IM on opening night. “It's a huge confidence booster any time I can come out on top of a field like that,” Peirsol said. “It's the fastest heat I've ever been in. Sixth place would have medaled (at the Olympics in 2004). I knew what I had to do today, and 54.0 wasn’t going to make the team this time. I feel like I have a huge weight off my back. Some of those guys were matching my best times."
Day 4 - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Finals Contested and Olympic Qualifiers:
Women’s 200m Freestyle: 1. Katie Hoff (North Baltimore Aquatic Club) 1:55.88 (AR); 2. Allison Schmitt (Club Wolverine) 1:55.92; 3. Julia Smit (Stanford Swimming) 1:56.73; 4. Caroline Burckle (Lakeside Swim Team) 1:57.93; 5. Kim Vandenberg (Team Bruin) 1:58.02; 6. Christine Marshall (Aggie Swim Club) 1:58.16.
Men’s 200m Butterfly: 1. Michael Phelps (Club Wolverine) 1:52.20 (U.S. Open); 2. Gil Stovall (Athens Bulldog Swim Club) 1:53.86.
Women’s 200m IM: 1. Katie Hoff (NBAC) 2:09.71 (AR); 2. Natalie Coughlin (Cal Aquatics) 2:10.32.
Highlights: Katie Hoff won two more events and set two American records, finishing first in the women's 200m free and 200m IM. Michael Phelps also brought home a win in the 200m butterfly with a U.S. Open record of 1:52.20. The wins marked the third and fourth of the meet for Hoff, who also won the women’s 400m IM and 400m free earlier in the week. The 200m butterfly was Phelps’ third win after taking the 400m IM and 200m free. "In (the 200m IM), it wasn’t just Natalie," Hoff said. "I could have had a great race here tonight and ended up third. So I was nervous, but tried to relax and have fun with it as well."
Day 5 - Thursday, July 3, 2008
Finals Contested and Olympic Qualifiers:
Men’s 200m Breaststroke: 1. Scott Spann (Longhorn Aquatics) 2:09.97; 2. Eric Shanteau (Longhorn Aquatics) 2:10.36.
Women’s 200m Butterfly: 1. Elaine Breeden (Stanford Swimming) 2:06.75 (MR); 2. Kathleen Hersey (Swim Atlanta) 2:07.33.
Men’s 100m Freestyle: 1. Garrett Weber-Gale (Longhorn Aquatics) 47.92; 2. Jason Lezak (Rose Bowl Aquatics) 48.05; 3. Cullen Jones (Swim MAC) 48.35; 4. Nathan Adrian (unattached) 48.46; 5. Matt Grevers (Tucson Ford) 48.67; 6. Ben Wildman-Tobriner (Stanford Swimming) 48.80.
Highlights: In what might have been the biggest upset of the meet, Scott Spann won the men's 200m breaststroke, defeating American record-holder and Longhorn Aquatics teammate Brendan Hansen in the process. Elaine Breeden won the women’s 200m butterfly, breaking the meet record that she set in Day 4's semifinals. The meet record prior to Breeden's swim on Day 4 was set by Mary T. Meagher in 1984 and had stood for 24 years. Meagher, now Mary Plant, was in the audience to watch the finals of the 200m fly.
Day 6 - Friday July 4, 2008
Finals Contested and Olympic Qualifiers:
Women’s 200m Breaststroke: 1. Rebecca Soni (Trojan Swim Club) 2:22.60; 2. Amanda Beard (Team Bruin) 2:25.13.
Men’s 200m Backstroke: 1. Aaron Peirsol (Longhorn Aquatics) 1:54.32 (Ties WR); 2. Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach Swimming) 1:54.34.
Men’s 200m IM: 1. Michael Phelps (Club Wolverine) 1:54.80 (WR); 2. Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach Swimming) 1:55.22.
Women’s 100m Freestyle: 1. Dara Torres (Coral Springs Swim Club) 53.78; 2. Natalie Coughlin (Cal Aquatics) 53.83; 3. Lacey Nymeyer (Tucson Ford) 54.02; 4. Jessica Hardy (Trojan Swim Club) 54.62; 5. Emily Silver (Cal Aquatics) 54.91; 6. Julia Smit (Stanford Swimming) 54.99. (Note: Torres later scratched from this event for Olympic competition. Therefore, Nymeyer will be swimming the 100m free at the Olympic Games, and Kara Lynn Joyce, who finished seventh in this event was added to the team as a 400m free relay alternate).
Highlights: Aaron Peirsol tied the world record in the men's 200m back, turning in a time of 1:54.32. Then Michael Phelps broke his own world record in the men's 200m IM in 1:54.80. Ryan Lochte of Daytona Beach Swimming, who now shares the world record in the 200m back with Peirsol, finished second in both races by just fractions of a second, touching in 1:54.34 in the 200m back and 1:55.22 in the 200m IM. Amanda Beard qualified for her fourth Olympic Games in the 200m breast, and Dara Torres, at 41, becomes the oldest woman to qualify for an Olympic swimming competition. "I think both of us hate to lose," said Phelps, referring to his and Lochte’s competitive drive. "When getting in the water with him in the last three or four races, it’s taken a world record to win"
Day 7 - Saturday, July 5, 2008
Finals Contested and Olympic Qualifiers:
Women’s 200m Backstroke: 1. Margaret Hoelzer (King Aquatics) 2:06.09 (WR); 2. Elizabeth Beisel (Bluefish Swim Club) 2:06.92.
Men’s 100m Butterfly: 1. Michael Phelps (Club Wolverine) 50.89; 2. Ian Crocker (Longhorn Aquatics) 51.62.
Women’s 800m Free: 1. Katie Hoff (NBAC) 8:20.81 (MR); 2. Kate Ziegler (The Fish) 8:25.38.
Men’s 50m Free: 1. Garrett Weber-Gale (Longhorn Aquatics) 21.47 (AR); 2. Ben Wildman-Tobriner (Stanford Swimming) 21.65.
Highlights: Margaret Hoelzer set the world record in the 200m back, three-tenths ahead of the former mark held by Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry. A little later, Weber-Gale broke the American record in the men’s 50m free. In between those swims, Michael Phelps recorded his fifth win of the meet in the men’s 100m butterfly, while Hoff took her fifth win in the women's 800m freestyle. "This is my first world record," Hoelzer said. "It’s a wonderful surprise. I’m in awe and amazed. I’m happy to be where I am right now."
Day 8 - Sunday, July 6, 2008
Finals Contested and Olympic Qualifiers:
Women’s 50m Free: 1. Dara Torres (Coral Springs Swim Club) 24.25 (AR); 2. Jessica Hardy (Trojan Swim Club) 24.82.
Men’s 1500m Free: 1. Peter Vanderkaay (Club Wolverine) 14:45.54 (MR); 2. Larsen Jensen (Trojan Swim Club) 14:50.80.
Highlights: Dara Torres won her second event of the meet and set an American record in the 50m free. Peter Vanderkaay won his first event at Trials in the 1500 in meet record time. Jessica Hardy quietly qualifies for her third Olympic event in the 50m free. Known primarily as a breaststroke specialist, Hardy also qualified in the 100m breast and for the 400m free relay. "I was hoping to go somewhat fast," Torres said. "They have girls in the world who are going 24.1 and 23.9. I have five more weeks to try to drop a couple of tenths to hope to be in competition with those girls. So I'm very happy with my time and I know I have more work to do."