International Capsules: Lochte wins 200 backstroke at U.S. nationals
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Lochte won the 200-meter backstroke at the U.S. national championships on Saturday night.
Lochte, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist, recorded the second-fastest time in the world this year and touched in 1:55.58.
"I just went out as fast as I could and then held on for dear life," Lochte said. "I could see everyone just starting to catch me in the last 50, and I was like, 'Great, this is going to be ugly.'"
That never happened and Lochte emerged with his third first place this week after winning the 400 individual medley and 200 IM.
Aaron Peirsol took second at 1:56.28. Tyler Clary was clocked at 1:56.36.
Lochte is looking forward to representing the U.S. in the Pan Pacific Championships here later this month.
"In two more weeks I'm going to be a lot faster," Lochte said. "I wanted to go into this meet knowing that there's more left for Pan Pacs."
Michael Phelps finished fourth at 1:56.98.
Phelps, who won the 200 freestyle, 200 butterfly, and 100 fly this week to make the Pan Pacs team, said he didn't have high expectations after taking some extra time off late last year and early this year.
"I knew coming in, it really wasn't going to be (a) spectacular week," Phelps said. "I'm somebody who always wants it to be perfect and when it's not I'm extremely hard on myself."
Dana Vollmer swam the second fastest time in the world this year to win the 100-meter freestyle.
Vollmer touched in 53.94 to win her first event at the nationals this year.
"I had been touched out twice and didn't want it to happen again," Vollmer said. "I kept telling myself the last 15 meters that if everybody else fades, that should be my strongest point."
Jessica Hardy was timed in at 54.14 to finish second and earn a spot on the Pan Pacific Championships. Natalie Coughlin, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and former American record-holder, took third in 54.34.
Hardy will be competing in her first international championships at the Pan Pac since serving a one-year suspension for testing positive for a banned substance at the 2008 Beijing Olympic trials.
"I'm really happy, it was my best time in a lot of time for me," Hardy said. "That was pretty high pressure, I tried not to think about it.
"I was really relaxed going into the race, but I'm really relieved it went well."
Chloe Sutton recorded a personal-best time of 8:24.77 to win the 800-meter freestyle. Sutton, last year's champion, had the fifth-fastest time in the world this year.
Katie Ziegler finished second at 8:28.14. Haley Anderson touched at 8:32.80 to finish third.
Rebecca Soni continued her dominance at the nationals by winning the 200-meter breaststroke.
Soni, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist, finished in 2:21.60, more than five seconds ahead of second-place Amanda Beard, who touched in 2:26.50.
Beard, who earned a spot on the Pan Pac team with her finish, decided that she would participate after wavering immediately after her surprising result.
Initially, Beard said that she wouldn't compete in the Pan Pac so that she could tend to her son, who was born last September.
"I've never been away from him for more than three hours at a time," the seven-time Olympic medalist said. "So the thought of being at the Pan Pacific Games and leaving him is hard."
Eric Shanteau touched in 2:10.09 to win the 200 breaststroke. He was followed by Scott Spann at 2:12.26 and Elliott Keefer came in third in 2:12.68.
In the 1500-meter freestyle, Chad LaTourette posted the fastest time in the world this year to take first.
LaTourette finished in 14:55.39, followed by Peter Vanderkaay, who touched in 15:03.86. Sean Ryan was third at 15:04.84.
Josh Schneider, who tied Cullen Jones for second in the 50 freestyle on Thursday, agreed to waive his second-place finish, but retained his right to protest and have his time count for the World Championships qualifier.
Schneider didn't show up for the 100 butterfly or scratch out in the morning but continued to compete in the 50 free to tie Jones at 21.97.
European championships to start without bodysuits
BUDAPEST, Hungary — The European swimming championships mark a new era in the sport as the first major meet where competitors can no longer wear the neck-to-ankle bodysuits that helped set world records in recent years.
Several world record-holders will take part in the pool events starting on Monday, including Paul Biedermann of Germany, Rafael Munoz of Spain, Federica Pellegrini of Italy and Rebecca Adlington of Britain. But it seems highly unlikely they — or anyone else — will improve on their best times.
The last time Budapest hosted the championships, in 2006, Britta Steffen of Germany and Laure Manaudou of France won four gold medals each. Both swimmers also set an individual world record and Steffen added two more in team events, all relying on the skintight bodysuits.
The frenzy of top marks peaked at last year’s world championships in Rome, where 43 world records were posted thanks to the polyurethane suits.
Nineteen of the recognized 20 European women’s records were set last year in Rome, with the only exception being Adlington’s mark in the 800-meter freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Of the women’s world bests, 15 were set in Rome.
In the 20 men’s events, 14 world and 14 European records were broken there.
Swimming officials say competitors will soon learn to use techniques and strategies to adjust to the new rules. They expect records to fall again soon.
“The evolution of swimming will adapt to the actual swimsuit situation,” said Nory Kruchte, president of European swimming’s governing body. “Coaches and swimmers will adapt and we will have very, very good performances here.”
Kruchte mentioned personal bests and national records as times that could be bettered in Budapest, not necessarily world marks.
Lower expectations of top times also could allow spectators to focus on the races in the pool instead of keeping a constant eye on the electronic scoreboards, checking for world record paces.
Biedermann, the world champ and world record-holder in the 200 and 400 freestyle, has a good chance to rank high on the medals list since he will also compete in the 100 freestyle and three relays with Germany.
Although neither Steffen nor Manaudou will be racing in Budapest, Pellegrini and Adlington should provide plenty of exciting performances.
Pellegrini owns the world records in the 100 and 200 freestyle, while Adlington leads Britain’s hopes with her world mark in the 800 free.
The home crowd will be cheering for Laszlo Cseh, a silver medalist in Beijing vying for his third straight continental title in the 200 medley and fourth European crown in a row in the 400 medley.
Other Hungarians with title chances are world champion Daniel Gyurta in the 200 breaststroke and Katinka Hosszu in the 400 medley.
Despite the likely lack of world records in the pool, the championships have allowed Hungary to set two venue bests. It is the first country hosting the event for the fourth time and participants from 43 European countries — a record high — will compete for the 61 titles.
All open water and synchronized events will be completed by Sunday.
-- Pablo Gorondi
Valerio Cleri of Italy wins 25K swim at Europeans
BALATONFURED, Hungary — Valerio Cleri of Italy won the 25-kilometer open water race at the European swimming championships on Saturday.
Cleri finished in 5 hours, 16 minutes, 38.3 seconds, defeating Bertrand Venturi of France by 16.4 seconds. Another Frenchman, Joanes Hedel, was third.
In Budapest, world champion Natalia Ischenko of Russia added the European title in the solo free event in synchronized swimming, scoring 98.900 points. Andrea Fuentes of Spain was second with 96.600.
In the team free event, Ischenko helped Russia to gold, ahead of Spain and Ukraine.
Pool events at the 30th edition of the championships in Budapest begin on Monday.
Track & Field
New women's record set in Maine 10-K race
CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (AP) — Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopa won the men's title and Lineth Chepkurui of Kenya shattered the women's course record in the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10 kilometer road race.
The 25-year-old Gebremariam (27:40) was one of the elite runners Saturday. Among the women, the 22-year-old Chepkurui (30:59) clipped 26 seconds off the course record. Another record-breaker was 23-year-old Wude Ayalew of Ethiopia (31:07) to come in second.
In the Maine resident races, Patrick Tarpy of Yarmouth (29:28) won his first men's title and Kristin Barry of Scarborough (34:34.9) reclaimed the women's title.
The race, in its 13th year, was founded by Joan Benoit Samuelson, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist. The race had 3,000 runners in its first year, and this year had 6,000 athletes from 17 countries and 41 states.
The race started Saturday at Crescent Beach and ended at Portland Head Light, the nation's first commissioned lighthouse.
