International Capsules: Lochte wins 400 IM at Pan Pac swim meet
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Lochte flirted with the world record in the 400-meter individual medley before settling for a gold medal and the year's fastest time at the Pan Pacific championships on Thursday night.
The American led all the way and touched in 4 minutes, 7.59 seconds, lowering his own meet record of 4:08.77 set in the morning heats.
Lochte came back later to anchor the Americans to a blowout victory in the 800 free relay, capping a night in which the U.S. won seven gold medals, giving them a leading total of 12 through the first two days of the meet.
Michael Phelps, Peter Vanderkaay, Ricky Berens and Lochte won in 7:03:84 — a whopping 7.17 seconds ahead of second-place Japan. Australia was third.
"I told them before the race to give me the biggest lead possible because I'm going to need it," Lochte said. "I'm lucky I had clean water."
In the IM, Lochte was under the pace of Phelps' world record through 150 meters of the grueling four-stroke race. But he fell off it on the breaststroke leg.
"I just went out fast and tried to hold on for dear life," Lochte said. "I'm just going out there, having fun and racing. Whatever the outcome is, I'll take it."
Phelps had the fourth-fastest qualifying time, but he didn't make the final because Lochte and Tyler Clary were quicker. Only two swimmers per country are allowed in the finals at Pan Pacs, the year's biggest international meet.
Clary earned the silver in 4:09.55. Thiago Pereira of Brazil was third in 4:12.09.
"It's absolutely the hardest event you can do in the pool," Clary said. "It's on top of the pain charts. You have to put in the work to swim it at a sub-4:10 level."
It was Lochte's second gold of the meet, having won the 200 freestyle on Wednesday.
"He's having an amazing year," Clary said.
Nathan Adrian of the United States won the 100 free with the world's fastest time this year. Teammate Natalie Coughlin claimed the women's event for the third time.
Adrian rallied from fourth at the turn to touch first in 48.15 seconds, lowering his own meet record of 48.41 set in the morning heats.
"I did a good job of swimming my own race and not letting what everybody else was doing affect me," he said. "The goal all season was to kind of step up internationally and that has happened here. Maybe next year I can do something special at worlds leading up to the Olympics."
Brent Hayden of Canada was second in 48.19, also going under the meet record with the world's No. 2 time. World champion Cesar Cielo of Brazil, who led at the turn, earned the bronze medal in 48.48 swimming in lane eight.
He won gold in the 50 butterfly on Wednesday night, but eaked into the final when other countries reached their two-swimmer limit.
"I didn't feel I deserved to be in the final," he said. "I was trying to take my second opportunity as the last one of my life."
American Jason Lezak, still competing at age 34, was fourth in 48.57.
"Tired, but I'm happy with coming back almost as fast as this morning," he said. "I got two more years to work for the Olympics and hopefully get a medal there."
Coughlin, an 11-time Olympic medalist, touched in 53.67, lowering the meet record of 53.76 set by American Amanda Weir in 2006. Coughlin won the event that year and also at the 2002 Pan Pacs.
American Dana Vollmer and Emily Seebohm of Australia tied for the silver medal at 53.96. Aussie Yolane Kukla, who led at the turn, was fourth.
Coughlin's time was third-fastest in the world this year.
Vollmer returned later to lead off the victorious U.S. team in the 800 free relay. She, Morgan Scroggy, Katie Hoff and Allison Schmitt won in a meet-record 7:51.21. Australia was second and Canada third.
World champion Rebecca Soni of the U.S. led all the way in winning the 100 breaststroke in 1 minute, 4.93 seconds, quickest in the world this year and third-fastest ever. She lowered the meet record for the second time Thursday.
Two-time Olympic medalist Leisel Jones of Australia took the silver in 1:05.66. Aussie Sarah Katsoulis was third. Four-time Olympian Amanda Beard of the U.S. was fifth.
Soni and Jones hadn't raced each other in two years because Jones took an extended break after Beijing.
"I couldn't ask for it to go better," Soni said. "After the turn I knew we were right together so I just tried to look in my own lane and sprint to the end. I've been practicing keeping my eyes in my own lane."
In the men's 100 breast, two-time Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan won in 59.35, slower than his meet-record of 59.04 set in the morning heats.
"It was great that I was able to swim two races under one minute," he said through a translator. "I feel really calm and have really good motivation."
Kitajima has been living and training in Los Angeles since April. His coach, Dave Salo, had encouraged him to try to lower Brenton Rickard's world record in the final.
"I really don't have the power at this stage," he said.
Christian Sprenger of Australia was second in 1:00.18. American Mark Gangloff was third in 1:00.24. Rickard of Australia was fifth.
Elizabeth Beisel of the United States won her first international title, taking the 400 individual medley in 4:34.69. Samantha Hamill of Australia was second, followed by American Caitlin Leverenz.
Aussie Sophie Edington won the women's 50 backstroke, while Junya Koga of Japan won the men's race.
Phelps fails to make 400 IM final at Pan Pacs
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Two-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps failed to make the 400-meter individual medley final at the Pan Pacific championships on Thursday.
Phelps had the fourth-fastest time of 4 minutes, 15.38 seconds in the morning preliminaries, but only two swimmers per country are allowed in the evening final.
And he wasn’t close to being even the second-fastest American.
World champion Ryan Lochte was quickest in 4:07.77, lowering Phelps’ meet record of 4:10.47 set in 2006. His U.S. teammate Tyler Clary was second in 4:09.20, which also was under the meet record. Their times were the two fastest in the world this year.
Phelps set the current world record of 4:03.84 at the Beijing Games, and he’s dominated both IM events at the Olympics, worlds and Pan Pacs for years.
Bob Bowman, Phelps’ coach, said he would not swim the consolation final.
Phelps hadn’t competed in the 400 IM since winning the event in Beijing two years ago, where he earned a record eight gold medals. Back then, he declared he was done with the grueling event featuring all four strokes.
He changed his mind after seeing Clary’s second-place time of 4:14.12 at U.S. nationals, where Lochte won the race earlier this month. Phelps and Bowman thought he could at least out-swim Clary at Pan Pacs to possibly earn a berth in the event for next year’s worlds.
Clary went considerably faster Thursday.
"I wasn’t expecting those guys to come out and fire one off," Phelps said. "I was like, ‘Thanks, guys. I’m not going that fast. They’re like, ‘Oh, right.’ They might have thought I was being coy, but I knew I was being dead honest. I knew 4:07 was nowhere near being in the tank."
Phelps took the first extended break of his career after Beijing and has been struggling to get back into racing shape. He’s suffered more losses this year than at any time since he became one of his sport’s greatest swimmers.
"I knew coming into that race it was going to be a rather painful way to wake me up," he said. "It’s a good reminder that I need to be in better shape."
Bowman said Phelps’ time was not far off from what he had expected.
"It might encourage him," Bowman said, smiling. "It showed him what he can do. No harm done."
Phelps was noncommittal about whether he would keep the 400 IM in his schedule.
"Who knows?" he said. "It’s going to have to be a better judged decision when we get back into serious training."
Two-time Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan qualified first in the 100 breaststroke.
Kitajima touched in 59.04 seconds, making him the only man under 1 minute in the heats. His time was the world’s fastest this year and it bettered the meet record of 59.90 set by American Brendan Hansen in 2006.
Kitajima advanced to the evening final, along with teammate Ryo Tateishi, who was second-fastest in 1:00.09.
Americans Mark Gangloff and Eric Shanteau qualified third and fourth. World record-holder Brenton Rickard of Australia tied for ninth-fastest, but got into the eight-man final after Japan advanced its two swimmers.
American Nathan Adrian and 34-year-old teammate Jason Lezak were the two fastest qualifiers for the men’s 100 free. World record-holder Cesar Cielo of Brazil claimed the last spot for the final.
U.S. teammates Dana Vollmer and Natalie Coughlin were the top two qualifiers in the women’s 100 free. Aussie Stephanie Rice scratched the event to rest her ailing shoulder.
Rice also dropped out of the 400 IM, in which she owns the world record. That left American teammates Elizabeth Beisel and Caitlin Leverenz as the two fastest qualifiers.
World champion Rebecca Soni of the U.S. led the women’s 100 breast qualifying with a meet record of 1:05.89. Leisel Jones of Australia was third-fastest, while four-time Olympian Amanda Beard of the U.S. qualified fifth.
Australia’s Sophie Edington led the women’s 50 backstroke heats, while American Nick Thoman was fastest in the men’s event.
-- Beth Harris
Swimmer Rice to have shoulder surgery
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Triple Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Rice needs shoulder surgery and will miss the Commonwealth Games in October.
Rice said Thursday at the Pan Pacific swimming championships that she was dropping off the Australian team to deal with the right shoulder injury that has bothered her for months.
"It's a huge disappointment for me," she said. "I would've loved to have been there, especially because it only comes around every four years. But I have to think of the big picture, which is London 2012."
Rice became emotional while discussing her decision with an Australian television crew, turning away and tearing up before walking away for a few minutes.
"I only made the decision yesterday, so it's very fresh to me," she said.
Rice swam a personal best in the 50-meter butterfly preliminaries on Wednesday at Pan Pacs, but won't swim again at the year's biggest international meet. By competing here, though, she had earned a spot on the team for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi, India.
"The real test was to see how it would pull up after a hard race and it pulled up really sore," she said. "I don't want to prolong surgery and if I can give myself more time for rehab that is the best decision."
Rice said the joints in her shoulder are inflamed and it needs to be cleaned out. She plans to have surgery in a couple weeks in Melbourne, Australia. Her rehabilitation is projected to be 12 weeks, including four weeks out of the water.
"I haven't really dealt with injury before," she said. "Some days I can deal with it and others I can't."
The 22-year-old swimmer swept the individual medleys and helped Australia win the 800 freestyle relay at the Beijing Olympics. She won a silver and a bronze at last year's world championships in Rome.
Rice won two golds in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which is for the former British colonies.
Leigh Nugent, head coach of the Australian team at Pan Pacs, said Rice was expected to swim possibly three individual events and the 800 free relay at the Commonwealth Games. But her spots will be filled by others already on the team.
"She's the spearhead of the women's team if not the whole team," he said. "It's disappointing. It's probably taking a step backward to take a step forward in the future. It's definitely the right decision to make."
-- Beth Harris
Track & Field
Wariner sets world’s fastest 400 time this year
ZURICH (AP) — Jeremy Wariner of the United States ran the world's fastest 400 meters this year at the Weltklasse Diamond League meeting on Thursday, while Tyson Gay helped the Americans set a meet record in the 400-meter relay.
Wariner finished in 44.13 seconds to take 0.27 off the season's best time, set by Jamaica's Jermaine Gonzales at the Monaco Diamond League meet last month. Wariner ran in lane three and paced himself off Gonzales, who went out fast from lane four and still led off the final bend.
"Another world lead, that was my plan," said Wariner, the former Olympic and world champion who has one more race scheduled this season at Split, Croatia. "I would describe my season as improving with every race. Next year I should be even better."
Wariner went to the front with 60 to go and quickly went clear, earning himself a $20,000 bonus from Weltklasse organizers for setting a world-leading time. He also collects $40,000 for winning the season-long points standings in Diamond League 400 races.
Gonzales was second in 44.51 and Angelo Taylor of the U.S. finished third in 44.72.
David Oliver of the U.S. failed in his latest attempt to take down Cuban Dayron Robles' 110 hurdles world record of 12.87 seconds. Oliver started poorly before blazing through the middle section to finish in 12.93 on Thursday, and he slapped the ground afterward in frustration.
"I know I'm not the perfect hurdler. That's why I'm missing the world record," said Oliver, who won his event's Diamond League season title. "I cannot ask for more. I'm running fast times, winning the diamond."
The Weltklasse meet was missing some of track and field's biggest stars, despite crowning Diamond League champions in 16 events. The remaining 16 finals are staged in Brussels next week.
Gay skipped the individual 200 race, but ran the third leg of the 400-meter relay for an American quartet that set a world's best time this year. Gay, Trell Kimmons, Wallace Spearmon and anchor Michael Rodgers finished in 37.45 seconds to beat a Jamaica quartet by 0.31.
Usain Bolt also skipped the 200 after shutting down his season because of a back injury, putting Spearmon in the spotlight. He finished in a meet-record time of 19.79 seconds to edge Jamaica's Yohan Blake. Ryan Bailey of the U.S. ran a personal best 20.10 in third.
"I must admit," Spearmon said, "I entered it nervously as Blake beat me last time."
Spearmon also won the Diamond League title because points leader Walter Dix was injured and could not fulfil the rules requirement of running in the final.
Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown won the women's 100 in a photo finish with Carmelita Jeter of the U.S., as the two timed 10.89. Another American, Marshevet Myers, was third in 10.97.
"My shoulder was a little bit in front so I had the feeling just after the line that I could be the winner," Campbell-Brown said.
Jeter said she lost the race out of the blocks, but still earned the season-long title.
"My start was not that good, second part better," Jeter said, adding that she plans to give her Diamond League trophy to her parents.
Allyson Felix completed the first half of an expected Diamond League double by winning the 400 in 50.37, ahead of fellow American Debbie Dunn and Botswana's Amantle Montsho. Felix also won the 400 season-long title and only has to start in the 200 final at Brussels to add that trophy to her collection.
Kaliese Spencer of Jamaica saved her best for last in an excellent season of 400 hurdles races. Her fourth straight Diamond League victory in 53.33 took 0.15 seconds off her personal best, and was more than a second faster than Czech runner-up Zuzana Hejnova.
World champion Ezekiel Kemboi won the 3,000 steeplechase, pulling away from fellow Kenyan Paul Kipsiele Koech from the final bend to clock his best time of the season, 8:01.74.
Ethiopia earned a 1-2 finish in the 5,000, with Chris Solinsky of the U.S third. Tariku Bekele won in 12:55.03, ahead of season champion Imane Merga.
Americans took home both Diamond League long jump trophies. Brittney Reese's first leap of 6.89 was enough, and no one bettered Dwight Phillips' opening 8.20 jump.
Germany's Robert Harting took the men's discus with a throw of 68.64 meters, 16 centimeters further than Piotr Malachowski of Poland who collected the diamond trophy.
In a men's 100 run outside the Diamond League program, America's Kimmons won in a personal record of 9.95.
-- Graham Dunbar
Olympics
Europe ekes out Youth Olympics team triathlon gold
SINGAPORE (AP) — Europe held off Oceania and Americas to win the team triathlon gold medal Thursday at the Youth Olympics in Singapore, the first time a global multi-sport competition has used the mixed format.
Teams made up of two boys and two girls from the same continent completed a mini-triathlon consisting of a 250-meter swim, 7-kilometer bike ride and 1.7-kilometer run before tagging a teammate to start the next leg.
The European team of Alois Knabl of Austria, Hungary’s Eszter Dudas, Miguel Valente Fernandes of Portugal and Israel’s Fanny Beisaron finished the relay in 1 hour, 19 minutes, 51 seconds, just four seconds ahead of Oceania.
Team Americas fell to third despite a 14-second lead at the beginning of the final run, after Argentina’s Laurato Diaz was given a 15-second penalty for unfastening his helmet before racking his bike, which allowed runners from the Europe and Ocenania teams to pass him.
"We thought we had it," said American Kevin McDowell, who was joined by Kelly Whitley of the U.S. and Mexico’s Adriana Barraza on the team. "It was a little disappointing, but we walked away with a medal."
The International Olympic Committee is debuting the team triathlon at the Youth Games along with half-court, 3-on-3 basketball and mixed swimming relays. IOC President Jacques Rogge, who watched the triathlon competition, said organizers haven’t decided yet whether the new format will be used at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.
"This is something we will have to discuss. We’re going to analyze everything first," Rogge told the official Olympics news service. "It’s an exciting event. Whether it will come to the traditional Games is another question."
The inaugural Youth Olympic Games began Saturday and runs through next week. It features 3,600 athletes aged 14 to 18 from 204 national Olympic committees competing in 26 sports.
China racked up three more golds Thursday — winning two taekwondo finals and the girls freestyle relay — to extend its lead to 14 golds and 23 medals overall. Russia is second with 11 golds and 24 overall, while South Korea, Azerbaijan and Italy each have five golds each.
The United States had only one gold medal by the end of the fifth day of competition, along with three silvers and two bronze medals.
Thailand swept the singles golds Thursday in badminton. Pisit Poodchalat beat Indonesia’s Prannoy Haseena Sunil Kumar in the boys final while Sapsiree Taerattanachai denied China another gold when she defeated Yuan Deng in the girls final.
Russia’s Viktoria Komova finished ahead of Sixin Tan of China and Italy’s Cariotta Ferlito to win the girls’ individual all-around final in artistic gymnastics.
-- Alex Kennedy
Flags, personal items banned at medals ceremonies
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s president says it was his idea to ban athletes from holding their countries’ flags or personal items like lucky charms or banners on the podium during medal ceremonies at the Youth Olympics in Singapore.
Pal Schmitt, a member of the International Olympic Committee, says he made his proposal to IOC president Jacques Rogge and the organizing committee to try and prevent "exaggerated nationalist manifestations."
Schmitt is a former two-time Olympic fencing champion in team events who was sworn in on Aug. 6 as Hungary’s president. He returned from a visit to the Youth Olympics this week.
Athletes have been holding only stuffed animals representing Merly and Lyo, the tournament’s mascots, when receiving their medals.
