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EAST MEADOW (New York), Nov 28: American Natalie Coughlin set a world record 2:03.62 here Tuesday in the women’s 200 meters backstroke at the World Cup meet.
She also came close to another world mark when she won the 50 meters backstroke in 27.29, a shade under the record of 27.25 held by fellow American Haley Cope.
Coughlin was happy to settle for a World Cup record.
“It was a big surprise,” Coughlin said after her world time. “I just tried to focus on my underwater kick because that’s my strongest point. When I looked up and saw that time, I was shocked.
“I’ve missed a couple world records by the narrowest of margins, so this is huge. I kind of wished the 100 back would have been my first one, but I’ll take them any way I can get them.”
The Americans collected eight gold medals of the 17 finals on the first night of the meet.
But Martina Moravcova of Slovakia took home three gold medals: in the 200-meter freestyle in 1:55.41, which is a World Cup record, the 100-meter butterfly in 57.43 and the 50-meter freestyle in 25.14.
The Americans grabbed the first three places in the 100 meters freestyle, the opening final event, to set the tone for the finals.
Jason Lezak won in 47.67, followed by Scott Tucker (48.37) and Neil Walker in 48.46.
Lezak said: “Looking at the whole field, it was an exciting, fast field with lots of great competition, and I love to get up and race against anybody.”
“Coming out of lane one was good, because I breathe to the right, and I could see I was in the lead, and I just tried to hold on as much as I could.
“I felt pretty good going out at the 50, but I could tell I started to fade a little bit, but I guess the rest of the field must have faded with me.”
Two events later American Ed Moses won the 50 meters breaststroke in 27.53 after narrowly qualifying for the finals by tying for seventh in the preliminary event.
“I’d done a hard workout this morning, and I was pretty fatigued,” Moses said. “But the key in the morning is just to make it back at night, and I got a lane, and I got the job done.”
Tuesday’s results:
Men
100m freestyle: 1. Jason Lezak (USA) 47.67 sec; 2. Scott Tucker (USA) 48.37; 3. Neil Walker (USA) 48.46.
50m breaststroke: 1. Ed Moses (USA) 27.53 sec; 2. Eduardo Fischer (Bra) 27.96; 3. Mark Riley (Aus) 28.08
400m individual medley: 1. Tobias Oriwol (Can) 4:16.64; 2. Ron Karnaugh (USA) 4:18.09; 3. Mikael Jakobsson (Swe) 4:21.65.
100m backstroke: 1. Neil Walker (USA) 52.71; 2. Michael Gilliam (USA) 54.08; 3. Geoff Huegill (Aus) 54.35
200m butterfly: 1. Franck Esposito (Fra) 1:54.02; 2. Stefon Gherghel (USA) 1:56.13; 3. Ales Abersek (Slo) 1:59.23.
400m freestyle: 1. Josh Davis (USA) 3:46.05; 2. Richardo Monasterio (Ven) 3:49.99; Lionel Moreau (Fra) 3:52.05
200m breaststroke: 1. Jim Piper (Aus) 2:09.58; 2. Ed Moses (USA) 2:10.18; 3. Tony De Pellegrini (Fra) 2:13.27
100m individual medley: 1. Neil Walker (USA) 54.22; 2. Scott Tucker (USA) 54.98; 3. Ron Karnaugh (USA) 55.88.
50m butterfly: 1. Geoff Huegill (Aus) 23.16; 2. Joshua Ilika (Mex) 24.03; 3. Fernando Scherer (USA) 24.21
Women
200m freestyle: 1. Martina Moravcova (Svk) 1:55.41; 2. Yu Yang (Chi) 1:56.93; 3. Claudia Poll (CoR) 1:57.36
100m breaststroke: 1. Xuejuan Luo (Chi) 1:05.78; 2. Brooke Hanson (Aus) 1:07.69; 3. Amanda Beard (USA) 1:07.76
100m butterfly: 1. Martina Moravcova (Svk) 57.43; 2. Natalie Coughlin (USA) 57.44; 3. Mary Descenza (USA) 58.96
50m freestyle: 1. Natalie Coughlin (USA) 27.29; 2. Jennifer Carroll (Can) 27.83; 3. Haley Cope (USA) 27.94
200m individual medley: 1. Amanda Beard (USA) 2:12.14; 2. Sophie De Ronchi (Fra) 2:14.65; 3. Brooke Hanson (Aus) 2:15.20
50m freestyle: 1. Martina Moravcova (Svk) 25.14; 2. Katrin Meissner (Ger) 25.18; 3. Laura Pomeroy (Can) 25.47
800m freestyle: 1. Hua Chen (Chi) 8:18.50; 2. Claudia Poll (CoR) 8:31.10; 3. Rachel Komisarz (USA) 8:33.48
200m backstroke: 1. Natalie Coughlin (USA) 2:03.62 (WR); 2. Tayliah Zimmer (Aus) 2:09.88; 3. Pamela Hanson (USA) 2:10.69.—AFP
