FUKUOKA, Japan -- Russian Roman Sloudnov, the first man to
swim the 100-meter breaststroke in less than 1 minute, set the
world record Monday, defeating former record holder Ed Moses' in a
semifinal at the world championships.
Sloudnov, the Olympic bronze medalist, finished in 59.94
seconds, just under the 59.97 mark he swam at the Russian trials
last month.
His 59.97 was not ratified as a world record before the start of
the world championships, and Moses still owned the record with his
1 minute, 00.29 seconds at the U.S. trials in March. The American
advanced to Tuesday's final with a time of 1:00.55.
"Just 20 days ago I broke the world record and I said to myself
that I should try to do it today, at this race, again," Sloudnov
said. "I feel very happy that I did it again."
Japan's Kosuke Kitajima edged Olympic gold medalist Domenico
Fioravanti 1:00.61 to 1:00.66 in the other semifinal.
Anthony Ervin won the United States' first gold of the
two-day-old championships by beating Dutchman Pieter van den
Hoogenband by .07 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle.
But Australia quickly reclaimed the spotlight when Petria Thomas
won the women's 200 butterfly, setting a meet record, and Matt
Welsh took the men's 100 backstroke.
China's Luo Xuejuan won the women's 100 breaststroke while
American's Megan Quann, the Olympic gold medalist, came in fifth
and 1998 world gold medalist Kristy Kowal sixth.
In the women's 800 freestyle, Hannah Stockbauer of Germany beat
American Diana Munz, the 1998 silver medalist, 8 minutes, 24.66
seconds to 8:28.84. American Kaitlin Sandeno won her second bronze
of the night, after one in the 200 butterfly.
Germany won the women's 400-meter freestyle relay in 3:39.58.
The Americans had to share silver with Britain in 3:40.80.
Olympic gold medalist Tom Malchow's championships record of
1:55.03 in the 200 butterfly semifinals was matched by 1998 world
silver medalist Franck Esposito of France. Fellow American Michael
Phelps, the world record holder, won the other semifinal in
1:56.41.
On the opening day of pool races, Ian Thorpe had given Australia
a quick start by winning the 400 freestyle in world record time and
anchoring the winning 400-meter freestyle relay team.
Ervin hoped to give the Americans a similar lift by winning the
50.
After tying with fellow American Gary Hall Jr. for Olympic gold
in the 50 last year, he won here in 22.09 seconds.
Van Den Hoogenband, Olympic bronze medalist in the 50 and winner
of the 100 and 200, took silver in 22.16 and Japan's Tomohiro
Yamanoi and South African Roland Schoeman tied for bronze at 22.18.
"It feels good to get the first gold for the United States,"
Ervin said. "Nothing went wrong tonight.
"Hopefully this win will give some momentum to the United
States and keep us winning like in Sydney," he added.
But then Luo won the breaststroke in 1 minute, 7.18 seconds,
with Olympic silver medalist Leisel Jones of Australia second in
1:07.96. Hungary's Agnes Kovacs was third in 1:08.50. Quann swam
1:08.80 and Kowal 1:08.92.
"I'm still developing and getting stronger," said Luo. "I
want to bring the level of 200 breaststroke in China up to a world
level."
Thomas held off Germany's Annika Mehlhorn in the women's
butterfly. The Olympic bronze medalist finished 0.24 ahead in 2
minutes, 6.73 seconds.
Then Welsh won the backstroke in 54.31, ahead of Iceland's Orn
Arnarson (54.75) and Germany's Steffen Driesen (54.91). American
Randall Bal missed bronze by .06.
"This is a dream come true," said Welsh, who was second in the
Olympics behind triple gold medalist American Lenny Krayzelburg,
who holds three world records. Krayzelburg is not at these world
championships.
"It doesn't matter whether or not Lenny was here. It's great to
reach a goal. This is something I've been working toward for seven
years," Welsh added.
Thorpe was back in action Monday, but only in qualifying in the
800-meter freestyle. He finished fastest at 7:52.74, but well off
his world record (7:41.59). He also holds the world mark in the
200.
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