Lane 9 News Archive: World Championships: Oleg Lisogor Soars to 50 Breast Title

World Championships: Oleg Lisogor Soars to 50 Breast Title -- March 28, 2007

By John Lohn

MELBOURNE, Australia, March 28. FOR Oleg Lisogor, it was a race he wanted badly. For Brendan Hansen, it was a filler, something to bide the time until the 200 breaststroke. Despite their different points of view, Lisogor and Hansen delivered a quality show in the championship final of the 50 breaststroke. Lisogor, the world-record holder, prevailed in 27.66.

A specialist in the 50 breast, Lisogor held the lead throughout the race and held off a hard-charging Hansen at the wall. The gold medalist in the 100 breast earlier in the week, Hansen got off to a slow start and, in a one-lap sprint, that problem was too much to overcome. Hansen was clocked in 27.69, after going 27.64 in the preliminaries and 27.51 in the semifinals. Still, Hansen was fine with the silver medal.

"I guess you can put the broom away because there's not going to be a sweep," Hansen said, referring to his chase for all three breaststroke titles, something never before accomplished. "I didn't hit the start and that came down to experience. But, I battled back and I'm happy to come away with the silver medal."

The bronze medal was picked up by South African teenager Cameron Van Der Burgh, who covered his lap in 27.88 and touched out Italian Alessandro Terrin (28.09). Terrin had gone 27-mid in both of his earlier swims, but struggled mightily in the final. Japan's Kosuke Kitajima, bronze in the event two years ago in Montreal, was fifth with a time of 28.10.

Click Here to view event results PDF file.

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