Santa Clara International: Cate Campbell Stuns Crowd With U.S. Open Record, Erik Vendt Dusts U.S. Open Record

SANTA CLARA, California, May 18. THE final night of competition at the Santa Clara International Invitational featured an amazing U.S. Open record from Cate Campbell and a U.S. Open record by Erik Vendt. Michael Phelps also impressed with a title trifecta.

Campbell, who is turning 16 in two days, continued her ascension within women's sprint freestyle events when she dropped a sizzling time of 24.13 in the women's 50 free. That performance tied what used to be the world record of Inge de Bruijn set at the 2000 Olympic Games. Campbell, who hails from Australia, is now the second-fastest Aussie in the event as compatriot Libby Trickett set the global standard with a 23.97 in March. Campbell is tied for third all time behind Marleen Veldhuis' 24.09.

Campbell time also stands as the U.S. Open record, beating de Bruijn's 24.50 from 2000 in Federal Way, Wash.

Vendt obviously is not allowing anything outside the pool bother him while putting his mind on distance events in Santa Clara. After clocking a strong time of 14:54.89 during prelims on the first day, Vendt closed the night with a U.S. Open record time of 14:46.78 in the men's 1500 free. Vendt beat his own record of 14:47.59 from February, and destroyed his meet record of 15:11.80 from 2004. His previous U.S. Open record from February had been the top time in the world this year, but today put the time even further for others to chase. Vendt also finished just a second off Larsen Jensen's American record of 14:45.29, and became just the sixth man under 14:47.

Here are the complete splits for Vendt's swim:
1 Vendt, Erik K 27 Club Wolverine-M 14:54.89 14:46.78O
27.82 57.51 (29.69)
1:27.34 (29.83) 1:57.24 (29.90)
2:27.02 (29.78) 2:57.01 (29.99)
3:26.80 (29.79) 3:56.59 (29.79)
4:26.32 (29.73) 4:56.06 (29.74)
5:26.13 (30.07) 5:55.92 (29.79)
6:25.61 (29.69) 6:55.27 (29.66)
7:24.86 (29.59) 7:54.41 (29.55)
8:24.13 (29.72) 8:53.58 (29.45)
9:23.22 (29.64) 9:52.68 (29.46)
10:22.18 (29.50) 10:51.53 (29.35)
11:21.04 (29.51) 11:50.44 (29.40)
12:20.05 (29.61) 12:49.64 (29.59)
13:19.45 (29.81) 13:49.11 (29.66)
14:18.67 (29.56) 14:46.78 (28.11)

Notably, Michael Klueh finished second in 15:05.85, while Matt Patton took third in 15:21.69.

Kara Lynn Joyce provided the closest competition with a time of 24.83, while Natalie Coughlin settled for third in 24.92. Notably, Lia Neal, 13, smoked a fifth-place finish with a 25.94, tying Kate Dwelley in the process.

Mary DeScenza began the last session with a meet-record victory in the women's 200 fly. She clocked a time of 2:07.77 to beat the 11-year-old standard of 2:08.69 set by Susie O'Neill back in 1997. DeScenza's time also finished within the top 15 in the world this year as she is just the 13th swimmer to break 2:08 this year.

Kim Vandenberg, who led at the 150-meter mark, 1:34.51 to 1:35.80, over DeScenza succumbed to DeScenza's 31.97 in the final 50 before placing second in 2:08.19 to also clear the former meet record.

Ava Ohlgren took third in 2:09.00, while the stacked heat included Elaine Breeden (2:10.88) in fourth, Tanya Krisman (2:11.60) in fifth and backstroke specialist Margaret Hoelzer (2:12.09) in eighth.

Brendan Hansen followed with another meet-record performance as he hit the pad in 2:10.62 in the men's 200 breaststroke. He whacked two seconds off his 2006 standard of 2:12.90. The swim is Hansen's best this year, trumping his 2:11.60 from March and moved him into the top 10 in the world this year.

Craig Calder of Australia finished second in 2:13.03, while Japan's Ryo Tateishi secured third in 2:14.22.

In the men's sprint 100 freestyle, Phelps earned another triumph when he stopped the clock in 49.15, just off Lyndon Ferns' meet record of 48.98. Ferns, meanwhile, placed second in 49.33, while Peter Vanderkaay demonstrated some sprint speed with a third-place 49.59.

Other top names like Alexei Puninski (49.82), Ryk Neethling (49.85), Dave Walters (49.87), Jason Lezak (50.08), Matt Grevers (50.10) and Gideon Louw (50.23) comprised the rest of the championship heat. Roland Schoeman owned the consolation heat with a 49.25 that would have gotten him second place overall.

In a tightly-contested finale, Svetlana Karpeeva touched out Ava Ohlgren, 2:14.13 to 2:14.29, in the women's 200 IM, while Julia Smit captured third right behind in 2:14.97.

Phelps followed with another victory as he nearly cleared his top time in the world this year of 1:57.39 with a strong readout of 1:58.13. Australia's Leith Brodie provided his best challenge with a second-place 2:00.87, while Alex Vanderkaay snagged third in 2:03.32.

Elisabeth Beisel, 15, was all alone in the women's 200 back as she checked in with a 2:11.01 to break the meet record. She surpassed the 2:11.13 set by Meagen Nay of Australia last year. DeScenza, meanwhile, placed second in 2:13.66, while Madison White finished third in 2:14.40.

Phelps completed an intimidating triple as he held off world-record holder Aaron Peirsol in the men's 100 back, 54.03 to 54.36. The duo joined Matt Grevers (54.41) under Phelps' 2007 meet record of 54.45.

Australia's Kylie Palmer won a shootout with Kate Ziegler as Palmer completed the women's 800 free in 8:27.05. Ziegler placed second in 8:28.31.

The battle went down as follows:
Palmer: 29.65, 1:01.09 (31.44), 1:33.19 (32.10), 2:05.18 (31.99), 2:37.43 (32.25), 3:09.49 (32.06), 3:41.75 (32.26), 4:13.91 (32.16), 4:45.89 (31.98), 5:17.83 (31.94), 5:49.73 (31.90), 6:21.50 (31.77), 6:53.18 (31.68), 7:24.82 (31.64), 7:56.39 (31.57), 8:27.05 (30.66)

Ziegler: 29.50, 1:00.80 (31.30), 1:32.55 (31.75), 2:04.07 (31.52), 2:35.83 (31.76), 3:07.76 (31.93), 3:40.02 (32.26), 4:12.25 (32.23), 4:44.38 (32.13), 5:16.68 (32.30), 5:48.88 (32.20), 6:21.31 (32.43), 6:53.39 (32.08), 7:25.94 (32.55), 7:58.39 (32.45), 8:28.31 (29.92)

Kaitlin Sandeno rounded out the podium in 8:34.35 for third place, knocking off Club Wolverine teammate Katie Carroll, who placed fourth in 8:36.65.

In relay action, Tucson Ford's Anna Turner, Annie Chandler, Whitney Myers and Lacey Nymeyer won the women's 400 medley with a time of 4:12.16, while Australia's Brodie, Calder, Garth Kates and Tom Miller won the men's 400 medley in 3:42.88.

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