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--- Lane 9 News ---
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Olympics, Swimming: Club 52 Grows to Four, Hayden Stoeckel Wins Semifinal Round of 100 Back -- August 10, 2008
By John Lohn
BEIJING, China, August 11. TRY this on for size. It likely will take a sub-53 performance to win a medal in the men's 100 backstroke. Four years after Aaron Peirsol won the event in Athens with a 54-low showing, the event has taken off to new heights. Heck, a guy (Nick Thoman) not even here has gone 52-point.
Gaining their slots in the final of the 100 back, Australia's Hayden Stoeckel and American Matt Grevers each went under 53 seconds during the semifinals, Stoeckel swimming 52.97 and Grevers checking in at 52.99. Yet, neither will be the favorite when the entrants are announced for the final of the event. That role still belongs to Peirsol.
While Stoeckel and Grevers pushed the pace, Peirsol settled into his race and utilized a strategy similar to the one that he went with at the U.S. Trials. In Omaha, Peirsol cruised in the opening two rounds, then dropped the hammer with a 52.89 clocking in the final. Expect the defending Olympic champ to come through again tomorrow. Peirsol enters the final seeded fifth in 53.56.
Following Stoeckel and Grevers were Russian Arkady Vyatchanin (53.06) and Spain's Aschwin Wildeboer (53.51). Vyatchanin's time was a European record. Sixth went to Liam Tancock of Great Britain in 53.61 and seventh and eighth were slotted by Japan's Junichi Miyashita (53.69) and Aussie Ashley Delaney (53.76).
Results: 2008 Olympic Games - Swimming
Premium Members - Search More About: Hayden Stoeckel
Reaction Time Comments
August 10, 2008 Depending on what Aaron takes out of his magic bag, the men's medley relay is going to be tighter than previously expected. Mano a mano, the Aussies are back in the game challenging the Americans for the medley relay gold. Submitted by: paddles
August 11, 2008 The Ozzies may lose up to a second or so on the fly, though, so unless someone on the US team blows it, they should still win fairly comfortably. I don't know Stoeckel well enough to know whether he can take the pressure of 3 Americans under 53 with him, one of them not even in Beijing!! Hats off to him though. Grevers and Peirosl right on track too, though they have the advantage of an equally tight US Trials. Should be a great final. Submitted by: liquidassets
August 11, 2008 Haydens' magic bag if full of tricks i reckon. Submitted by: tjswimer
August 11, 2008 Looks like he took that pressure pretty well so far. Submitted by: tjswimer
August 11, 2008 Well he hasn't really had the pressure from Peirsol yet. Submitted by: liquidassets
August 11, 2008 This was shaping up to be one the best finals of meet, however the 100 free now looks like it will top it. Different from Hansen, Peirsol had a great trials, so i do not have the same feeling as I did for the breaststroke final. Piersol wins this in the last 15 meters. Submitted by: PhatMatt
Reaction Time responses do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Swimming World Magazine or SwimmingWorldMagazine.com.
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