Paralympics, Swimming: Erin Popovich Claims Third Gold, Plenty of World Records Tumble

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BEIJING, China, September 9. THE third night of swimming was just as action-packed as the first two at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. On top of Erin Popovich of the U.S. winning her third gold of the Games, a score of world records also went by the wayside.

Russia's Dmitry Kokarev opened the third night of swimming with a win in the men's 100 free – S2 when he touched in 2:18.04. Greece's Georgios Kapellakis took silver in 2:23.63, while Jim Anderson of Great Britain wound up third in 2:24.32.

Igor Plotnikov of Russia followed in the men's 100 back – S6 with a triumph in 1:14.45. China's Yang Yuanrun (1:16.35) and Tang Yuan (1:17.05) completed the podium with silver and bronze, respectively.

While world-record holder Nyree Lewis of Great Britain set the meet record with a 1:30.34 during prelims, the Netherlands' Mirjam de Koning-Peper scored the upset with a meet-record win in 1:28.34 in the women's 100 back – S6. Lewis, meanwhile, took silver in 1:29.35 while still holding the global standard with a 1:26.90 from earlier this year. China's Jiang Fuying took bronze in 1:30.53.

The first world record of the evening came in the men's 100 free – S10. Brazil's Andre Brasil scorched the field with a 51.38. That time cleared the previous world record of 52.35 set last year by Brazil's Andre Esteves. Compatriot Phelipe Rodrigues finished second in 54.22 while previous meet-record holder Benoit Huot of Canada took third in 54.26.

The women's 100 free – S10 world record fell twice on the day. First, Katarzyna Pawlik of Poland set the record at 1:01.60 during prelims. Ashley Owens of the U.S., however, touched out Pawlik in finals, 1:01.57 to 1:01.59, to secure the standard and the gold medal. Anna Eames of the U.S. completed the podium with a 1:01.91.

The world records kept falling in the men's 100 fly – S11. Enhamed Enhamed of Spain broke his world record with a time of 1:01.12. That shattered his previous record of 1:03.28 set last summer. Oleksandr Mashchenko of Ukraine took silver in 1:04.08, while Japan's Junichi Kawai earned bronze in 1:05.79.

Belarus' Raman Makarau shot down his world record in the men's 100 fly – S12. He clocked a swift 56.90 during finals to crush his old record of 58.21. Teammate Sergei Punko took silver in 59.72, while Ukraine's Anton Stabrovskyy wound up third in 1:00.50.

Joanna Mendak of Poland then set the women's 100 fly – S12 meet record with a time of 1:03.34. Spain's Ana Garcia- Arcicollar took second in 1:08.86, while Ukraine's Yuliya Volkova placed third in 1:10.89.

Swimmers got back to beating world records in the men's 200 free – S3 as Ukraine's Dmytro Vynohradets' demolished the global standard with a 3:22.98. Li Hanhua of China previously owned the record with a 3:37.06 from May. Li wound up taking silver in 3:23.40, while teammate Du Jianping finished third in 3:27.82.

Spain's Richard Oribe took down the men's 200 free – S4 world record with a time of 2:55.81. Japan's Yuji Handa previously owned the record with a 2:58.62 set back in 2003. France's David Smetanine placed second in 3:04.47, while Jan Povysil of the Czech Republic grabbed third in 3:06.74.

Brazil kept up its strong night when Daniel Dias lowered his world record in the men's 200 free – S5. Dias clocked a time of 2:32.32, bettering his 2:37.72 from last summer. Spain's Sebastian Rodriguez took silver in 2:38.88, while Great Britain's Anthony Stephens placed third in 2:44.67.

Maria Teresa Perales of Spain came out with the gold medal in the women's 200 free – S5 in 2:47.47. Israel's Inbal Pezaro took second in 2:49.51, while Ukraine's Olena Akopyan finished third in 2:52.51.

Sascha Kindred of Great Britain lowered his world record in the men's 100 breast – SB7 with a time of 1:22.18. That swim cleared his old record of 1:22.77 set in 2006. Australia's Blake Cochrane took second in 1:23.36, while Rudy Garcia Tolson of the U.S. finished third in 1:24.01.

Erin Popovich of the U.S. snared her third gold medal of the Games with a world-record time of 1:31.60 in the women's 100 breast – SB7. That performance beat Jessica Long's record of 1:32.52 set in 2006. Long, meanwhile, took bronze in 1:38.60. China's Huang Min placed second in 1:35.61.

Ukraine's Andriy Kalyna downed his world record in the men's 100 breast – SB8 with a time of 1:07.01. That eclipsed his 2006 standard of 1:09.62. China's Wang Xiaofu took second in 1:12.39, while Spain's Alejandro Sanchez touched third in 1:13.44.

The night concluded with a world record when Russia's Olesya Vladykina touched in 1:20.58 in the women's 100 breast – SB8. That time beat the standard of Sisse Grynet Egeborg of Denmark, who clocked a 1:21.57 in 2003. Poland's Paulina Wozniak earned silver in 1:23.90, while Great Britain's Claire Cashmore took bronze in 1:25.60.

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