FINA World Championships, Swimming: Elizabeth Beisel Smashes Textile Best in 400 IM Triumph

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SHANGHAI, China, July 31. ELIZABETH Beisel demonstrated some remarkable range by putting together an incredible effort in the women's 400 IM at the FINA World Long Course Championships.

Beisel clocked a sterling time of 4:31.78, better than the previous textile best of 4:32.89 turned in by Katie Hoff at the 2007 World Championships. The win gave Beisel her first individual world title.

"My strategy is really just not to worry too much," Beisel said. "It was a very good surprise, and I just try to do my best to win medals."

Great Britain's Hannah Miley checked in with a second-place 4:34.22, while Australia's Stephanie Rice collected bronze with a 4:34.23.

"I missed the 2007 World Championships, and was fourth in 2009," Miley said. "Tonight was just a fantastic swim. I just went in there and fought for it. I saw Stephanie [Rice] was ahead, and I just wanted to get a medal, even if it was just bronze."

The bronze is Rice's third in a row in the event, while Miley gave Great Britain its first medal in the event's history since it first began being offered at the 1973 World Championships in Belgrade.

"It was a great finish, and I'm really happy," Rice said. "I had no idea where I would wind up, and I just wanted to finish fourth or fifth. So, I'm really happy about the finish tonight. It gives me a lot of confidence."

Spain's Mireia Belmonte Garcia (4:34.94), China's Ye Shiwen (4:35.15), China's Li Xuanxu (4:35.78), Czech's Barbora Zavadova (4:38.04) and USA's Caitlin Leverenz (4:38.80) also put up swims in the finale.

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