Coughlin Breaks Another World Mark at World Cup

By Mary Wagner
(Courtesy of USA Swimming, with additional comments by Phil Whitten)

EAST MEADOW, N.Y., Nov. 29. THE final night of the 2001 FINA World Cup in East Meadow, N.Y., was a night of encores for a number of U.S. swimmers.

And Natalie Coughlin led the way by setting a world record in the 100m backstroke. Her time of 57.08 bettered the old mark by more than a second and came on the heels of a world record performance in the 200 back in last night's finals.

"I knew the 100 back was my strongest event," said Coughlin, who was named female performer of the meet.
"I just knew if I could do it in the 200, then I was pretty sure I could go after the world record in the 100. "It was just a matter of putting it together. I just went out like it was a 50 and brought it back home."

While the deck was abuzz with talk of another world record before her race, Coughlin didn't seem affected by the pressure of following up her performance from last night, and she wrapped up the meet by winning her
fourth event in the 50m fly, setting an American and U.S. Open record en route with a time of 25.83.

"I was pretty confident going into this," she said. "I felt really strong. I am just having fun, and that is getting me through this."

What started out as a slow night for the Americans actually shaped up pretty well as the night went on. Ed Moses kicked it all off for the U.S. with a win in the 100m breast (1:00.14), his second win of the meet after winning the 50 breast on Tuesday.

Moses holds the world, U.S. Open and American records in the event. Only the World Cup record eludes him, and he gave it a shot tonight.

"It's a second off my world record, so it might have been a lot to ask for tonight," Moses said. "I've got a good shot at it (at the World Cup meets in Europe), and maybe I can make a clean sweep of it there.

"But I've got three in-season bests at this meet, so I can't complain. I seem to be setting up the season well."

After winning the 100m back and the 100m IM Tuesday night, Neil Walker made another appearance on the gold medal podium by taking first in the 50m back Wednesday with a time of 24.42.

"I am really pleased with where I am in my training right now," Walker said. "When I set the world record (in the 50 back) in Athens last March, I was ready and rested, so tonight is a stepping stone for me to greater things."

Walker also won the 200 back in 1:56.38, just out-touching Brazil's Rogerio Romero by 3-hundredths. It was a touch 200 backstroke field including Josh Davis (fourth in 1:57.60), last summer's national champion, and Croatia's Gordan Kozulj (fifth in 1:57.90), co world-record-holder in the event.

Another repeat performer for the evening was Jason Lezak, who took first in the 50m free with a time of 21.86. He also won the 100m free on Day 1.

"I pretty much stuck my head down and dug down into every stroke," Lezak said. "Any time you can come in like this and swim against some of the best people in the world, it feels great."

Other Americans taking first in Wednesday night's events were Mary DeScenza in the 200m fly (2:08.24) and Chris Thompson in the 1500m free (14:50.52).

Martina Moracova also wrapped up a solid showing in East Meadow with a win in the 100m free (54.04), her fourth win of the meet. Later she added number five, taking the 100 IM in 1:01.28, with the USA's Amanda Beard second.

France's Romain Barnier, an Auburn grad, won the 200 free in 1:46.13, beating American record-holder Davis (1:46.76) and Scott Tucker (1:46.83).

Another Frenchman, Xavier Marchand, won the 200 IM (1:59.60) with 35 year-old Ron Karnaugh second (2:00.27).

Australia's Geoff Huegill breezed to victory in the 100 fly, clocking 51.64.

On the women's side, Costa Rica's Claudia Poll, 29, the world record-holder in the short course 400 free, won her event in 4:07.37, but had to battle a determined Rachel Komisarz, who touched in 4:07.92. Komisarz has been on fire ever since the World University Games, as she continues to lower her personal bests in a variety of events.

China's Luo Xuejuan, 17, set a World Cup record of 30.68 in the 50 breast, just nudging her 30.71 from last week, as she continues to inch towards Penny Heyns' world mark of 30.61.

Germany's Anne Poleska, aa sophomore at Alabama, won the 200 breast in 2;22.90, with Beard second in 2:24.56. France's Yvette Rodier, took the 400 IM (4:45.74).

Watch the USA Swimming World Cup on ESPN, December 21 at 3 p.m. Eastern. Check your TV guide for local listings.

Wednesday was the final night of the 2001 World Cup. Action continues at the Nassau County Aquatics Center Nov. 29-Dec. 1 with the U.S. Open.

FINA WORLD CUP 3
East Meadow, Nov 27-28 (25 M)

DAY 2 FINALS

MEN

50 METRES FREESTYLE
1) 21.86 Jason Lezak,75,USA
2) 21.96 Bart Kizierowski,77,POL
3) 22.28 Fernando Scherer,74,BRA
4) 22.34 Neil Walker,76,USA
5) 22.34 Denis Pimankov,75,RUS
6) 22.65 Thomas Austin,77,USA
7) 22.70 Scott Tucker,75,USA
8) 22.82 Michael Gilliam,79,USA

200 METRES FREESTYLE
1) 1:46.13 Romain Barnier,76,FRA
2) 1:46.76 Josh Davis,72,USA
3) 1:46.83 Scott Tucker,75,USA
4) 1:47.28 Scott Vonschoff,78,USA
5) 1:49.09 Jarod Schroeder,73,USA
6) 1:52.24 Andrew Coupland,83,CAN
7) 1:54.43 Ricardo Monasterio,78,VEN
8) 1:55.43 Brent O'Connor,83,CAN

1500 METRES FREESTYLE
1) 14:50.92 Chris Thompson,78,USA
2) 15:09.11 Ricardo Monasterio,78,VEN
3) 15:28.24 Max Jaben,86,USA
4) 15:34.54 Rafael Goncalves,80,BRA
5) 15:43.06 Frederic Cayen,82,CAN

50 METRES BACKSTROKE
1) 24.42 Neil Walker,76,USA
2) 24.93 Pablo Abal,77,ARG
3) 24.98 Michael Gilliam,79,USA
4) 25.40 Geoff Huegill,79,AUS
5) 25.63 Thomas Austin,77,USA
6) 25.75 Denis Pankratov,74,RUS
7) 25.79 Gordan Kozulj,76,CRO
8) 26.22 Simon Thirsk,77,RSA

200 METRES BACKSTROKE
1) 1:56.38 Neil Walker,76,USA
2) 1:56.41 Rogerio Romero,69,BRA
3) 1:57.07 Romain Barnier,76,FRA
4) 1:57.60 Josh Davis,72,USA
5) 1:57.90 Gordan Kozulj,76,CRO
6) 2:01.27 Tobias Oriwol,85,CAN
7) 2:02.36 Paolo Russo,79,ITA
8) 2:03.98 Ashley Anderson,85,AUS

100 METRES BREASTSTROKE
1) 1:00.14 Ed Moses,80,USA
2) 1:00.62 Jim Piper,81,AUS
3) 1:00.71 Eduardo Fischer,80,BRA
4) 1:00.98 Mark Riley,82,AUS
5) 1:01.75 Tony de Pellegrini,82,FRA
6) 1:02.13 Vladislav Polyakov,83,USA
7) 1:02.97 Nathan Crook,79,AUS
8) 1:03.20 Nicolas Stoel,76,AUS

100 METRES BUTTERFLY
1) 51.64 Geoff Huegill,79,AUS
2) 52.97 Josh Ilika,76,MEX
3) 53.30 Ioan Gherghel,78,ROM
4) 54.18 Jean-F. Langlais,79,CAN
5) 54.79 Fabrizio Frascella,77,ITA
6) 54.89 Jarod Schroeder,73,USA
7) 54.98 Joe Bartoch,83,CAN

200 METRES IND.MEDLEY
1) 1:59.60 Xavier Marchand,73,FRA
2) 2:00.27 Ron Karnaugh,66,USA
3) 2:00.57 Lionel Moreau,74,FRA
4) 2:02.31 Tobias Oriwol,85,CAN
5) 2:02.49 Mikael Jacobsson,79,SWE
6) 2:03.46 Aurelien Coq,79,FRA
7) 2:04.20 Ashley Anderson,85,AUS
8) 2:04.32 Francois Castonguay,82,CAN

WOMEN

100 METRES FREESTYLE
1) 54.04 Martina Moravcova,76,SVK
2) 55.43 Katrin Meissner,73,GER
3) 55.73 Malin Svahnstrom,80,SWE
4) 55.91 Haley Cope,79,USA
5) 55.97 Caitlin Conneally,85,USA
6) 55.98 Danielle Becks,81,USA
7) 56.45 Laura Pomeroy,83,CAN
8) 56.66 Jenna Gresdal,84,CAN
9) 58.21 Rebeca Gusmao,84,BRA

400 METRES FREESTYLE
1) 4:07.37 Claudia Poll,72,CRC
2) 4:07.92 Rachel Komisarz,77,USA
3) 4:09.99 Sophie Simard,78,CAN
4) 4:14.32 Sarah Daly,85,USA
5) 4:15.75 Simona Ricciardi,80,ITA
6) 4:18.30 Danielle Bell,83,CAN
7) 4:21.14 Danielle Becks,81,USA
8) 4:28.10 Yvette Rodier,81,AUS

100 METRES BACKSTROKE
1) 57.08WR Natalie Coughlin,82,USA
2) 1:00.84 Haley Cope,79,USA
3) 1:01.05 Frances Adcock,84,AUS
4) 1:01.60 Jennifer Carroll,81,CAN
5) 1:02.01 Tayliah Zimmer,85,AUS
6) 1:02.14 Fabiola Molina,75,BRA
7) 1:02.59 Pamela Hanson,78,USA
8) 1:02.73 Alice Henriques,81,USA

50 METRES BREASTSTROKE
1) 30.68C Xuejuan Luo,84,CHN
2) 31.27 Brooke Hanson,78,AUS
3) 31.34 Amanda Beard,81,USA
4) 31.58 Ryan Redman,82,USA
5) 31.71 Megan Quann,84,USA
6) 32.08 Staciana Stitts,81,USA
7) 32.17 Anne Poleska,80,GER
8) 32.94 Tamara Wagner,85,CAN

200 METRES BREASTSTROKE
1) 2:22.90 Anne Poleska,80,GER
2) 2:24.56 Amanda Beard,81,USA
3) 2:26.31 Brooke Hanson,78,AUS
4) 2:28.40 Karine Bremond,75,FRA
5) 2:29.31 Staciana Stitts,81,USA
6) 2:34.84 Tamara Wagner,85,CAN
7) 2:36.15 Annamay Pierse,83,CAN
8) 2:36.72 Michelle Landry,85,CAN

50 METRES BUTTERFLY
1) 25.83AC Natalie Coughlin,82,USA
2) 26.67 Martina Moravcova,76,SVK
3) 27.00 Dana Vollmer,87,USA
4) 27.24 Haley Cope,79,USA
5) 27.56 Rachel Komisarz,77,USA
6) 27.79 Jennifer Carroll,81,CAN
7) 27.89 Caitlin Conneally,85,USA
8) 28.80 Nadine Rolland,74,CAN

200 METRES BUTTERFLY
1) 2:08.24 Mary Descenza,85,USA
2) 2:11.78 Silvia Szalai,75,GER
3) 2:12.54 Victoria Genova,83,USA
4) 2:12.66 Audrey Lacroix,83,CAN
5) 2:18.26 Alice Henriques,81,USA
6) 2:18.30 Kristabell Daley,84,USA
7) 2:20.21 Urska Ros,81,SLO

100 METRES IND.MEDLEY
1) 1:01.28 Martina Moravcova,76,SVK
2) 1:02.19 Amanda Beard,81,USA
3) 1:02.94 Brooke Hanson,78,AUS
4) 1:03.14 Nadine Rolland,74,CAN
5) 1:03.30 Jennifer Carroll,81,CAN
6) 1:04.28 Jenna Gresdal,84,CAN
7) 1:05.21 Marieve De Blois,84,CAN

400 METRES IND.MEDLEY
1) 4:45.74 Yvette Rodier,81,AUS
2) 4:48.69 Sophie De Ronchi,85,FRA
3) 4:51.29 Amy Ng,83,USA
4) 4:51.82 Sally Brown,82,USA
5) 4:52.52 Marieve De Blois,84,CAN

FINA WC 3 Rating summary of top performances
1) 1039 57.08 100 back W Natalie Coughlin,82,USA
2) 1006 57.43 100 fly W Martina Moravcova,76,SVK
3) 1005 30.68 50 breast W Xuejuan Luo,84,CHN
4) 1001 23.16 50 fly M Geoff Huegill,79,AUS
5) 999 8:18.50 800 free W Hua Chen,82,CHN
6) 987 2:22.90 200 breast W Anne Poleska,80,GER
7) 987 1:54.02 200 fly M Franck Esposito,71,FRA
8) 984 1:56.93 200 free W Yu Yang,86,CHN
9) 982 54.22 100 im M Neil Walker,76,USA
10) 981 27.83 50 back W Jennifer Carroll,81,CAN
981 47.67 100 free M Jason Lezak,75,USA

MEDAL TOTALS
GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL
USA 16 12 15 43
SVK 5 1 0 6
AUS 4 4 6 14
FRA 3 2 4 9
CHN 3 1 0 4
GER 1 3 0 4
CAN 1 1 2 4
CRC 1 1 1 3
VEN 0 2 0 2
MEX 0 2 0 2
BRA 0 2 2 4
ROM 0 1 1 2
POL 0 1 0 1
ARG 0 1 0 1
SWE 0 0 2 2
SLO 0 0 1 1
34 34 34 102

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