Rupprath Sets World Record in Melbourne Prelims, Loses in Finals

By Phillip Whitten

MELBOURNE, Dec 8. GERMANY'S Thomas Rupprath set a world record today in the 100 meter backstroke (short course) during prelims of the final day of the World Cup meet.

But the speedy Rupprath soon found himself on an emotional roller-coaster. Elated after posting a time of 50.58 seconds, well under the global standard of 50.75 set by the USA's Neil Walker at the Short Course World Championships in Athens in March 2000, he soon was plunged into despair when a judge disqualified him for exceeding the 15-meter limit for swimming underwater.

That despair turned to relief when the German team protested and the meet referee overturned the judge's decision.

"I didn't know why I was disqualified. I looked to my coach and he didn't know why," Rupprath said. "I think I was correct and thanks to the referee, it's a new world record."

But the whole affair was emotionally draining. In an ironic twist of fate, Rupprath was beaten in the final by Australia's Matt Welsh, who has been disqualified more than any other world-class swimmer for exceeding 15 meters underwater. In fact, Welsh was DQ'ed in the 200m backstroke just yesterday.

Tonight, though, Welsh, the long course world champion, stayed within the 15-meter limit and won in 51.56 seconds, 31-hundredths ahead of Rupprath.

Rupprath gained some consolation when he won the 100 fly in 50.82 — not far off his global mark of 50.10 — giving him his fourth victory in three days and earning him the title of male swimmer of the meet.

Sweden's Emma Igelstrom won the women's award after her win in the 50m breaststroke tonight in 30.58 seconds gave her a sweep of the three breaststroke titles.

China's amazing 12 year-old Zhang Tianyi won the 200m IM to go with her triumph yesterday in the longer medley. Zhang clocked a very fast 2:10.78, beating second-place finisher Brooke Hanson by almost three seconds. Zhang later came back and finished second in the 50m backstroke in 28.19 seconds, just 15-hundredths behind Australia's Giann Rooney.

The USA's Dave Denniston, who won his first World Cup title in the 100m breaststroke yesterday, apparently decided he liked the experience. Today he came back with an even stronger performance, taking the 200m breast in 2:07.53 — almost three seconds ahead of Australia's Jim Piper.

Rachel Komisarz, who won the 100m fly yesterday over Australia's Felicity Galvez, found the tables reversed today in the 200, as the Aussie got to the wall in 2:08.62, half a second ahead of her.

Australia's Elka Graham picked up her third gold medal in Melbourne, setting a World Cup, Commonwealth and national record with her 1:55.12 in the 200m free. Kirsten Thomson had a pr of 1:56.58 while the USA's Lindsay Benko, the world champ and WR-holder, was third in 1:56.98.

In the absence of Grant Hackett, who won the 200 and 400m freestyle events, Steven Penfold took over the duty of asserting Aussie distance dominance, and a fine job he did. The 20 year-old Penfold clocked a strong 14:47.49 for the 1500 meters, almost 13 seconds in front of Italy's Massi Rosolino (15:00.24).

France's Batiste Levaillant brought home the bacon in the 400m IM, winning in 4:12.53. Australia's Francis Bacon was second in a pr 4:15.74.

Australia's Ian Thorpe made his only appearance at the meet in the 50m freestyle, clocking a creditable 22.24, but placing only fifth.

The race was won by Holland's Pieter van den Hoogenband in 21.72 seconds as the first four finishers cracked 22. World record-holder (21.13) Mark Foster of England was second in 21.75 followed by
the USA's Aaron Ciarla (21.92) and Australia's Brett Hawke (21.97), former teammates at Auburn University.

Thorpe, appearing in his first race since changing coaches after the Pan Pacs, said he was satisfied with his performance considering he was still in heavy training. "That was a good swim but I've got a lot of work to do," Thorpe said. "I go over to Europe soon and hopefully that will be a better indicator."

2002-03 FINA WORLD CUP IV
Melbourne, Australia
December 6-8, 2002

25 meter pool

DAY THREE: December 8, 2002

RESULTS

200m Butterfly Women
1. GALVEZ Felicity 1985 AUS 2:08.62
2. KOMISARZ Rachel 1976 USA 2:09.16
3. DAVENPORT Lara 1983 AUS 2:09.98
4. SCHIPPER Jessicah 1986 AUS 2:10.14
5. MACKENZIE Linda 1983 AUS 2:12.02
6. CRAWFORD Heidi 1982 AUS 2:12.30
7. CROSSINGHAM Charnelle 1985 AUS 2:12.50
8. COFFEE Rachel 1983 AUS 2:13.46

100m Butterfly Men
1. RUPPRATH Thomas 1977 GER 50.82
2. MARCHENKO Igor 1975 RUS 51.27
3. PINE Adam 1976 AUS 51.77
4. MILLER Scott 1975 AUS 52.39
5. PARRY Stephen 1977 GBR 52.53
6. COHEN Jason 1982 AUS 53.03
7. KEIZER Joris 1979 NED 53.06 2.24
8. DODD Tim 1983 AUS 54.21

50m Breaststroke Women
1. IGELSTROM Emma 1980 SWE 30.58
2. BAKER Zoe 1976 GBR 30.68
3. HANSON Brooke 1978 AUS 31.01
4. JONES Leisel 1985 AUS 31.17
5. EDMISTONE Jade 1982 AUS 31.76
6. KASOULIS Sarah 1984 AUS 31.79
7. TOMLINSON Louise 1981 AUS 32.48
8. WHITE Tarnee 1981 AUS 32.53

200m Breaststroke Men
1. DENNISTON David 1978 USA 2:07.53
2. PIPER Jim 1981 AUS 2:08.21
3. SLUDNOV Roman 1980 RUS 2:11.86
4. TRICKETT Luke 1982 AUS 2:12.11
5. RICKARD Brenton 1983 AUS 2:12.60
6. MCDONALD Robert 1981 AUS 2:13.20
7. PEREIRA Thiago 1986 BRA 2:15.21
8. TUCKERMAN Ben 1980 AUS 2:15.41

200m Freestyle Women
1. GRAHAM Elka 1981 AUS 1:55.12 WCR, CR
2. THOMSON Kirsten 1983 AUS 1:56.58
3. BENKO Lindsay 1976 USA 1:56.98
4. YINGWEN Zhu 1981 CHN 1:57.78
5. ROONEY Giaan 1982 AUS 1:57.96
6. NOWOTZIN Silke 1985 GER 1:59.05
7. COOK Vicky 1985 GBR 1:59.31
8. MITCHELL Melissa 1987 AUS 2:00.52

50m Freestyle Men
1. VAN DEN HOOGENBAND Pieter 1978 NED 21.72
2. FOSTER Mark 1970 GBR 21.75
3. CIARLA Aaron 1978 USA 21.92
4. HAWKE Brett 1975 AUS 21.97
5. THORPE Ian 1982 AUS 22.24
6. CROOK Nathan 1979 AUS 22.70
7. CINTRA Ricardo 1978 BRA 22.73
8. PIMANKOV Denis 1975 RUS 22.77

200m Individual Medley Women
1. ZHANG Tianyi 1990 CHN 2:10.78
2. HANSON Brooke 1978 AUS 2:13.56
3. ABBOTT Jessica 1985 AUS 2:13.83
3. HANSON Pam 1979 USA 2:13.83
5. REILLY Jennifer 1983 AUS 2:15.01
6. CARROLL Lara 1986 AUS 2:15.74
7. LEANE Tammy 1982 AUS 2:16.03
8. SCHREUDER Hinkelien 1984 NED 2:18.40

400m Individual Medley Men
1. LEVAILLANT Batiste 1980 FRA 4:12.53
2. BACON Mitchell 1983 AUS 4:15.74
3. LUCAS Adam 1983 AUS 4:17.03
4. HIGGINS Michael 1980 AUS 4:17.46
5. NEDERPELT Travis 1985 AUS 4:17.92
6. CARRY David 1981 GBR 4:21.15
7. SAMINADIN Olivier 1977 FRA 4:21.29
8. VAN DER KRAAY Anthony 1980 NZL 4:21.88

50m Backstroke Women
1. ROONEY Giaan 1982 AUS 28.04
2. ZHANG Tianyi 1990 CHN 28.19
3. CALUB Dyana 1975 AUS 28.27
4. SHEALY Courtney 1977 USA 28.38
5. ZHIVANEVSKAYA Nina 1977 ESP 28.40
6. SEAH Nicole 1986 AUS 28.47
7. WITTSTOCK Charlene 1978 RSA 28.57
8. SCHREUDER Hinkelien 1984 NED 28.65

100m Backstroke Men
1. WELSH Matt 1976 AUS 51.56
2. RUPPRATH Thomas 1977 GER 51.87
(Set World Record at 50.58 in prelims)
3. HELBIG Toni 1982 GER 52.81
4. ROLFF Ethan 1982 AUS 53.68
5. ZWERING Klaas Erik 1981 NED 54.32
6. PINI Ryan 1981 PNG 54.54
7. SPICER Matt 1982 AUS 54.81
8. GILLIAM Michael 1979 USA 54.82

1500m Freestyle Men
1. PENFOLD Stephen 1982 AUS 14:47.49
2. ROSOLINO Massimiliano 1978 ITA 15:00.24
3. STEVENS Craig 1980 AUS 15:01.89
4. CLELAND Grant 1978 AUS 15:10.12
5. LIN Zhang 1987 CHN 15:13.80
6. NEDERPELT Travis 1985 AUS 15:13.83
7. SEMMENS Ashley 1984 AUS 15:23.23
8. AFFLECK Andrew 1982 AUS 15:23.68

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