Lethal Leisel Clocks Hot 200 Breast, Three Aussie Age Records Fall as Champion

By Stephen J. Thomas

BRISBANE, Queensland, April 29. DUAL Olympic silver medalist Leisel Jones gave clear indication she will be shooting for gold at the World Champs in Barcelona come July as she clocked a very swift 2:25.57 for the 200m breaststroke on the final day of the Australian Age Championships in Brisbane.

The time was a national age record for girls 17-18 and not far short of her PR 2:25.46 from her silver medal swim at the 2001 World Champs. Jones also took out the 400 IM in her first serious attempt at the event in 4:49.52 after having set the Australian record in the 200 IM at 2:14.21 at the Nationals in March. Jones was untapered for the meet here and clearly well recovered from the illness that forced her out of the "Duel in the Pool" in Indianapolis earlier this month.

Thirteen-year-old Stephanie Williams, from Maitland north of Sydney, broke the national age record twice in one day in the 13 years-and-under 100 meter backstroke. She cut her heat tme by 0.60 seconds to clock a hot 1:04.49 in the final.

West Aussie 13-year-old, Bobby Jovanovich took his second national age record of the meet in the boys 100 backstroke, hitting the wall in 1:00.58 to break his own record by 0.77 seconds. He broke the 100 free record earlier in the meet.

World Champs sprint contender Lisbeth Lenton,18, produced another world-class performance in the 100 free clocking 55.09 (PR 54.71 from Indianapolis), beating the much improved South Aussie, Sophie Edington (PR 56.26). Lenton's 16-year-old teammate, Alice Mills, swam a very solid 100 free 55.93 (PR 55.15) to win her third title of the meet.

Fifteen-year-old Melissa Mitchell from the northern beaches of Sydney swam a very smart 2:01.86 (PR) in the girls 15 years 200 freestyle.

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