Japanese Sweep of Backstroke Highlights Day Four of World University Games

IZMIR, Turkey, August 15. DAY four of the Games left Japanese swimmers in command of both the men and women's 100 backstroke. Japan finished first and second on the women's side with Aya Terakawa winning another backstroke gold, and her teammate Masaki Oikawa finishing second. They clocked in at 1:01.38 and 1:02.44. On the men's side Masafumi Yamaguchi beat out the United States' Matt Grevers (55.08) with a 55.00.

The men's 400 free was taken by Yuri Prilukov in a time of 3:49.85. Second place went to Justin Mortimer of the United States. American Michael Klueh finished sixth.

China's Hui Qi earned another gold medal tonight in the longer I.M. She won gold earlier in the 200 I.M. and remains the dominant female medley performer, touching in at 4:45.24 in the 400 distance. Leah Retrum of the United States finished fourth and Alyssa Kiel picked up another victory in the B final finishing ninth. Ukrainian Sergiy Breus won the 100 butterfly in a 53.37.

In the women's 200 free Otylia Jedrzejczak picked up another gold and a meet record, hitting the wall at 1:58.49. The German duo of Annika Liebs and Petra Dallman finished second and third trying to repeat their one two finish in the 100 meter distance contested earlier in the meet. Mary Hill and Lauren Medina, USA, finished fifth and sixth.

Ending the night with another relay, Italy walked away with gold in the men's 4 x 200 free relay. It finished in 7:19.51. Japan was second, 7:20.31, and the United States third, 7:20.54.

Compiled by Emily Mason.

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