Zurich International Meet: Ian Thorpe Competes in 400 Free; Nina Kost Triples

ZURICH, Switzerland, February 25. THE Zurich International Meet, held in long course meter format, featured the return of Ian Thorpe to the men's 400-meter freestyle event. Meanwhile, Nina Kost turned in a title trifecta in the first of two days of swimming.

In his return to longer distance competition, Ian Thorpe won the men's 400 free in 3:59.48. That swim is well behind the top-ranked times in the world as Ryan Napoleon currently owns 20th this year with a 3:52.43. Thorpe also finished fourth earlier in the day with a 52.28 in the men's 100 free. Andrey Grechin won the men's 100 free in 50.06, while Flori Lang (51.02) and Alexandre Liess (52.00) took second and third.

Nina Kost won the women's 200 free in a meet-record 2:04.89, she then doubled up with a 57.36 to set the meet record in the women's 100 free. Kost won her third title of the day with a 26.41 to 27.87 triumph over Sarah Silveira in the women's 50 free knockouts.

Jovan Mitrovic snared the men's 400 IM in 4:35.09. He picked up a second victory with a 1:55.23 in the men's 200 free.

Jonathan Massacand claimed the meet record in the men's 100 back with a 56.49, while Sergio Zarro earned the men's 200 fly title in 2:10.78. Yannick Kaser turned in a 2:19.29 to set the meet record in the men's 200 breast.

Sibylle Dalacker took down the meet record in the women's 100 breast with a 1:10.69, while Melanie Schweiger won the women's 100 fly in 1:02.60. Danielle Villars captured the women's 200 IM in 2:24.37, while Alexandra Papusha checked in with a meet-record 2:17.57 to win the women's 200 back.

In sprint knockout swims, Ivana Gabrilo beat Alexandra Papusha, 29.99 to 30.81, for the women's 50 back crown. Yannick Kaser captured his second title of the day with a 29.62 to 30.84 win over Fabian Dalacker in the men's 50 breast. Flori Lang trumped Michal Rubacek, 24.76 to 24.85, in the men's 50 fly.

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