German Olympic Trials: Britta Steffen Earns 50 Free Title Defense Opportunity

BERLIN, Germany, May 13. DURING the penultimate day of competition at the German Olympic Trials, plenty more names were added to the Olympic roster, while quite a few swimmers will also have to wait for the European Championships to finalize their selections.

Britta Steffen secured her second Olympic gold medal defense with a 24.92 in the women's 50 free. That time bettered the FINA A cut of 25.27, and the internal mark of 25.11 to earn automatic selection to the Olympics. Steffen, with her 100 free swim from earlier in the week, has guaranteed that she will be the reigning and defending 50 and 100 free Olympic champion at the 2012 London Olympics as she won both golds at the 2008 Beijing Games. Daniela Schreiber (25.30) and Dorothea Brandt (25.45) took second and third.

A day after twice setting a German record, Jenny Mensing became just the ninth swimmer under 1:00 in the women's 100 back this year with a 59.85 for the win. That time tied her with Missy Franklin for sixth in the world, and 24th on the all time rankings. Daniela Samulski owns the German record in the event with a 59.77 from 2009. Mensing far surpassed the FINA A cut of 1:00.82, and even the internal German qualifying mark of 1:00.05 to lock down a spot on the Olympic roster. Silke Lippok took second in 1:01.89, while Johanna Ross placed third in 1:02.55.

Jan-Philip Glania, another German record setter yesterday, captured the men's 100 back title in 53.50 to move to fourth in the world behind only Camille Lacourt (52.75), Ryosuke Irie (52.91) and Liam Tancock (53.16). The swim dipped under both the FINA A cut of 54.40 and the German standard of 53.87 for a spot on the London roster in the event. Helge Meeuw touched second in 53.93 for an A cut, but will have to wait to see how things shake out at the European Championships if he makes the team in the event. Felix Wolf finished third in 55.25.

Caroline Ruhnau topped the women's 100 breast in 1:07.28 to claim ninth in the world rankings, and clear both the FINA A cut (1:08.49) and the German standard (1:07.87) to make the Olympics in the event. Sarah Poewe placed second in 1:07.90 for 19th in the world rankings, and just off a guaranteed Olympic bid. She is another who will have to wait until Euros for a final decision on Olympic qualifying. Laura Simon earned third in 1:09.55.

Theresa Michalak posted a 2:12.49 to win the women's 200 IM, and move to 18th in the world rankings. Her time cleared the FINA A cut of 2:13.36, but missed the German time of 2:12.37 for a locked bid to the Olympics. Alexandra Wenk (2:14.62) and Katharina Fischer (2:16.79) placed second and third.

Christian vom Lehn, one of two preselected swimmers to the Olympic squad along with Paul Biedermann, cruised to victory in the men's 100 breast with a no-pressure 1:00.89. Johannes Neumann and Marco Koch tied for second with matching 1:00.92s. Both swims missed the FINA A cut of 1:00.79, but the duo will have another shot at Euros.

Christoph Fildebrandt just missed locking down a FINA A cut in the men's 100 free with a winning 48.84. That swim came up short of the 48.82, but did move him to 25th in the world rankings. Markus Deibler (48.88), Ben Starke (48.97) and Paul Biedermann (48.98) rounded out the top four in the event.

Franziska Hentke won the women's 200 fly in 2:09.32 for 21st in the world, but short of the FINA A cut of 2:08.95. Annika Melhorn took second in 2:11.75, while Paula Beyer placed third in 2:13.97. Toni Embacher clipped Philip Heintz, 1:58.53 to 1:58.98, for the men's 200 fly title. Simon Becker finished third in 2:00.05.

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