Lezak Rides Hometown Momentum to 100 Free Conquest

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 4. JASON Lezak of Irvine Novaquatics put on a show for his hometown fans by blazing to gold in 48.63 in the 100-meter freestyle at the 2006 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships on Friday.

"I heard a lot of cheers tonight," Lezak said. "I thank them for the support."

Lezak went under world-record pace with a 22.97 at the 50-meter mark.

"Going out fast is what I did tonight," Lezak said. "I went out a bit too fast. I was hurting at the end of the race."

Longhorn's Neil Walker, coached by Eddie Reese, captured silver in 49.23, while N.C. State's Cullen Jones, coached by Brooks Teal, earned his second medal in as many nights with a bronze-winning 49.35.

Lezak had to hold off the hard-charging Jones as the 50-meter free winner from last night came home with the quickest back half in an incredible 25.48 against Lezak's 25.66. Unfortunately for Jones, he had a slow start and could not get it going enough to claim his second gold of the meet.

Notably, Walker went out in 23.24 and came home in 25.99.

In the B final, Longhorn’s Dale Rogers touched with the fastest split in 23.43. That first half helped him to surge to victory in the second half with a 49.78. Club Wolverine’s Peter Vanderkaay, coached by Bob Bowman, snared second in 49.87, while Stanford Swimming’s Jayme Cramer, coached by Skip Kenney, placed third in 49.93.

In the bonus consolation heat, California Aquatics’ Garrett Wagner, coached by Jeff Pearson, posted the fastest 50-meter split in 24.03. He wound up taking second place in 50.74. Meanwhile, Desert Fox’ Alex Righi, coached by Bob Gillett, won the title in 50.61, while Tacoma Swim Club’s Nathan Adrian, coached by Jay Benner, placed third in 50.90.

Event 20 Men 100 LC Meter Freestyle
==================================================================
World: W 47.84 9/19/2000 Pieter van den Hoogenband, NED
American: A 48.17 7/10/2004 Jason Lezak, Irvine Nova
U.S. Open: O 48.17 7/10/2004 Jason Lezak, Irvine Nova
LC Nationals: M 48.38 8/4/2005 Roland Schoeman, RSA
Oly. Trial: 51.59
Sum. Nat Cut: 52.19
US Open Cut: 52.99
Meet Qualifying: 52.19
Name Age Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== Championship Final ===

1 Lezak, Jason 30 Irvine Novaquati 49.52 48.63 980
r:+0.70 22.97 48.63 (25.66)
2 Walker, Neil 30 Longhorn Aquatic 49.72 49.23 944
r:+0.78 23.24 49.23 (25.99)
3 Jones, Cullen 22 NC State Aquatic 49.17 49.35 938
r:+0.72 23.87 49.35 (25.48)
4 Wildman-Tobrine 21 Stanford Swimmin 49.61 49.39 935
r:+0.69 23.35 49.39 (26.04)
5 Weber-Gale, Gar 20 Longhorn Aquatic 49.77 49.46 931
r:+0.66 23.22 49.46 (26.24)
6 Keller, Klete 24 Club Wolverine-M 49.88 49.81 912
r:+0.81 23.86 49.81 (25.95)
7 Brunelli, Nicho 24 Sun Devil Aquati 49.84 49.84 910
r:+0.66 23.37 49.84 (26.47)
8 Ritter, Adam 21 Tucson Ford Deal 49.79 49.88 908
r:+0.74 23.87 49.88 (26.01)

=== Consolation Final ===

9 Rogers, Dale 23 Longhorn Aquatic 50.00 49.78 913
r:+0.65 23.43 49.78 (26.35)
10 Vanderkaay, Pet 22 Club Wolverine-M 50.03 49.87 908
r:+0.71 23.93 49.87 (25.94)
11 Cramer, Jayme 23 Southeastern Swi 50.14 49.93 905
r:+0.64 24.17 49.93 (25.76)
12 Crocker, Ian 23 Longhorn Aquatic 50.38 50.00 901
r:+0.71 23.73 50.00 (26.27)
13 Grevers, Matthe 21 Una Wild-IL 50.39 50.01 901
r:+0.66 23.78 50.01 (26.23)
14 Woodward, Gabri 27 Bakersfield Swim 50.45 50.49 875
r:+0.67 24.09 50.49 (26.40)
15 McGinnis, Matth 20 YMCA of the Tria 50.54 50.59 870
r:+0.68 24.32 50.59 (26.27)
16 Lundquist, Brya 21 Auburn Universit 50.52 50.76 862
r:+0.71 23.85 50.76 (26.91)

=== Bonus Final ===

17 Righi, Alex 19 Arizona Desert F 50.61 50.61 869
r:+0.66 24.20 50.61 (26.41)
18 Wagner, Garrett 21 Unattached-PC 50.86 50.74 863
r:+0.68 24.03 50.74 (26.71)
19 Adrian, Nathan 17 Tacoma Swim Club 51.00 50.90 854
r:+0.72 24.77 50.90 (26.13)
20 Walters, David 18 Typhoon Aquatics 50.86 50.94 852
r:+0.66 24.84 50.94 (26.10)
21 Tarwater, Davis 22 Club Wolverine-M 50.97 51.06 846
r:+0.70 24.70 51.06 (26.36)
22 Cady, Kurt 22 Auburn Universit 50.71 51.08 845
r:+0.68 24.27 51.08 (26.81)
23 Patrick, Todd 21 Indiana Universi 50.89 51.12 843
r:+0.71 24.39 51.12 (26.73)
24 Doyle, Joseph 21 Ohio State Swim- 51.00 51.25 837
r:+0.75 24.26 51.25 (26.99)

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