Phelps, Hansen Sparkle on Final Night of Santa Clara International

SANTA CLARA, California, June 25. Annually one of the top Grand Prix meets in the United States, the Santa Clara International Swim Meet ended in grand fashion on Friday night with Michael Phelps pulling off a triple and Brendan Hansen clocking a sensational mark in the 200 breaststroke. Simply, the meet was a thriller for four days and only enhanced the anticipation for Summer Nationals.

With impressive victories in the 400 individual medley, 100 butterfly and 200 backstroke already secured, Phelps flourished in his three events on Sunday night, despite limited rest between his various outings. The eight-time Olympic medalist opened his evening with an outing of 49.57 in the 100 free. That swim enabled Phelps to defeat Australia’s Eamon Sullivan (49.65) and Canada’s Brent Hayden (49.69). Jason Lezak also cracked 50 seconds with a time of 49.77.

Phelps’ second victory arrived in the 200 individual medley when he touched the wall in 1:57.76, under his meet record of 1:57.94 from 2003. Ryan Lochte was second in 2:01.47 and Thiago Pereira was third with a mark of 2:02.78. For his encore, Phelps set a meet record in the 100 backstroke when his 54.80 dipped under the 2004 standard of Aaron Peirsol, who went 54.91. Again, Lochte was the second-place finisher, behind a time of 55.54.

The world-record holder in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events, Hansen ripped a swim of 2:12.90 en route to a triumph in the 200 distance of his specialty stroke. The time shattered his meet record from 2004 by almost two seconds and supplied Hansen with a convincing decision of Australia’s Brenton Rickard (2:14.45). The time suggests Hansen will challenge his world record of 2:09.04.

Enjoying a sterling meet of her own, Natalie Coughlin blasted her foes in the 50 freestyle as she dipped under the 25-second barrier with a swim of 24.98. Coughlin left the weekend with victories in the 50 and 100 freestyles, 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly. She also turned in a splendid preliminary effort in the 200 freestyle on Saturday morning.

In the distance events, Hayley Peirsol looked dynamite in the 800 freestyle with a winning time of 8:26.87. That effort shattered the meet record of Kate Ziegler, who touched in 8:30.94 last year. Ziegler was second to Peirsol in 8:37.42. Peirsol also won the 400 free earlier in the meet and looks primed to qualify for next year’s World Champs in Melbourne. For the men, the 1,500 free went to Ricardo Monasterio in 15:28.62.

In the 200 butterfly, Kim Vandenberg secured victory when her effort of 2:11.75 held off the 2:12.76 mark of Australia’s Samantha Hamill. Among the top medley swimmers in the United States arsenal, Ariana Kukors won the 200 I.M. in 2:14.33, easily ahead of the 2:16.58 of Aussie Ashley McCleery. Australia’s Meagen Nay won the 200 backstroke in 2:14.01.

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use