Streamlined News: Aussies and Brits to Re-evaluate; Van der Burgh Admits to Cheating; Diving, Water Polo and Synchronized Swimming Recaps

PHOENIX, Arizona, August 6. AUSTRALIA and Great Britain will be looking for answers to explain why their swim teams did not perform up to expectations in London last week. David Urquart, Swimming Australia's president, said a review will be led by renowned coach Bill Sweetenham and Olympic champion Susie O'Neill after the Paralympics. The Australians only won one event, the women's 400 free relay. Great Britain's review was ordered by the chairman of the London Olympic Committee after the Brits ended the meet with three medals, half of its goal.

Over the weekend, Cameron van der Burgh admitted to breaking the one dolphin kick rule on his way to Olympic gold in the men's 100 breast. In an article in the Sydney Morning Herald, the South African claims that he took three dolphin kicks during his pullout in the 100 breast final because his competitors use the same tactic. Van der Burgh believes that FINA's refusal to allow officials to use underwater cameras has allowed the dolphin kicking to get out of hand in breaststroke. Australian breaststroker Brenton Rickard also called for FINA to take action on underwater video judging.

Olympic swimming wrapped up on Saturday, but action in three other aquatic sports continued. Let's start in diving, where China continued its diving dominance in London after winning all four synchro diving events last week with another gold in the women's three-meter springboard. Wu Minxia won gold with 414.00 points to earn her sixth Olympic medal and first individual Olympic gold. With that medal, Wu tied former Chinese diver Guo Jingjing as the most decorated diver in history.

Apparently a fifth gold out of five wasn't enough for China, though, and He Zi took second with 379.20 points. Mexico's Laura Sanchez Soto won bronze with 362.40 points, just edging out Italy's Tania Cagnotto, who scored 362.20 points. American Cassidy Krug sat in fourth place until the last round, when a missed dive pushed her down to seventh place, and fellow American Christina Loukas finished eighth.

In women's water polo action, pool play has almost finished up with just one game remaining. Over the weekend, Montenegro defeated Romania, 12-18, to claim a spot in the quarterfinals, while Italy did the same with a 9-6 win over Kazakhstan. Hungary will move onto the quarterfinals after destroying Great Britain, 17-6, and the Serbians remained undefeated after taking down the Americans, 11-6. Still, the Americans have clinched a spot in the eight-team quarterfinals.

On the men's side, the Americans fell to defending champion Hungary in the final game of group play today with a score of 11-6. The loss means the United States will have a tough draw for their quarterfinal match, playing against Croatia most likely.

Back in the main pool in the Aquatic Center, the synchronized swimmers have taken over where the pool swimmers left off. Synchro kicked off with the duet technical routine, where the Russian pair of Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina finished first with 98.200 points. Performing to Michael Jackson music, the Russian duo outperformed the Chinese pair of Huang Xuechen and Liu Ou by more than two points.

Spain's Andrea Fuentes Fache and Ona Carbonell Ballestero finished third ahead of Canada and Japan, while Americans Mary Killman and Mariya Koroleva ended up tenth after the technical round. That score will be added to the free routine score tomorrow, and the top 12 teams at that point will move onto the duet final.

David Rieder contributed to today's Streamlined News.

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