Swedes, Russians Shine on Final Day of Imperia World Cup Meet

IMPERIA, Italy, Jan. 14. The Swedish women and Russian men dominated competition today, the final day of the two-day FINA World Cup VI meet in Imperia, Italy. The meet is the sixth venue on the ten-venue World Cup tour for 2000-2001.

Sweden's Emma Igelstrom set a European record of 31.17 seconds in winning the 50 meter breaststroke. The old mark, set in 1992, was 31.19. In winning, the Swede avenged a defeat in the 100 meters yesterday at the hands of Australia's Brooke Hanson. Hanson was second today, only one-hundredth of a second behind the winner. Third place went to the USA's Megan Quann, the gold medalist in the 100m breast at the Sydney Olympics. Igelstrom later won the 200m breaststroke, clocking 2:26.34, more than a second faster than Hanson, who again finished second.

Sweden's Johanna Sjoberg was also a double winner tonight, defeating Slovakia's Martina Moravcova to the wall both times, thus duplicating the feat she performed yesterday. Sjoberg had no trouble disposing of Moravcova in the 100m free, 53.95 to 55.04, and in the 50 fly, 26.50 to 26.97. Australia's comebacking Lori Munz was a close third in the 100 free, touching in 55.11.

Moravcova, the most successful swimmer on the World Cup tour this season, did manage to chalk up a win tonight, out-sprinting Israeli youngster Vered Borochovski, to take the 100 IM (1:01.38).

Russian men won the first three events of the evening, bring their total to seven gold medals for the two-day
competition. Andrei Kapralov got the ball rolling by winning the 200 free in 1:46.48, edging Argentina's Jose Meolans; Arseni Malyarov followed with a 59.77-second victory in the 100m breast, 26-hundredths ahead of Canada's Morgan Knabe; then Anatoli Poliakov took the 100 fly in 52.85, downing Canada's Mike Mintenko (53.03) and the USA's Bryan Jones (53.64). Poliakov won the 200 fly yesterday.

The host Italians had a gala day with three victories. Christian Minotti swam a superb 1500 meters freestyle, finishing in 14:40.17, only four seconds off the European record set by countryman Massi Rosolino last month.

Federica Biscia swam to a national record in winning the 400m individual medley in an impressive 4:36.72, three seconds ahead of Australia's Jennifer Reilly and Russia's Oxana Verevka.

Finally, Paola Cavallino won a relatively slow 200m butterfly in 2:12.91, easily disposing of countrywoman Veronica Roda and double Olympic champion Brooke Bennett of the USA. Bennett also finished third in the 400m free.

Croatia's world short course champion, Gordan Kozulj,
had no trouble in winning his specialty, the 200m backstroke, touching in 1:53.40, two-and-a-half seconds ahead of Russia's Yegeny Aleshin, his nearest pursuer.

Mark Foster, former world record-holder in the 50m freestyle, won his specialty in 21.52, just out-touching the USA's Jason Lezak (21.56), the winner of the 100 meters yesterday.

RESULTS
(25 meter course)

Men's 200 meter freestyle
1. Andrei Kapralov (RUS) 1:46.48
2. Jose Meolans (ARG) 1:46.71
3. Christian Keller (GER) 1:46.92

Men's 100 meter breaststroke
1. Arseni Malyarov (RUS) 0:59.77
2. Morgan Knabe (CAN) 1:00.03
3. Dmitry Komornikov (RUS) 1:00.19

Men's 100 meter butterfly
1. Anatoli Poliakov (RUS) 52.85
2. Mike Mintenko (CAN) 53.03
3. Bryan Jones (USA) 53.64

Men's 50 meter backstroke
1. Ante Maskovic (CRO) 24.59
2. Denis Pankratov (RUS) 24.92
3. Yevgeny Aleshin (RUS) 25.21

Men's 200 meter individual medley
1. Jirka Letzin (GER) 1:58.24
2. Christian Keller (GER) 1:59.44
3. Alessio Boggiatto (ITA) 2:00.40

Men's 50 meter freestyle
1. Mark Foster (GBR) 21.52
2. Jason Lezak (USA) 21.56
3. Denis Pimankov (RUS) 21.94

Men's 1,500 meter freestyle
1. Christian Minotti (ITA) 14:40.17
2. Alexei Filipets (RUS) 14:51.98
3. Marco Formentini (ITA) 15:17.23

Men's 200 meter backstroke
1. Gordan Kozulj (CRO) 1:53.40
2. Yegeny Aleshin (RUS) 1:55.90
3. Rogerio Romero (BRA) 1:56.92

Women's 50 meter breaststroke
1. Emma Igelstrom (SWE) 31.17
2. Brroke Hanson (AUS) 31.18
3. Megan Quann (USA) 31.40

Women's 400 meter individual medley
1. Federica Biscia (ITA) 4:36.72
2. Jennifer Reilly (AUS) 4:39.63
3. Oxana Verevka (RUS) 4:39.77

Women's 100 meter backstroke
1. Clementine Stoney (AUS) 1:01.37
2. Ajia Gostamelski (ISR) 1:01.51
3. Louise Coull (GBR) 1:02.49

Women's 200 meter butterfly
1. Paola Cavallino (ITA) 2:12.91
2. Veronica Roda (ITA) 2:15.13
3. Brooke Bennett (USA) 2:16.07

Women's 100 meter freestyle
1. Johanna Sjoberg (SWE) 53.95
2. Martina Moravcova (SVK) 55.04
3. Lori Munz (AUS) 55.11

Women's 400 meter freestyle
1. Elka Graham (AUS) 4:08.81
2. Simona Ricciardi (ITA) 4:10.77
3. Brooke Bennett (USA) 4:10.78

Women's 200 meter breaststroke
1. Emma Igelstrom (SWE) 2:26.34
2. Brooke Hanson (AUS) 2:27.53
3. Agata Czaplicki (SUI) 2:27.63

Women's 100 meter individual medley
1. Martina Moravcova (SVK) 1:01.38
2. Vered Borochovski (ISR) 1:02.22
3. Megan McMahon (AUS) 1:02.94

Women's 50 meter butterfly
1. Johanna Sjoberg (SWE) 26.50
2. Martina Moravcova (SVK) 26.97
3. Karen Egdal (DEN) 27.20

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