World University Games: Games Come to a Close With Canadian Record in 200 Fly, Chad La Tourette Makes Run at 15:00 in 1500 Free

BANGKOK, Thailand, August 14. THE final night of swimming at the World University Games held in Bangkok, Thailand went out with some fireworks as Canada's Audrey Lacroix broke her Canadian record in the women's 200 fly. Additionally, the United States' Chad La Tourette nearly eclipsed the 15-minute plateau in the 1500 free. Several other world-class times also went up on the scoreboard during the last session.

Women's 200 butterfly
Canada's Audrey Lacroix started the final night of swimming with a bang when she clocked a Games-record time of 2:06.83. That dropped her Canadian record of 2:07.73 set at the World Championships this year, and also put her into the all-time top 10. Her effort also moved her into fourth in the world this year behind only Otylia Jedrzejczak (2:05.92), Jessicah Schipper (2:06.39) and Kim Vandenberg (2:06.71).

Her teammate Mackenzie Downing finished second with a time of 2:08.83, which is among the top 15 in the world this year. Meanwhile, Slovenia's Sara Isakovic placed third in 2:09.45.

The United States' pair of Kaitlin Sandeno (2:11.97) and Elaine Breeden (2:12.89) finished fifth and eighth, respectively.

Men's 50 breaststroke
World record holder Oleg Lisogor easily won the sprint breast event with a time of 27.74. That effort, however, fell a bit short of his season-best effort of 27.53 recorded at Worlds this year.

Brazil's Felipe Lima nipped Great Britain's Darren Mew for second, 27.94 to 27.95. Notably, the United States' Tyler O'Halloran finished fifth in 28.17.

Women's 200 backstroke
The United States' Kelly Harrigan led wire-to-wire as she clocked a winning time of 2:11.48. New Zealand's Melissa Ingram pushed her the entire way, as she settled for silver with a readout of 2:11.98. Japan's Takami Igarashi finished third in 2:12.04.

Men's 50 freestyle
Brazil's Nicholas Dos Santos moved into the top 10 in the world this year with a Universiade-record time of 22.12. That effort improved upon his previous season-best time of 22.18 at the Pan American Games and jumped ahead of Roland Schoeman's previous 10th-best time of the year of 22.16 set at the U.S. National Championships.

Australia's Jonathon Newton placed second in 22.33, while the United States' Scott Goodrich took third in 22.39.

Women's 100 breaststroke
Japan's Nanaka Tamura emerged triumphant from a pack of swimmers at the wall. She touched in 1:08.33, while Australia's Sarah Katsoulis took second in 1:08.42.

Austria's Mirna Jukic (1:08.53), Canada's Annamay Pierse (1:08.81), Japan's Asami Kitagawa (1:08.91) and the United States Eleanor Weberg (1:08.99) all finished in the 1:08s.

Men's 1500 freestyle
The United States' Chad La Tourette nearly broke through the 15-minute barrier in the men's metric mile. He cruised to victory in the 1500 free with a Games-record time of 15:00.26, that cut 13 seconds off his best time (15:13.17) from this year set at the U.S. National Championships. It also vaulted him into 10th-place in the world this year behind Grant Hackett's 14:59.24.

Ukraine's Sergiy Fesenko wound up second in 15:10.81, while the United States' Michael Klueh took third in 15:13.04.

Women's 50 freestyle
Germany's Britta Steffen cruised in her splash-and-dash victory with a Universiade-record time of 24.87. That performance fell shy of her top season time of 24.66 set at the German National Championships in April, but was enough to beat Belarus' Aleksandra Herasimenia.

Herasimenia turned in a second-place time of 25.01, which improved her previous season-best time of 25.28 set at Worlds and pushed her into ninth in the world this year.

Brazil's Rebeca Gusmao placed third in 25.07, just off her 25.05 registered at the Pan American Games.

The United States' Brooke Bishop (25.40) and Courtney Cashion (25.60) finished fifth and eighth, respectively.

Men's 400 medley relay
Russia's team of Dmitry Smirnov (55.61), Grigory Falko (1:00.92), Evgeny Korotyshkin (51.35) and Andrey Grechin (48.29) set a Games record with a time of 3:36.17 en route to the final gold medal awarded at this edition of the World University Games.

The United States' foursome of Nicholas Thoman, Matt Lowe, Matt Grevers and Adam Ritter finished second in 3:37.42, while Ukraine's contingent of Andriy Oleinyk, Valeriy Dymo, Sergiy Breus and Yuriy Yegoshin placed third in 3:37.74.

Thoman announced his presence in the 100 back with his leadoff time when he clocked a 54.41 that cracked into the top 10 in the world this year. He does have a lot of ground to make up in the States though, as six of the top nine swimmers in front of him hail from the United States. Aaron Peirsol (52.98), Michael Phelps (53.01), Ryan Lochte (53.50), Randall Bal (53.66), David Cromwell (53.82) and Ben Hesen (54.40) all own top 10 times this year. Talk about a difficult event from which to try to make an Olympic team.

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