USA Swimming Grand Prix, Missouri: Day Three Prelims; Natalie Coughlin Sets WR

COLUMBIA, Missouri, February 17. WITH the excitement of two world records falling in less than 24 hours across the world, swimmers returned to the water for the third night of prelims at the Missouri Grand Prix.

It didn't take long until a third world record went into the ledger with Natalie Coughlin dropping her 100 back standard.

Women's 100 fly prelims
Kim Vandenberg and Rachel Komisarz clocked a pair of sub-1:00 efforts to lead qualifying during the preliminary round.

Vandenberg touched in 59.41 to take lane four, while Komisarz will join her in the center lanes with a 59.67.

Mary DeScenza posted a 1:00.15 for third, while Dana Kirk (1:00.28) and Felicia Lee (1:00.42) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

A pair of Whitneys, Lopus (1:00.52) and Myers (1:01.14) finished sixth and seventh, while Elzane Werth and Jacque Fessel posted matching 1:01.21s for the final transfer spot to set up a swimoff.

Men's 100 fly prelims
Ian Crocker posted the fastest time in the world this year with a swift pool-record effort of 52.10. That time wiped out the 52.33 set by Michael Phelps last year.

Phelps, meanwhile, grabbed the second see with a time of 52.66, while Milorad Cavic joined him under 53 with a third-place effort of 52.78.

Davis Tarwater hit the wall in 53.25 for fourth, while Lyndon Ferns took fifth in 53.37.

Masayu Kishida (53.42), Kaio Almeida (53.43) and Matt Grevers (53.63) captured the final spots in the top eight.

Women's 100 back prelims
Having already witnessed two world records across the swimming world, another one just went up on the board as Natalie Coughlin lowered her own global standard in the women's 100 back.

With Eamon Sullivan tracking down Alexander Popov in the men's 50 free as part of the NSW State Open Championships, and Kirsty Coventry erasing Krisztina Egersegi's global standard in the 200 back, the mood was right for Coughlin to perform with an incredible time of 59.21 in the 100 back.

That dropped Coughlin's previous global mark of 59.44 set at last year's World Championships in Melbourne, Australia.

Coughlin took the swim out in 28.77, before bringing it back in 30.44. Her front half proved the difference as second-place finisher Coventry touched in 59.61 with splits of 29.42 and 30.19.

Other championship finalists, will be Hayley McGregory (1:00.31), Leila Vaziri (1:00.86), Mary DeScenza (1:01.79), Elizabeth Wycliffe (1:02.25), Margaret Hoelzer (1:02.67) and Jacque Fessel (1:03.01). Rachel Goh will also potentially be in the championship heat after a ninth-place time of 1:03.24 with reports that Coughlin is heading home tonight, and will not compete tomorrow.

Men's 100 back prelims
Moments after the crowd enjoyed a world-record breaking swim from Natalie Coughlin, Michael Phelps entered the water and matched the pool record in the 100 back. Phelps clocked a time of 54.29 to tie the mark set by Aaron Peirsol last year during this meet.

Peter Marshall hit the wall second in 55.22, while David Cromwell took third in 55.83.

Peirsol claimed the fourth seed with a time of 55.89, while Adam Mania (56.02), Guy Barnea (56.09), Doug Van Wie (56.12) and Ryan Lochte (56.25) will comprise the rest of the championship heat.

Women's 100 breast prelims
Tara Kirk clocked one of the swiftest times in the world so far this year with a quick time of 1:06.66, just off her personal best time of 1:06.34.

Jessica Hardy hit the wall in second with a time of 1:07.81, while Keri Hehn placed third in 1:08.63. Elizabeth Tinnon joined the top three under 1:09 with a fourth-place 1:08.98.

Amanda Beard made it into the top eight with a fifth-place 1:10.56, while Vipa Bernhardt claimed sixth in 1:10.63.

Lindsay Payne (1:10.86) and Anne Poleska (1:11.23) completed the rest of the top eight.

Men's 100 breast prelims
Brendan Hansen and Mark Gangloff tied for the top seed with matching times of 1:01.69, while Scott Usher placed third in 1:01.79.

Henrique Barbosa finished fourth in 1:02.25, while Michael Phelps took fifth in 1:02.77 as he continues to dabble in the breaststroke. There is talk of Phelps having a long-term goal of making finals in every event at the national championships.

Vlad Polyakov (1:02.81), Adam Ritter (1:02.97) and Darren Mew (1:03.05) made up the rest of the championship contenders.

Women's 200 IM prelims
Katie Hoff may be looking for another American record, or potentially an IM world record sweep, after clocking a pool record during prelims with a 2:10.91.

Her American record stands at 2:10.05 from the 2006 USA Swimming National Championships, while the global standard is the 2:09.72 set by Wu Yanyan in 1997.

Kirsty Coventry checked in with a second-place effort in the 200 IM with a 2:12.11, while Jessica Rodriquez took third in 2:15.97.

Kim Vandenberg finished fourth in 2:16.48, while Felicia Lee (2:16.54) and Caitlin Leverenz (2:17.92) placed fifth and sixth, respectively.

Julie Stupp (2:18.13) and Whitney Myers (2:19.03) rounded out the rest of the top eight.

Men's 200 IM prelims
Tamas Kerekjarto claimed the top seed in finals with a top effort of 2:02.36 in the shorter medley.

Eric Shanteau earned second-place honors with a time of 2:03.08, while Pat Mellors touched third in 2:04.55.

Thiago Pereira finished fourth in 2:04.75, while Dan Madwed (2:04.78) and Jeremy Knowles (2:05.16) claimed fifth and sixth, respectively.

Lewis Smith (2:06.35) and Adam Ritter (2:07.19) rounded out the top eight.

Natalie Coughlin breaks 100 back at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Michael Phelps at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Kirsty Coventry at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Kim Vandenberg at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Brendan Hansen at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

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