Streamlined News, June 27, 2011

PHOENIX, Arizona, June 27. LAST weekend gave us one final look at some of the world's top swimmers before they start their final preparations for the world championships in just four weeks. The Paris Open featured three victories by Cesar Cielo as he hopes to defend his sprint freestyle world titles, and likely add the 50 fly to his program. The Brazilian posted a 21.78 in the 50 and 48.26 in the 100 free. The 50 time is the fastest in the world, and the 100 time is second-fastest. Cielo also won the 50 fly with a 22.98, which is the fastest time in the world and only the second swim under 23 seconds in a textile suit.

On the women's side, Femke Heemskerk reclaimed the top spot in the world rankings in the 100 free with a 53.60. Fran Halsall had snatched away the number one spot from Heemskerk at the British nationals a couple of weeks ago with a 53.61.
And Camille Muffat made a statement in the 400 freestyle with a 4:03.23 to put her second in the world and in an elite circle of swimmers who have broken 4:04 this year that includes just Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington and world record holder Federica Pellegrini.

The Americans left Paris with wins in three events. Annie Chandler surprised the crowd by winning the 100 breaststroke from lane eight. Chandler got the right to be in the final after winning a swimoff with former Arizona teammate Sara El Bekri. Chandler swam a personal best time of 1:07.81, putting her 13th in the world. She would also win the 50 breast in 30.89. Chandler isn't on the USA world championship team in the 100 breast but has a chance to put up another great swim at the USA nationals in early August.

Matt Grevers won the 100 backstroke in 53.35, boosting him up to third place in the world rankings behind Ryosuke Irie and the man who took second in Paris, Camille Lacourt. Like Chandler, Grevers didn't make the world championship team for the USA, but we'll keep an eye on him at the USA Swimming nationals.

Nathan Adrian came to Paris to race the best, and left with fourth-place finishes in the 100 free with a 49.06 and 50 free in 22.26.

Yannick Agnel was the class of the field in the 200 free with a 1:45.59, which helped confirm his place as the second-fastest swimmer in the world in the event. Agnel had a race with Ous Mellouli in the 400 free but was able to snare the victory in 3:45.31 over Mellouli's 3:46.15.

While Mellouli was racing in France, some of his teammates on the elite team at Trojan were swimming fast at the Fran Crippen Memorial Swim Meet of Champions in Mission Viejo, California. Yulia Efimova, a former world record holder in the 50 breaststroke for Russia, won the 100 and 200 breaststrokes, with her time of 2:23.66 putting her second in the world behind teammate Rebecca Soni. Soni didn't swim in Mission Viejo this weekend, but Jessica Hardy did, though not in her specialty events. She showed up on Sunday and won the 100 fly in a respectable 59.32 ahead of butterfly specialist Lyndsay De Paul.

Tyler Clary won four events over the weekend in Mission Viejo: the 200 and 400 IMs, the 200 fly and 200 back. He also placed second in the 200 free and 100 back. Clary's times weren't the fastest he's swum this season, but like Ryan Lochte, his willingness to race in multiple events could pay off well next month in the IMs at the world championships.

Serbia defended their world league water polo championship on Sunday with a last-quarter surge to beat Italy 8-7. The Americans were bested by Croatia, who ran away with the match early and won 11-5. All teams will head home now to prepare for the world championships, which starts for water polo on July 18.

Hungary became the first major country to list its early roster for swimmers already automatically qualified for the Olympic Games next year. The Hungarian swimming federation announced that 12 swimmers can rest easy knowing they are swimming in London next year. Three of the names you might know well: Laszlo Cseh, the three-time Olympic silver medalist in Beijing, Daniel Gyurta, the reigning world champ in the 200 breast, and Katinka Hosszu, the reigning world champ in the 400 IM. The 12 swimmers only needed to post times faster than the FINA A cut. For 11 of the swimmers, that was done at the nationals last week. Hosszu, who trains in the US, swam fast enough to make the team at the Santa Clara meet a couple of weeks ago. It's likely that more swimmers could be added to the roster for Hungary after the world championships next month.

Japan is another country that will make an early Olympic roster. Those who win gold medals for Japan next month at worlds will get automatic placement to the Olympic team. Kosuke Kitajima, Ryosuke Irie, Takeshi Matsuda and Aya Terakawa are four swimmers who are primed for world championship gold next month.

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