Kirk, Woodring Go One-Two in 50 Breast at WUG

BEIJING, Aug 27. TWO days ago, the USA's Tara Kirk posted the fastest semifinal time in the 100 meter breaststsroke, only to finish a disappointing fourth in the final.

Yesterday she recorded the fastest semifinal time in the 50m breaststroke, but there was no swoon for Captain Kirk in tonight's final. The Stanford sophomore led a one-two US sweep, winning in a Games record 32.12 as teammate Kristen Woodring just out-touched Russia's Elena Bogamazova for second. It is the third time this games that a U.S. duo has finished first and second.

"I was very happy to medal tonight, especially after my performance in the 100m breast, which wasn't my best," said Kirk. "When I saw it was gold, and that Kristen got silver, it made it that much better."
"After not making the finals in the 100m breast, I was just happy to be swimming at night," Woodring said. "I am so thrilled to have won a medal."

The Russian women had a sweep of their own this evening, with Irina Bespalova taking the 100 fly in 59.69, just ahead of Natalia Soutiguina (59.80). True to form, an American – the multi-taleented Rachel Komisarz – was third in a lifetime best 59.95.
Teammate Bethany Goodwin was fourth in 1:00.24.

Komisarz now has four medals at these Games. A fifth would tie her for the most by an American at one Games, and she has one event left: the 1500m freestyle.
"I am a distance swimmer, so I usually get stronger as the meet goes on," noted Komisarz. "I'm actually excited about the 1500m free, and think it is my best race. As for getting the most medals at one Universiade, I'm not really here to make history, just looking to swim my races and do the best I can."

The women's 400 IM saw the third first-place tie of these Games, as China's Liang Shuang and Italy's
Federica Biscia knotted for the top spot at 4:45.85.
Team USA had two swimmers in the final. Corrie Murphy and Jaime Ellis both posted solid times, but failed to medal. Murphy was sixth in 4:51.93 (1:05.27, 2:19.63, 3:44.10) with Ellis seventh in 4:53.98 (1:04.99, 2:20.76, 3:46.49).

In the 50 meter backstroke, the Czech Republic's Ilona Hlavackova upset Japan's Mai Nakamura 29.04 to 29.22. Nakamura set a Games record 28.96 in yesterday's semis. The USA's Susan Woessner was third (29.50), to earn her second medal of the Games. Teammate Jennifer Crisman was fourth in 29.54.

After solid performances from the U.S. in the stroke events, the Americans are considered the favorite heading into the 400m medley relay. "It was our goal coming in to sweep the relays," said Woessner. "We do have solid swimmers in each event, so hopefully we can put it all together to win the medley. Japan should also put together a strong relay, so it will be a tough race for us."

In the only men's final, Poland's Bart Kizierowski, who swam collegiately for Cal and currently represents the Phoenix Swim Club, won his first major international title, taking the men's 50m freestyle in 22.30.

Semifinals
In semi-final action, Sarah Tolar and Kim Black both advanced to the finals of the 200m free. Tolar posted the second-fastest time of the night with a 2:01.79 (1:00.20) with Black, the fourth seed, touching in 2:02.49 (59.72).

For the third time in the men's backstroke, Team USA placed two in the finals with Peter Marshall advancing to his third final. He is the second seed, swimming 2:01.91 (58.65). Bryce Hunt advanced to the finals of his only event, posting the sixth-fastest time, 2:02.44 (59.26) to round out the U.S. backstrokers.

David Denniston swam a 1:02.81 (29.18) to advance in third to the finals of the 100m breast. Wil Brandt touched in 1:04.30 (29.53) to finish 14th.

In the last semi-final of the evening, Andrew Mahaney posted the fastest time, a 1:58.56 (57.28) to advance as the top seed in the 200m fly. Jeff Somensatto, the 1999 champ in this event, advanced with the third-fastest time with a 2:00.06 (56.84).

Diving
Team USA had two divers in the men’s platform final Monday evening and still could not make it to the medals podium. Once again it was China taking the gold, in this instance Liang Tian with a score of 725.49. The silver went to Jose Oliva of Cuba (644.04) and Roman Volodkov of Ukraine earned the bronze with 642.99.

Team USA’s Kyle Prandi (University of Miami/ Strongsville, Ohio) started the final in the second spot but finished the evening in 10th place with a 554.25 score. Teammate Justin Dumais (University of Texas/Ventura, Calif.) was 12th with 537.06 points.
"I thought this was our night," head coach Keith Russell (Brigham Young University) commented. "We had two people in the finals, two people who I thought would do it. The opportunity was there."

On Tuesday, U.S. divers Danielle Stramandi (Princeton/ Lawrenceville, N.J.) and Nicci Fusaro (University of Southern California/Los Angeles, Calif.) are scheduled to complete in the women’s synchro platform final while Dumais and Tom Davidson (Indiana University/ Ambler, Pa.) are to pair for the men’s synchro three-meter springboard final.

RESULTS

WOMEN

400 meter individual medley final
1. Liang Shuang (CHN) 4:45.85
1. Federica Biscia (ITA) 4:45.85
3. Hana Netrefova (CZE) 4:46.18
4. Ayane Sato (JPN) 4:50.03
5. Simona Paduraru (ROM) 4:50.13
6. Corrie Murphy (USA) 4:51.93
7. Jaime Ellis (USA) 4:53.98
8. Shi Weihui (CHN) 4:55.51

100 meter butterfly final
1. Irina Bespalova (RUS) 59.69
2. Natalia Soutiguina (RUS) 59.80
3. Rachel Komisarz (USA) 59.95
4. Bethany Goodwin (USA) 1:00.24
5. Zheng Xi (CHN) 1:00.97
6. Maria Pelaez (ESP) 1:01.44
7. Aurore Mongel (FRA) 1:01.49
8. Yuko Nakanishi (JPN) 1:01.62

50 meter backstroke final
1. Ilona Hlavackova (CZE) 29.04
2. Mai Nakamura (JPN) 29.22
3. Susan Woessner (USA) 29.50
4. Jennifer Crisman (USA) 29.54
5. Dominique Diezi (SUI) 29.67
6. Suze Valen (NED) 29.86
6. Reiko Nakamura (JPN) 29.86
8. Yang fan (CHN) 29.90

50 meter breaststroke final
1. Tara Kirk (USA) 32.12 CR
2. Kristen Woodring (USA) 32.63
3. Elena Bogomazova (RUS) 32.64
4. Elena Kormatcheva (RUS) 32.78
5. Beata Kaminska (POL) 32.81
6. Nienke Valen (NED) 32.99
7. A. Braszkiewicz (POL) 33.06
8. Anne Poleska (GER) 33.30

200 meter freestyle semifinals
1. Sarah Tolar (USA) 2:01.79
2. Karen Nisbet (GBR) 2:02.30
3. Nadezhda Chemezova (RUS) 2:02.56
4. Olena Lapunova (UKR) 2:04.32
5. Paula Ribeiro (BRA) 2:05.10
6. Eri Yamanoi (JPN) 2:05.84
7. Cassandra Steer (AUS) 2:06.21
8. Simona Paduraru (ROM) 2:20.63

1. Camelia Potec (ROM) 2:01.75
2. Kim Black (USA) 2:02.49
3. Kristyna Kynerova (CZE) 2:03.92
4. Luo Yun (CHN) 2:03.95
5. Meike Freitag (GER) 2:04.13
6. Tatiana Lima (BRA) 2:04.50
7. K.H. van Heerden (RSA) 2:06.29
8. Laetitia Choux (FRA) 2:07.45

MEN

50 meter freestyle final
1. Bart Kizierowski (POL) 22.30 (22.20 CR sf)
2. Vyacheslav Shyrshov (UKR) 22.48
3. Tomohiro Yamanoi (JPN) 22.62
4. Leonid Khokhlov (RUS) 22.76
5. Romain Barnier (FRA) 22.84
6. Christoph Buhler (SUI) 22.95
7. Alexander Volnyets (UKR) 23.07
8. Pietro Deriu (ITA) 23.27

100 meter freestyle final
1. Romain Barnier (FRA) 49.39 (49.34 sf)
2. Bart Kizierowski (POL) 49.65
3. Vyacheslav Shyrshov(UKR) 49.81
4. Matthew Kidd (GBR) 49.84
5. Karel Novy (SUI) 50.20
6. Simone Cercato (ITA) 50.26
7. Klaus Lanzarini (ITA) 50.29
8. Peter Mankoc (SLO) 51.97

200 meter backstroke semifinals
1. Peter Marshall (USA) 2:01.91
2. Blaz Medvesek (SLO) 2:01.97
3. Carlos Sayao (CAN) 2:02.32
4. Jose Sanchez (ESP) 2:03.96
5. Miroslav Machovic (SVK) 2:04.29
6. Shu Xin (CHN) 2:05.44
7. Kozan hashimoto (JPN) 2:06.91
8. Martin Villep (EST) 2:07.90

1. Simon Dufour (FRA) 2:00.55
2. Yu Rui (CHN) N 2:01.29
3. Ray Hunt (USA) 2:02.44
4. Haruki Takeuchi (JPN) 2:02.89
5. Vladimir Nikolaychuk(UKR) 2:02.97
6. Nicolo Dell'Andrea (ITA) 2:03.00
7. Ivan Petrovic (CRO) 2:04.71
8. Nicolas Rajcevich (CHI) 2:08.05

100 meter breaststroke semifinals
1. Oleg Lisogor (UKR) 1:02.77
2. Dave Denniston (USA) 1:02.81
3. Tony De Pellegrini (FRA) 1:02.93
4. A. Maliarov-Abanine (RUS) 1:03.08
5. Adam Whitehead (GBR) 1:03.47
6. Remo Lutolf (SUI) 1:03.59
7. Roman Makarov (RUS) 1:04.31
8. Tao Rong (CHN) 1:04.40

1. Ryosuke Imai (JPN) 1:02.19
2. Richard Bodor (HUN) 1:02.85
2. Christopher Cook (GBR) 1:02.85
4. Patrick Schmollinger(AUT) 1:03.02
5. Alwin de Prins (LUX) 1:03.51
5. Akira Hayashi (JPN) 1:03.51
7. Davide Rummolo (ITA) 1:03.84
8. Wil Brandt (USA) 1:04.30

200 meter butterfly semifinals
1, Jeff Sommensatto (USA) 2:00.06
2. Hisayoshi Tanaka (JPN) 2:00.27
3. Sergei Fesenko (UKR) 2:01.20
4. David Abrard (FRA) 2:01.58
5. Kohei Kawamoto (JPN) 2:01.69
6. Ilya Skrydlov (RUS) 2:03.59
7. Kurt Boehm (GER) 2:04.22
8. Piotr Grzelak (POL) 2:08.47

1. Andrew Mahaney (USA) 1:58.56
2. Juan Veloz (MEX) 1:59.74
3. Christian Galenda (ITA) 2:00.85
4. Wang Hongwei (CHN) 2:01.07
5. Andrei Syrykh (RUS) 2:01.71
6. Pedro Monteiro (BRA) 2:03.12
7. Jacob Fraire (MEX) 2:04.41
8. Li Lei (CHN) N 2:04.59

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