Michael Phelps Finishes with Six Wins in Melbourne World Cup USA Takes Six Events on Final Night

Stephen J. Thomas

MELBOURNE, November 30. AMERICAN swimming superstar Michael Phelps made a clean sweep of his events Down Under taking the 100 fly and 400 IM tonight in convincing style.

Men’s 100m butterfly:
Eighteen year-old Phelps had a convincing win, clocking an American record 51.11, but well outside the world record of 50.10 held by German Thomas Rupprath. Fellow American Ben Michaelson took the silver in 51.52 — just under his former American record of 51.55 — from Aussie Adam Pine (51.95).

Men’s 200m Breaststroke:
World record-holder American Ed Moses finally broke through for a win with a solid 2:07.84 from Aussies Brenton Rickard (2:09.57) and Jim Piper (2:10.48). Moses said after the race he had been in hard training coming into this meet and was happy finaaly to have taken a win. He said he was looking forward to competing in the World Cup meets in Europe and then in New York.

Men’s 50m freestyle:
American Jason Lezak took the two-lap dash in a classy 21.68 from Aussies Ashley Callus (21.88) and crowd favorite. comebacker Michael Klim (22.11). A below par Ian Thorpe was fifth in 22.41 after suffering a stomach complaint on the first morning of the meet.

Men’s 400m IM:
Michael Phelps made it six wins from six in Melbourne with very solid 4:06.28 after being under world record pace after the butterfly leg. Frenchman Nicolas Rostoucher had his third podium finish, taking silver in 4:09.19, with the bronze going to New Zealander Dean Kent 4:09.26.

Men’s 100m Backstroke:
Local favorite Matt Welsh cruised to an easy victory in the four-lap dorsal race in 51.13, whipping teammate Josh Watson (53.36) and American Michael Gilliam 53.49.

Men’s 1500m Freestyle:
Canadian Kurtis MacGillivary, 19, set a new national record of 14:50.94 with a convincing win in the gruelling sixty-lap race. MacGillivary has been training under Denis Cotterell with Grant Hackett on the Queensland Gold Coast. Melbourne-based Italian Olympian Massi Rosolino took silver in 15:04.79 in front of another Cotterell-trained swimmer, Ky Hurst (15:12.46).

Women’s 200m Butterfly:
Aussie Petria Thomas, the current world champion, led from start to finish to clock an impressive win in a time of 2:06.71, not far off her PR 2:05.43. It was Thomas’ third win of this meet and confirmed that she is well on the way to full recovery from shoulder surgery. American dorsal silver medalist from Barcelona, Margaret Hoelzer, took second in 2:08.62 ahead of Aussie World Champs finalist in this event, Felicity Galvez (2:09.09).

Women’s 50m Breaststroke:
Aussie Brooke Hanson took the gold in the two-lap dash in a new national and World Cup record time of 30.24. Duel world record-holder Leisel Jones was slow off the blocks and failed to make up the distance, taking second in a PR 30.57. The USA's Amanda Beard was third in 31.14.

Women’s 200m Freestyle:
World record-holder American Lindsay Benko completed the 200/400 double with a closely fought win over her friend and rival, Aussie Elka Graham, and another Aussie, ironwoman Petria Thomas. Benko clocked 1:55.27 to Graham’s 1:55.40 with Thomas finishing in 1:56.21, after having won the 200 fly earlier in the night.

Women’s 200m IM:
American queen of breaststroke Amanda Beard won her first gold medal of this meet with an exciting win in 2:09.48 over another breaststroker, Aussie Brooke Hanson (2:09.93), and Barcelona silver medalist Alice Mills (2:11.16). Twenty-five year-old Hanson set a new national and Commonwealth record. She finished the meet with two gold and three silver in her best international performance to date.

Women’s 50m Backstroke:
Aussie rookie, 17-year-old Nicole Seah, broke through for her first major win with an Australian record 27.70 over Japanese veteran Mai Nakamura (27.90) and former record-holder Giaan Rooney 27.98.

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