Favorites Qualify for Women’s 200m Backstroke Final

BY Phillip Whitten

ATHENS, August 19. WHEN the going gets tough, the tough get swimming. That was the lesson that was demonstrated tonight in the women's 200m backstroke.

Russia's Stanislava clocked the only swim under 2:10 — 2:09.622, but the pride of Zimbabwe, Kirsty Coventry, was close behind at 2:10.04.

Japan's Reiko Nakamura (pictured)was third at 2:10.14, followed by Germany's Antje Buschschulte, 2:10.66, and the USA's Margaret Hoelzer, 2:11.68.

All of the top contenders use a similar strategy, holding back the first 100 meters then trying to come home in about the same time. The result tomorrow should be a close race from start to finish.

Buschschulte (pictured below) said that the bronze she picked up as part of the German 800 freestyle relay helped to get her back on track after a terrible swim in the two-lap dorsal race. "I swam my best time tonight, I used to hate this race but the relay has lifted me and I will try to go faster in the final," she told SwimInfo.

Women 200m Backstroke Semifinals

Record Splits Name NOC Location Date
WR 2:06.62 30.55 1:02.34 1:34.79 EGERSZEGI Krisztina HUN Athens (GRE) 25 AUG 1991
OR 2:07.06 30.43 1:02.39 1:35.10 EGERSZEGI Krisztina HUN Barcelona (ESP) 31 JUL 1992

Event No: 28

Rank Heat Lane Name NOC R.T. 50m 100m 150m Time Time
Behind
1 2 4 KOMAROVA Stanislava RUS 0.78 31.23 1:03.87
32.64 1:36.82
32.95 2:09.62
32.80
2 2 5 COVENTRY Kirsty ZIM 0.76 31.28 1:03.97
32.69 1:37.21
33.24 2:10.04
32.83 0.42 AF
3 1 4 NAKAMURA Reiko JPN 0.68 31.25 1:04.18
32.93 1:37.23
33.05 2:10.14
32.91 0.52
4 2 3 BUSCHSCHULTE Antje GER 0.65 31.51 1:04.12
32.61 1:37.38
33.26 2:10.66
33.28 1.04
5 1 5 HOELZER Margaret USA 0.72 31.53 1:04.79
33.26 1:38.18
33.39 2:11.68
33.50 2.06
6 2 6 OERNSTEDT Louise DEN 0.73 31.43 1:04.57
33.14 1:38.28
33.71 2:11.77
33.49 2.15
7 1 2 TERAKAWA Aya JPN 0.61 31.28 1:04.89
33.61 1:38.69
33.80 2:12.21
33.52 2.59
8 1 6 SEXTON Katy GBR 0.75 31.80 1:05.63
33.83 1:39.54
33.91 2:12.62
33.08 3.00

9 1 3 FRATESI Jennifer CAN 0.72 32.03 1:05.18
33.15 1:38.99
33.81 2:12.64
33.65 3.02
10 2 2 McLEAN Hannah NZL 0.67 31.18 1:04.53
33.35 1:38.71
34.18 2:12.87
34.16 3.25
11 2 1 HETZER Nicole GER 0.75 31.94 1:05.49
33.55 1:39.38
33.89 2:13.01
33.63 3.39
12 2 7 MORGAN Melissa AUS 0.70 32.12 1:05.59
33.47 1:39.70
34.11 2:13.34
33.64 3.72
13 1 8 JOVANOVIC Sanja CRO 0.70 31.71 1:05.48
33.77 1:39.91
34.43 2:13.76
33.85 4.14
14 1 7 VERRASZTO Evelyn HUN 0.77 32.52 1:06.35
33.83 1:40.61
34.26 2:13.98
33.37 4.36
15 1 1 AMSHENNIKOVA Iryna UKR 0.68 31.07 1:04.28
33.21 1:38.95
34.67 2:14.83
35.88 5.21
16 2 8 ADCOCK Frances AUS 0.66 31.96 1:05.53
33.57 1:40.18
34.65 2:15.69
35.51 6.07

Buschschulte in pool pre olympics

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