Melbourne World Cup Day 1: Leisel Jones Clocks Second Fastest 100 Breast, Ryk Neethling Blasts Two Impressive Commonwealth Records

By Stephen J. Thomas

MELBOURBE, November 26. LEISEL Jones came within 0.11 of a second of recapturing the world record over 100m breaststroke set by American Tara Kirk in March this year after Jones had previously set the global standard of 1:05.09 at this meet last year.

Jones, who holds the WR over the long course distance, clocked 1:04.90 to lower her own Aussie record by 0.19 of a second. World champion Brooke Hanson pulled out of the event due to a back injury leaving the minor places to fellow Aussies Sarah Kasoulis (1:06.43) and Jade Edmistone (1:06.66).

South African Ryk Neethling splashed a very hot 46.94 in the 100m freestyle (10th all-time global performance) making up for a slow start to flip first at the 50 in 22.38 and comfortably hold off the American duo of short course world champion Jason Lezak (47.59) and Nick Brunelli (47.77). The Olympic gold medalist clocked the fastest time of the 2004-05 season to break the Commonwealth record held by Aussie Ashley Callus set when he won the WSC Champs in Moscow in 2002.

With just one race during which to recover, Neethling continued his winning form, taking out the 100m Individual Medley in 53.01, lowering the Commonwealth record he set in Durban last weekend by 0.12 of a second in a time that would have given him the bronze medal at the WSC Champs in Indianapolis. American Nick Brunelli continued his good form taking second place with a fast final leg well behind the South African in 54.82.

Promising 15-year-old Aussie, Stephanie Williams, had an impressive introduction to a World Cup meet when she destroyed the competition, clocking a thirteen second PR to win the 800m freestyle in 8:19.06 (12th all-time global performer). Williams, who skipped the Olympic Trials in this event because it clashed with the 200m backstroke, proved tonight that perhaps distance freestyle may well be the path for her to follow.

Williams, who won the 2003 national short course title in the 200m backstroke as a 13-year-old with a PR of 2:08.40, amazingly had finished only seventh in that event here tonight in 2:12.10 just two races earlier.

In the 800, Williams easily beat Aussie Olympians Sarah Paton (8:28.76) and Linda Mackenzie (8:28.89) to the wall in a time that placed her third fastest Aussie all-time over the distance — a time that would have taken the silver medal in Indianapolis last month. Williams had only this month made a move to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra with her family from the city of Newcastle (two hours North of Sydney).

Two Russian visitors took events tonight: Dual world champ Yuri Prilukov took the 400m title in 3:44.23 to add to his win in Durban last weekend, and Nikolay Skvortsov had an impressive win over the five-times world champ Brit, James Hickman, 1:53.44 to 1:53.85.

Aussie sprint star Libby Lenton won an impressive double: The 100m free (53.58) and 50m fly (26.57), on both occasions edging out fellow Olympic gold medalist Alice Mills (53.69 and 26.62). Olympic champion Jodie Henry confirmed her preference for the long course pool when she just failed to qualify for the final of the 100m free.

Local hero Matt Welsh (23.86) edged out Americans Randall Bal (24.04) and Aaron Peirsol (24.50) in the 50m backstroke in his home pool.

Aussie Brenton Rickard (27.36) edged out national record-holder Mark Riley (27.54) and Brazilian Eduardo Fischer (27.93).

Experienced New Zealander Helen Norfolk went one better than her swim in Durban to take the gold here in the 400 IM in 4:39.52 from Chinese 14-year-old Liu Jing (4:41.56).

World Short Course silver medalist 19-year-old Tay Zimmer set a new PR 2:06.54 (2nd all-time Aussie) to easily win the 200m backstroke from New Zealander Hanna McLean (2:08.87) and Chinese Chen Yanyan (2:09.05).

FINA World Cup 2
Melbourne Aquatic Centre
Melbourne, Australia

November 26-28, 2004

25 meter pool

RESULTS
DAY ONE

Men's 400m Freestyle, Finals
1. PRILUKOV Yuri 1984 RUS 3:44.23 933
2. NEDERPELT Travis 1985 AUS 3:44.99 924
3. ZHANG Lin 1987 CHN 3:46.31 908
4. SPRENGER Nicholas 1985 AUS 3:46.67 904
5. MARGALIS Robert 1982 USA 3:47.24 897
6. PARK Tae Hwan 1989 KOR 3:47.51 894
7. LUCAS Adam 1983 AUS 3:49.81 867
8. SKUDUTIS Brent 1985 AUS 3:50.29 862

Women's 50m Butterfly, Finals
1. LENTON Lisbeth 1985 AUS 26.57 937
2. MILLS Alice 1986 AUS 26.62 932
3. MIATKE Danni 1987 AUS 26.69 924
4. CHRISTIANSON Demerae 1981 USA 26.82 911
5. SCHIPPER Jessicah 1986 AUS 26.90 903
6. CHELLINGWORTH Nichola 1980 NZL 27.01 892
7. HOUGHTON Melanie 1985 AUS 27.06 887
8. LOOTS Amanda 1978 RSA 27.22 871

Men's 200m Butterfly, Finals
1. SKVORTSOV Nikolay 1984 RUS 1:53.44 974
2. HICKMAN James 1976 GBR 1:53.85 964
3. DU RAND George 1982 RSA 1:56.92 890
4. NORRIS Justin 1980 AUS 1:57.54 876
5. NEDERPELT Travis 1985 AUS 1:58.29 859
6. RICHARDS Andrew 1983 AUS 1:58.54 854
7. MINOGUE Josh 1987 AUS 1:59.22 839
8. MCMILLAN Andrew 1985 NZL 1:59.71 829

Women's 100m Breaststroke, Finals
1. JONES Leisel 1985 AUS 1:04.90** WC 1025
2. KATSOULIS Sarah 1984 AUS 1:06.43 956
3. EDMISTONE Jade 1982 AUS 1:06.65 947
4. WHITE Tarnee 1981 AUS 1:08.10 887
5. MORRISON Kristy 1985 AUS 1:08.15 885
6. WU Binan 1986 CHN 1:09.10 849
7. MA Chenfei 1989 CHN 1:09.41 838
8. FALLON Donna 1988 AUS 1:10.63 795

Men's 50m Breaststroke, Finals
1. RICKARD Brenton 1983 AUS 27.36 930
2. RILEY Mark 1982 AUS 27.54 912
3. FISCHER Eduardo 1980 BRA 27.93 875
4. YOU Seung-Hun 1983 KOR 28.04 864
5. PIPER Jim 1981 AUS 28.07 862
6. BEASLEY James 1982 AUS 28.08 861
7. SPRENGER Christian 1985 AUS 28.45 828
8. PENDERGAST Sam 1984 AUS 28.75 802

Women's 100m Freestyle, Finals
1. LENTON Lisbeth 1985 AUS 53.58 957
2. MILLS Alice 1986 AUS 53.69 951
3. REESE Shayne 1982 AUS 54.48 910
4. EDINGTON Sophie 1984 AUS 55.10 880
5. FITCH Alison 1980 NZL 55.12 879
6. MIATKE Danni 1987 AUS 55.23 874
7. COUDERC Celine 1983 FRA 55.33 869
8. THRAS Holly 1986 AUS 55.70 852

Men's 100m Freestyle, Finals
1. NEETHLING Ryk 1977 RSA 46.94* 990
2. LEZAK Jason 1975 USA 47.59 950
3. BRUNELLI Nick 1981 USA 47.77 940
4. MEWING Andrew 1981 AUS 48.96 873
5. KAPRALOV Andrey 1980 RUS 49.11 865
6. FLOUCH Casey 1981 AUS 49.47 846
7. MATKOVICH Antony 1977 AUS 50.06 817
8. DYSON Andrew 1982 AUS 50.12 814

Women's 400m Individual Medley, Timed Final
1. NORFOLK Helen 1981 NZL 4:39.52 915
2. LIU Jing 1990 CHN 4:41.56 895
3. WILSON Kristen 1989 AUS 4:41.94 891
4. COUTTS Alicia 1987 AUS 4:42.22 889
5. BAINBRIDGE Angie 1989 AUS 4:46.92 846
6. RICE Stephanie 1988 AUS 4:47.23 843
7. VAN WELIE Liz 1979 NZL 4:48.85 829
8. GODDARD Talia 1988 AUS 4:51.01 811

Men's 100m Individual Medley, Finals
1. NEETHLING Ryk 1977 RSA 53.01* 1017
2. BRUNELLI Nick 1981 USA 54.82 920
3. TAYLOR Joshua 1983 AUS 54.95 913
4. RICKARD Brenton 1983 AUS 54.99 911
5. KENT Dean 1978 NZL 55.28 897
6. HICKMAN James 1976 GBR 55.47 888
7. LUCAS Adam 1983 AUS 55.48 887
8. NEUWERT Steve 1985 AUS 56.85 825

Women's 200m Backstroke, Finals
1. ZIMMER Tayliah 1985 AUS 2:06.54 961
2. MCLEAN Hannah 1981 NZL 2:08.87 910
3. CHEN Yan Yan 1985 CHN 2:09.05 906
4. PROUD Stephanie 1988 GBR 2:09.29 901
5. INGRAM Melissa 1985 NZL 2:09.61 895
6. PUTRA Alexandra 1986 FRA 2:11.29 861
7. WILLIAMS Stephanie 1989 AUS 2:12.10 845
8. LIU Jing 1990 CHN 2:16.99 758

Men's 50m Backstroke, Finals
1. WELSH Matt 1976 AUS 23.86 984
2. BAL Randall 1980 USA 24.04 962
3. PEIRSOL Aaron 1983 USA 24.50 909
4. ROLFF Ethan 1982 AUS 24.95 860
4. JACKSON Michael 1985 AUS 24.95 860
6. BRITS Grant 1987 AUS 25.11 844
7. DICKEY Ayrton 1986 AUS 25.49 807
8. BRUNELLI Nick 1981 USA 25.54 802

Women's 800m Freestyle, Timed Final
1. WILLIAMS Stephanie 1989 AUS 8:19.06 985
2. PATON Sarah 1986 AUS 8:28.76 929
3. MACKENZIE Linda 1983 AUS 8:28.89 929
4. NAY Meagen 1988 AUS 8:35.79 892
5. CLAYTON Shannon 1986 NZL 8:40.80 866
6. SEO Yeon-Jeong 1988 KOR 8:42.09 860
7. WILSON Kristen 1989 AUS 8:43.71 852
8. HUNTER Nicole 1984 AUS 8:45.16 845

WC: World Cup Record
**: Commonwealth Record; 2nd-fastest all-tima:
*: Commonwealth Record

Ryk Neethling after 100m free final Athens 04

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