Coughlin Holds Off Hard-Charging Field to Win 200 Free

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 2 NATALIE Coughlin held off a hard-charging field in the 200-meter freestyle at the 2006 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships as she clocked a 1:58.11. She narrowly kept North Baltimore's Katie Hoff at bay as Hoff came storming back in the final 50 to take silver in 1:58.16. The leader for much of the race, Fort Worth's Dana Vollmer pocketed bronze in 1:58.79.

"When you swim at Pan Pacs, you can swim any event you want," Coughlin said of not competing in the 100 back. "Since my coach Teri McKeever is going to be the head coach at Pan Pacifics, I didn't want there to be any question on putting me on the 800 free relay. I didn't want there to be any favoritism or question about it. I won't swim this event at Pan Pacs. I'll focus on the 100 back, but I hopefully secured my spot on the 800 free relay."

At the 50-meter mark, Vollmer took the lead with a 27.85 from lane two. She remained in the lead at the 100-meter mark with a 57.83 as Coughlin made a run at her. Coughlin took a slim lead at the 150-mark with a 1:27.64. Coughlin then held off the field in the last 50 meters.

Swimming World Magazine’s Female National High School Swimmer of the Year Kate Ziegler nearly came back to win the 200-meter consolation heat with a 2:00.35, but Club Wolverine’s Lindsey Smith held her off with a first-place 2:00.20. Meanwhile, Tucson Ford’s Whitney Myers claimed third in 2:00.53.

In the bonus consolation heat, Bulldog Ava Ohlgren raced to first from lane seven in 2:01.83, while Rutgers’ Kelly Harrigan placed second in 2:02.14. Meanwhile, Club Wolverine’s Allison Schmitt picked up third in 2:02.22.

Event 11 Women 200 LC Meter Freestyle
==================================================================
World: W 1:56.64 8/3/2002 Franziska van Almsick, GER
American: A 1:57.41 7/24/2003 Lindsay Benko, USA
U.S. Open: O 1:58.02 7/15/2000 Claudia Poll, CRC
LC Nationals: M 1:58.03 8/2/2006 Katie Hoff, North Baltimore
Oly. Trial: 2:03.39
Sum. Nat Cut: 2:04.49
US Open Cut: 2:06.99
Meet Qualifying: 2:04.49
Name Age Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== Championship Final ===

1 Coughlin, Natal 23 California Aquat 1:58.34 1:58.11 980
r:+0.66 28.20 57.97 (29.77)
1:27.64 (29.67) 1:58.11 (30.47)
2 Hoff, Katie 17 North Baltimore- 1:58.03 1:58.16 979
r:+0.81 28.29 58.30 (30.01)
1:28.28 (29.98) 1:58.16 (29.88)
3 Vollmer, Dana 18 Fort Worth Area- 1:59.67 1:58.79 963
r:+0.75 27.85 57.83 (29.98)
1:28.40 (30.57) 1:58.79 (30.39)
4 Weir, Amanda 20 Swim Atlanta-GA 1:58.56 1:59.11 955
r:+0.76 28.28 58.53 (30.25)
1:28.16 (29.63) 1:59.11 (30.95)
5 Nymeyer, Lacey 20 Tucson Ford Deal 1:58.93 1:59.53 945
r:+0.73 28.20 58.30 (30.10)
1:28.68 (30.38) 1:59.53 (30.85)
6 Joyce, Kara Lyn 20 Athens Bulldog S 2:00.36 1:59.90 937
r:+0.73 28.16 58.78 (30.62)
1:29.69 (30.91) 1:59.90 (30.21)
7 Reilly, Erin 21 California Aquat 2:00.55 2:00.46 924
r:+0.77 28.66 58.81 (30.15)
1:30.23 (31.42) 2:00.46 (30.23)
8 Dwelley, Kate 17 Terrapins Swim T 2:00.41 2:01.65 897
r:+0.77 28.65 59.17 (30.52)
1:30.21 (31.04) 2:01.65 (31.44)

=== Consolation Final ===

9 Smith, Lindsey 21 Club Wolverine-M 2:00.92 2:00.20 930
r:+0.76 28.49 58.90 (30.41)
1:29.68 (30.78) 2:00.20 (30.52)
10 Ziegler, Kate 18 The Fish-PV 2:01.69 2:00.35 926
r:+0.79 28.58 59.41 (30.83)
1:30.68 (31.27) 2:00.35 (29.67)
11 Myers, Whitney 21 Tucson Ford Deal 2:01.24 2:00.53 922
r:+0.68 28.37 59.16 (30.79)
1:30.07 (30.91) 2:00.53 (30.46)
12 Hoelzer, Margar 23 Auburn Aquatics- 2:00.85 2:01.62 897
r:+0.84 28.77 59.80 (31.03)
1:30.83 (31.03) 2:01.62 (30.79)
13 Ditto, Kelsey 17 Longhorn Aquatic 2:01.35 2:01.66 897
r:+0.81 29.65 1:00.45 (30.80)
1:31.69 (31.24) 2:01.66 (29.97)
14 Hupman, Andrea 20 Swim Atlanta-GA/ 2:01.19 2:01.69 896
r:+0.71 28.44 59.32 (30.88)
1:30.79 (31.47) 2:01.69 (30.90)
15 Komisarz, Rache 29 Lakeside Swim Te 2:01.19 2:02.01 889
r:+0.72 28.88 59.92 (31.04)
1:31.46 (31.54) 2:02.01 (30.55)
16 Carroll, Kathle 21 Club Wolverine-M 2:01.72 2:02.82 871
r:+0.67 29.08 59.98 (30.90)
1:31.78 (31.80) 2:02.82 (31.04)

=== Bonus Final ===

17 Ohlgren, Ava 18 Bulldog Aquatic- 2:02.66 2:01.83 893
r:+0.76 28.61 59.14 (30.53)
1:30.56 (31.42) 2:01.83 (31.27)
18 Harrigan, Kelly 21 Rutgers Swimming 2:01.99 2:02.14 886
r:+0.71 28.69 59.78 (31.09)
1:31.48 (31.70) 2:02.14 (30.66)
19 Schmitt, Alliso 16 Club Wolverine-M 2:01.95 2:02.22 884
r:+0.76 28.97 59.98 (31.01)
1:31.39 (31.41) 2:02.22 (30.83)
20 Crippen, Teresa 16 Germantown Acade 2:02.21 2:02.28 883
r:+0.83 29.07 1:00.30 (31.23)
1:31.85 (31.55) 2:02.28 (30.43)
21 Binder, Adrienn 21 Santa Barbara Sw 2:02.76 2:02.38 881
r:+0.80 29.04 1:00.10 (31.06)
1:31.32 (31.22) 2:02.38 (31.06)
22 Cole, Jessica 19 Athens Bulldog S 2:02.80 2:02.51 878
r:+0.75 29.04 1:00.17 (31.13)
1:31.89 (31.72) 2:02.51 (30.62)
23 Nauta, Chelsea 17 Tampa Bay Commun 2:02.13 2:02.62 876
r:+0.67 28.86 1:00.09 (31.23)
1:31.93 (31.84) 2:02.62 (30.69)
24 Piper, Carly 22 Wisconsin Aquati 2:02.30 2:02.71 874
r:+0.84 29.12 1:00.36 (31.24)
1:32.01 (31.65) 2:02.71 (30.70)

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