Lenton is Sharp at Telstra Grand Prix

BRISBANE, Australia, May 7. LESS than three months before the World Championships get under way in Montreal, positive vibes are flowing through Australia, due in large to the efforts of Libby Lenton. The Olympian exited the Telstra Grand Prix, held Friday and Saturday, with a pair of victories and two second-place finishes.

After taking first place in the 200 freestyle on Friday, with a clocking of 1:59.49, Lenton came back Saturday with a sizzling mid-training mark of 54.76 in the 100 free. While the 200 time is the world’s eighth-fastest of the year, her 100 effort checks in at sixth in the world for 2005.

Lenton also had solid swims in the 50 freestyle (25.53) and 100 butterfly (59.99), placing second to Alice Mills and Jessicah Schipper, respectively. Mills won the 50 free in (25.51) and Schipper supplied a time of 59.62 in the fly. Schipper also bested the field in the 200 butterfly, clocking 2:10.66.

Leisel Jones had little trouble winning the 100 (1:08.88) and 200 (2:32.89) breaststroke events and Lara Carroll swept the individual medley disciplines with an effort of 2:16.30 in the 200 distance and a time of 4:49.20 in the 400. Sarah Paton was the victor in the 400 free (4:18.27) and the 800 free (8:44.84) and Sophie Edington swept the backstrokes, going 1:03.33 and 2:18.15.

Other triumphs were secured by Jade Edmistone in the 50 breast (31.90), Giann Rooney in the 50 back (29.47) and Danni Miatke in the 50 butterfly (27.35).

For the men, Grant Hackett – who else – highlighted the action as he prevailed in the 200 and 400 freestyles while opting to bypass the 1,500 free during the two-day competition. Hackett opened with a swim of 3:52.33 in the 400 and came back with a 1:50.19 in the 200 to hold off Patrick Murphy (1:51.54).

Ethan Rolff notched a trifecta in the backstroke, as he won the 50 (27.00), 100 (55.98) and 200 (2:01.25) races. Meanwhile, Brenton Rickard and Jim Piper delivered breaststroke decisions, with Rickard taking the 100 in 1:02.92, ahead of the 1:03.46 by Piper. A 2:19.19, though, gave Piper the win in the 200 breast.

Victories were also collected by Brett Hawke in the 50 free (23.05), Ashley Callus in the 100 free (50.77) and Adam Lucas in the 400 individual medley (4:34.76). Travis Nederpelt outdistanced the field in the 200 butterfly (2:04.16) and Michael Jackson was tops in the 200 I.M. (2:06.21). Andrew Lauterstein won the 100 fly in 54.41.

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