Lezak, Thorpe and Coughlin Are Hot on Day Two of the Janet Evans Invite

By Phillip Whitten

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 11. A SMALL but enthusiastic crowd trekked down to the beautiful, temporary Charter All Digital Aquatic Centre in Long Beach on a perfect southern California evening to watch as top Olympic hopefuls locked horns on Day Two of the Janet Evans Invitational. They were well rewarded, as Jason Lezak and Ian Thorpe each set meet records while Natalie Coughlin also scored an impressive victory.

The meet began with a 200m medley relay consisting of 1976 Olympic champion John Naber swimming backstroke, naional high school record-holder Jessica Hardy (Wilson H.S.) swimming breaststroke, former 100m fly and 100m free world record-holder Michael Klim going the fly leg, and Janet Evans swimming the anchor.

Then it was down to business. First up was the women's 100 free, and a smiling, confident Natalie Coughlin scorched a strong field with a fine 54.47. Martina Moravcova, the pride of Slovakia, was second in 55.67, with Colleen Lanne third in 56.15.

The men's 100 free boasted the strongest — and tightest — field in the meet. The top qualifying time was 50.10 by Luis Rojas of Venezuela, and it took 50.68 to make the A final. Seven different nations were represented by the eight finalists.

The cut for the B final was 51.03, and for the C final, 51.18.

Roland Schoeman, who owns the world's fatest time this year could only make the B final. So too Poland's Bart Kizierowski plus Sabir Muhammad and Australian Michael Klim, former WR-holder in the event. The C final included two 2000 US Olympians: Brad Shumacher and Scott Tucker. Among those who just missed making the C final were France's Roman Barnier, 51.22, and Gary Hall, Jr., 51.28.

The final figured to be a battle between Ian Thorpe and Jason Lezak. But Lezak broke it open early, splitting 23.63 at the 50 — 59-hundredths ahead of the Aussie.

Thorpe kicked into overdrive on the final 25, but it was too little, too late. Lezak touched in a meet record 49.20, with Thorpe second in 49.60 and Ryk Neethling third in 49.99.

Both Lezak and Thorpe smashed Lezak's meet mark of 49.84 from 2002. Later, Lezak told SwimInfo he was on-target for Trials next month, where he hopes to break Anthony Ervin's American record of 48.33. Lezak commented: "At Trials the race should be very close, especially for the second through sixth spots."

Dana Kirk pulled off a major upset in the 200 fly, beating Australia's Petria Thomas, the 2004 world-leader. Taking the lead at the 25 meter mark, Kirk opened up a sizable margin and just kept going to touch in 2:08.40. Thomas was second in 2:09.52 while 2000 Olympic champion and American record-holder Misty Hyman was fifth.

The Aussies pulled off their own upset in the very next event, when Justin Norris came storming from behind to win the men's 200m fly in 1:57.47, with 2000 Olympic champ Tom Malchow second in 1:58.15.

Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry, swimming for Auburn, even-split the 200 back to soundly defeat teammate Margaret Hoelzer and win the 200 back in 2:13.87. Canada's Keith Beavers just edged Austria's Markus Rogan to take the men's 200 meter dorsal race in 2:00.64.

Aussie dynamo Linda Mackenzie , swimming in lane 1, won the women's 400m free in 4:11.76, just holding off a fast-closing Kalyn Keller, who negative-split her race and finished in 4:12.86, just ahead of Hayley Peirsol, 4:12.88.

While the media speculated what Thorpe would dod if his teammate Craig Stevens beat him in the 400 free, the Thorpedo had no intention of letting that speculation become reality. He took the lead from the start in the men's 400, expecting to open up a lot of water between his feet and the rest of the field. But former American record-holder Klete Keller had other ideas, and he stayed right on the Aussie's hip.

At the wall it was Thorpe in 3:46.60, with Keller, Kalyn's older brother, a close second in 3:47.38, his second-fastest lifetime swim for the event.

2004 Janet Evans Invitational
Long Beach, CA
June 10-13, 2004

RESULTS:
Day Two: June 11,2004

Women’s 100m Freestyle
FINAL RESULTS
Finals

WR 53.77 DE BRUIJN INGE Sydney (AUS) 20 SEP 2000 NED
AM 53.99 COUGHLIN NATALIE A Yokohama (JPN) 29 AUG 2002 USA
JE 54.27 THOMPSON JENNY USA

Rank Name YB Club Result Points R.T. LN 50m
A-FINAL:
1. COUGHLIN NATALIE 82 CAL-PC 0.67 26.15 54.47 991 4
2. MORAVCOVA MARTINA 76 UNATNT 0.80 26.90 55.67 959 3
3. LANNE COLLEEN 79 NOVACA 0.73 26.96 56.15 947 5
4. ROSE GABRIELLE 77 UNATPC 0.69 26.85 56.19 946 2
5. VOLLMER DANA 87 FASTNT 0.76 27.48 56.36 941 7
6. BENKO LINDSAY 76 TROJCA 0.75 27.21 56.42 940 1
7. RIPPLE-JOHNSTON SHELLY 80 ES-LA 0.70 27.17 56.77 930 6
8. HARADA KIMBERLY 81 STARPN 0.79 27.57 57.07 922 8

Men’s 100m Freestyle
FINAL RESULTS
Finals

WR 47.84 VD HOOGENBAND PIETER Sydney (AUS) 19 SEP 2000 NED
AM 48.33 ERVIN ANTHONY Fukuoka (JPN) 27 JUL 2001 USA
JE 49.84 LEZAK JASON

Rank Name YB Club Result Points R.T. LN 50m
A-FINAL:
1. LEZAK JASON 75 NOVACA 0.65 23.63 49.20 JE 975 5
2. THORPE IAN 82 AUST 0.85 24.22 49.60 964 2
3. NEETHLING RYK 77 UOFAAZ 0.87 24.30 49.99 952 3
4. ILES SALIM 75 CAL-PC 0.71 23.73 50.18 947 1
5. ROJAS LUIS VENE 0.63 23.72 50.30 943 4
6. HAYDEN BRENT 83 UBCD 0.74 24.40 50.40 940 7
7. WOODWARD GABRIEL 79 NOVACA 0.68 24.36 50.64 933 8
8. GIMBUTIS ROLANDAS CAL-PC 0.69 24.09 51.08 920 6

Women’s 200m Butterfly
FINAL RESULTS
Finals

WR 2:05.78 JEDREJCZAK OTYLIA Berlin (GER) 4 AUG 2002 POL
AM 2:05.88 HYMAN MISTY Sydney (AUS) 20 SEP 2000 USA
JE 2:09.18 O’NEILL SUSAN

Rank Name YB Club Result Points R.T. LN 150m 100m 50m
A-FINAL:
1. KIRK DANA 84 UNATPC 0.66 28.65 1:00.87 1:33.86 2:08.40 JE 978 5
2. THOMAS PETRIA 75 AUST 0.72 28.83 1:01.74 1:35.34 2:09.52 965 4
3. GALVEZ FELICITY 85 AUST 0.86 29.28 1:02.65 1:36.65 2:11.09 947 6
4. SANDENO KAITLIN 83 TROJCA 0.73 29.84 1:03.23 1:37.38 2:12.21 934 3
5. HYMAN MISTY 79 AFOXAZ 0.72 29.29 1:02.69 1:37.64 2:12.77 928 2
6. MASON EMILY 82 FORDAZ 0.76 29.49 1:03.13 1:37.72 2:12.94 926 7
7. BASSI NOELLE 83 BAC-NJ 0.75 30.54 1:04.43 1:38.46 2:13.48 920 1
8. EADS COURTNEY 86 TCC-CA 0.69 30.09 1:04.59 1:40.28 2:16.59 885 8

Men’s 200m Butterfly
FINAL RESULTS
Finals

WR 1:53.93 PHELPS MICHAEL Barcelona (ESP) 22 JUL 2003 USA
AM 1:53.93 PHELPS MICHAEL Barcelona (ESP) 22 JUL 2003 USA
JE 1:55.84 MALCHOW TOM

Rank Name YB Club Result Points R.T. LN 150m 100m 50m
A-FINAL:
1. NORRIS JUSTIN 80 AUST 0.80 27.03 57.25 1:27.34 1:57.47 972 5
2. MALCHOW THOMAS 76 CW-MI 0.80 26.72 56.40 1:26.85 1:58.15 964 3
3. BURMESTER MOSS 81 HARL 0.76 26.33 57.03 1:27.98 1:59.29 950 4
4. LIVINGSTON ANDREW 74 PUR 0.66 27.26 57.63 1:29.03 2:00.75 931 2
5. ILIKA JOSH 76 MEX 0.73 26.55 56.77 1:28.61 2:00.90 930 1
6. VELOZ JUAN 82 UOFAAZ 0.77 27.69 58.86 1:30.63 2:01.31 925 7
7. TARWATER DAVIS 84 CW-MI 0.69 27.53 58.89 1:30.07 2:02.28 913 6
8. MONTEIRO PEDRO BRAZ 0.76 27.27 58.87 1:31.42 2:03.84 893 8

Women’s 200m Backstroke
FINAL RESULTS
Finals

WR 2:06.62 EGERSZEGI KRISZTINA Athens (GRE) 25 AUG 1991 HUN
AM 2:08.53 COUGHLIN NATALIE A Fort Lauderdale (USA) 16 AUG 2002 USA
JE 2:12.32 HAGEWARA TOMOKO

Rank Name YB Club Result Points R.T. LN 150m 100m 50m
A-FINAL:
1. COVENTRY KIRSTY 83 AUB-SE 0.65 32.46 1:06.51 1:40.67 2:13.87 938 4
2. HOELZER MARGARET 83 AUB-SE 0.63 32.12 1:06.64 1:41.19 2:15.77 917 5
3. MOSS JERI 84 NOVACA 0.74 32.68 1:07.18 1:42.39 2:17.15 901 3
4. WEANER TRICIA 89 WSY-MA 0.67 32.21 1:06.97 1:42.37 2:17.16 901 8
5. KEJZAR ALENKA 79 UNATNT 0.65 33.07 1:08.21 1:43.32 2:17.53 897 1
6. MORALES GISELA GUA 0.75 32.43 1:07.32 1:42.96 2:17.73 895 6
7. FARGUS JOANNA 82 TROJCA 0.73 33.24 1:08.46 1:43.73 2:18.56 886 2
8. VOLCAN ERIN 84 NOVACA 0.73 33.97 1:08.47 1:44.45 2:20.62 863 7

Men’s 200m Backstroke
FINAL RESULTS
Finals

WR 1:55.15 PEIRSOL AARON Minneapolis (USA) 20 MAR 2002 USA
AM 1:55.15 PEIRSOL AARON Minneapolis (USA) 20 MAR 2002 USA
JE 1:57.68 KRAYSELBURG LENNY

Rank Name YB Club Result Points R.T. LN 150m 100m 50m
A-FINAL:
1. BEAVERS KEITH ROW 0.64 29.17 59.98 1:30.66 2:00.64 959 7
2. ROGAN MARKUS AUT-ZZ 0.84 28.53 59.48 1:30.45 2:00.75 957 3
3. O’BRIEN NATHAN UVICZZ 0.73 29.23 59.89 1:31.10 2:01.39 949 2
4. SUN HONGZHE 85 UNATHI 0.72 29.03 59.91 1:31.89 2:01.63 947 4
5. GREVERS MATTHEW 85 NU-IL 0.64 29.03 59.94 1:31.50 2:01.83 944 5
6. LUCAS ADAM 83 AUST 0.59 29.04 1:00.66 1:32.39 2:03.23 927 8
MARSHALL PETER 82 STANPC 0.60 26.63 55.47 DNF 1
DEJONG CHRIS 84 CW-MI 0.59 DSQ 6

Women’s 400m Freestyle
FINAL RESULTS
Finals

WR 4:03.85 EVANS JANET Seoul (KOR) 22 SEP 1988 USA
AM 4:03.85 EVANS JANET Seoul (KOR) 22 SEP 1988 USA
JE 4:09.04 POHL CLAUDIA

Rank Name YB Club Result Points R.T. LN
A-FINAL:
1. MACKENZIE LINDA 83 AUST 0.79 4:11.76 965 1
50m: 29.09 100m: 1:00.88 150m: 1:32.72 200m: 2:04.88 250m: 2:36.77 300m: 3:09.01 350m: 3:40.76 400m: 4:11.76
2. KELLER KALYN 85 TROJCA 0.73 4:12.86 959 6
50m: 30.34 100m: 1:02.59 150m: 1:34.78 200m: 2:06.98 250m: 2:38.56 300m: 3:10.57 350m: 3:42.13 400m: 4:12.86
3. PEIRSOL HAYLEY 85 UNATCA 0.78 4:12.88 958 2
50m: 29.77 100m: 1:01.78 150m: 1:33.75 200m: 2:05.90 250m: 2:37.89 300m: 3:09.92 350m: 3:41.56 400m: 4:12.88
4. KOMISARZ RACHEL 76 LAK-KY 0.75 4:13.09 957 3
50m: 29.68 100m: 1:01.75 150m: 1:34.01 200m: 2:06.28 250m: 2:38.03 300m: 3:10.25 350m: 3:42.24 400m: 4:13.09
5. BENKO LINDSAY 76 TROJCA 0.81 4:13.94 952 4
50m: 29.21 100m: 1:00.87 150m: 1:32.95 200m: 2:05.12 250m: 2:37.54 300m: 3:10.40 350m: 3:42.52 400m: 4:13.94
6. PIPER CARLY 83 WA-WI 0.88 4:16.83 935 8
50m: 29.86 100m: 1:02.18 150m: 1:34.67 200m: 2:07.53 250m: 2:40.40 300m: 3:13.31 350m: 3:46.09 400m: 4:16.83
7. MASON EMILY 82 FORDAZ 0.79 4:18.36 927 7
50m: 29.67 100m: 1:01.82 150m: 1:34.22 200m: 2:07.07 250m: 2:39.32 300m: 3:12.55 350m: 3:45.52 400m: 4:18.36
8. SANDENO KAITLIN 83 TROJCA 0.77 4:20.25 916 5
50m: 30.19 100m: 1:02.65 150m: 1:35.28 200m: 2:08.31 250m: 2:41.03 300m: 3:14.11 350m: 3:47.43 400m: 4:20.25

Men’s 400m Freestyle
FINAL RESULTS
Finals

WR 3:40.08 THORPE IAN Manchester (GBR) 30 JUL 2002 AUS
AM 3:46.73 PHELPS MICHAEL Maryland (USA) 8 AUG 2003 NBA
JE 3:52.62 NEETHLING RYK

Rank Name YB Club Result Points R.T. LN
A-FINAL:
1. THORPE IAN 82 AUST 0.88 3:46.60 JE 984 2
50m: 26.53 100m: 55.41 150m: 1:25.13 200m: 1:54.23 250m: 2:23.49 300m: 2:51.56 350m: 3:19.19 400m: 3:46.60
2. KELLER KLETE 82 CW-MI 0.81 3:47.38 979 3
50m: 26.97 100m: 55.64 150m: 1:24.92 200m: 1:54.39 250m: 2:23.76 300m: 2:52.11 350m: 3:19.93 400m: 3:47.38
3. STEVENS CRAIG 80 AUST 0.78 3:52.29 948 4
50m: 27.71 100m: 56.81 150m: 1:25.95 200m: 1:55.25 250m: 2:24.53 300m: 2:54.00 350m: 3:23.33 400m: 3:52.29
4. VANDERKAAY PETER 84 CW-MI 0.78 3:52.97 944 7
50m: 27.10 100m: 56.79 150m: 1:26.71 200m: 1:56.55 250m: 2:26.08 300m: 2:55.89 350m: 3:24.58 400m: 3:52.97
5. VENDT ERIK 81 TROJCA 0.64 3:53.58 940 1
50m: 27.36 100m: 56.89 150m: 1:26.53 200m: 1:56.32 250m: 2:25.87 300m: 2:55.47 350m: 3:25.13 400m: 3:53.58
6. MORTIMER JUSTIN 82 MVN-CA 0.70 3:55.11 930 5
50m: 27.56 100m: 56.73 150m: 1:26.20 200m: 1:55.85 250m: 2:25.73 300m: 2:55.98 350m: 3:26.07 400m: 3:55.11
7. JOHNSTON MARK 79 UBCD 0.88 3:55.66 926 6
50m: 26.99 100m: 56.49 150m: 1:26.02 200m: 1:56.05 250m: 2:26.02 300m: 2:56.25 350m: 3:26.55 400m: 3:55.66
8. MULL CAMERON 76 SCCAPC 0.84 3:56.97 918 8
50m: 27.11 100m: 56.86 150m: 1:27.04 200m: 1:57.36 250m: 2:27.45 300m: 2:57.60 350m: 3:27.69 400m: 3:56.97

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