Streamlined News: Junior Nationals Recap; Swift Swimming in South Africa and Japan ; Is Michael Phelps in Trouble Over Ad Leak?


PHOENIX, Arizona, August 17. GILLIAN Ryan and Allie Szekely were the stars of last night's competition at the 2012 junior national championships in Indianapolis, each winning their third event of the meet. Ryan won the 200 free, while Szekely won the 100 breast n a very close race. Ryan was the only swimmer able to break two minutes in the 200, winning with a 1:59.22. She was not too far off Lia Neal's 2009 meet record of 1:58.22 and could likely make a run at the record next year.

Szekely turned in eighth place at the 50-meter mark in the 100 breast final but charged home to win with a 1:10.62, about two tenths ahead of Katharine Ross.

Michael Domagala of Asphalt Green turned on the jets in the men's 200 free final, and the 16-year-old won with a 1:49.88, the only swim under 1:50 in the meet and a personal best by two seconds. The meet wraps up today with the 200 IM and 50 free, as well as two distance events. Ryan and Szekely will be looking to make it four event wins at the meet.

Down at the South African short course nationals the country is picking its swimmers for the short course world championships. A few swimmers have qualified for the meet so far, including Darian Townsend, who is potentially set to swim as many as three events so far. He won the 200 free last night and posted automatic qualifying times in the 100 IM and 100 free today in the semifinals. Townsend could also get on the team in the 200 IM later in the meet. Chad Le Clos finished second to Townsend in the 200 free, then withdrew from the remainder of the meet with an undisclosed illness. It's unclear if Le Clos will be able to qualify for the world championship team at other meets this fall, such as the world cup meets. Roland Schoeman won the 50 fly today and will contest the 100 free and 100 IM final to earn a trip to worlds. Despite a few medals at the long course worlds, Schoeman has yet to win a medal at the short course world championships.

You can read recaps of both meets on swimmingworld.com.

Earlier today at the Japan Inter-High School Championships, a new name in breaststroke broke through. Akihiro Yamaguchi swam a 2:07.84 in the men's 200 breast, just three tenths slower than Kosuke Kitajima's national record, a record that once stood as the world record. Just 18 years old, Yamaguchi took two seconds off his lifetime best time, which he did last May at the Japanese Olympic Trials to set a Japanese junior record. The time would have won the bronze medal at the Olympics, interestingly just bumping down the two Japanese entrants in the meet: Ryo Tateishi and Kitajima.

Michael Phelps is in danger of major reprimand after photos of a new campaign with Louis Vuitton surfaced on the Internet, violating policy by the International Olympic Committee. The much-debated Rule 40 states that no athlete can appear in advertising between July 18 and August 15, and the photos began appearing on the Internet last Friday. Apparently leaking the photos on the Internet to publicize the upcoming ad campaign constitutes advertising. The Vuitton company and Phelps are denying that they had anything to do with the leak. The original story posted by Yahoo Sports suggests that Phelps could lose the six medals he won in London.

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