Thorpe Sets WR, Wins Two Gold on First Day of Competition at World Champs

By Craig Lord with Takahisa Ide

FUKUOKA, Japan, July 22. THORPEMANIA spilled over on to the poolside at the World Championships in Fukuoka tonight as Ian Thorpe was greeted by hundreds of screaming Japanese girls after lowering the world record in the 400 meter freestyle to 3:40.17 and going on to bring Australia home to an historic victory in the 4x100m freestyle.

Just as the most enthralling swimmer of our times had lulled his rivals into a false sense of security in the 400 meter freestyle, he tore the script to shreds, dug his head into the bow wave that rolls before him like a messenger from Neptune and sent fountains flying from his size-17 feet.

The suddeness and indecent dimension of the gulf that developed between Thorpe, his teammate Grant Hackett and the Italian teammates Emiliano Brembilla and Massimiliano Rosolino, who were to choke in the
teenager's wake, was every bit as impressive as the time on the clock at the wall: a world record, 0.42sec under the time in which he claimed the Olympic crown in his hometown of Sydney.

Only Hackett could respond when Thorpe made his break, and went on to take the silver medal in 3:42.51 – making him the second fastest man in history – while Brembilla overhauled Rosolino, the Olympic silver medal winner, over the last 15 meters to take the bronze medal in 3:45.11 to his teammate's 3:45.41.

Thorpe said: "I'm happy to win that race. The time was good for me. I've got six more events so this a great start."

An Australian team spokesman explained that Thorpe had agreed with his coach Doug Frost to race the 400 meters "conservatively," given the heavy program he faces in the coming week.

That meant being behind his world record pacae by more than one second at 100m, almost two seconds at 200m and more than one second at 300m before a staggering final 100m split of 53.78 seconds.

The results of the night almost mirrored those on the first night of swimming at the Olympic Games, one of the most electric in swimming history. Then the crowd was 17,000 deep. Just over 8,000 were present tonight, though the appreciation of Thorpe was no-less avid.

The USA's Chad Carvin was fifth in 3:50.11, after he qualified in 3:49.93. Robert Margalis, w1ho won the US Trials, managed only a 3:54.65 (16th place) in prelims and did not advance to the finals.

Women's 400 meter IM
After Thorpe's 400 meter freestyle victory, Yana Klochkova, of Ukraine, cruised to victory in the women's 400 meter individual medley to add the world title to the Olympic crown she claimed in a world record of 4mins 33.59sec last year.

A time of 4:36.98 was all that was required of her this time, with Maggie Bowen, of the US, second in 4:39.06 and Olympic bronze medal winner Beatrice
Coada-Caslaru, of Romania, third in 4:39.33.

Klochkova was slightly down on world record pace after the butterfly leg but her backstroke has improved a touch since last year. From the half-way point, however, her best form deserted her and she was resigned to having done enough for a comfortable victory.

Back in fifth in 4:43.13, Kaitlin Sandeno, Bowen's teammate, merits a mention if only because she was the busiest swimmer of the day, having raced the 400m medley heats and final, 200m butterfly heats and semi-final and the heats of the 800 meter freestyle, both in times good enough to make the finals.

Men's 4×100 meter Freestyle Relay
Thorpe was back in the water soon after, helping repeat at the world championships what it had already achieved at the Olympic Games last year: the 4x100m freestye relay represented the first ever defeat for the United States in that event.

But there was more bad news to come. For where Australia clocked 3:14.10 for the gold. The Aussies split: Michael Klim-49.12, Ashley Callus-48.31, Todd Pearson-48.80, Ian Thorpe-47.87. When Pieter van den Hoogenband brought the Dutch home for the silver medal in 3:14.56, a European record, with a split time of 47.02 seconds, the fastest relay leg in history, the scoreboard showed the US had finished third half a second further adrift in 3:15.29.

Then more bad news: Denis Pursley approached Carol Zaleski, of FINA, to tell her that Nate Dusing had, in fact, raced in the place of Gregory Busse by mistake, contravening FINA rules that cover the announcement of names for relays one hour before competition.

"As an American I am so proud of Denis Pursley for coming to us and telling us that the wrong swimmer had swum. We might never have spotted it ourselves."

She went on to explain that it was neither the fault of FINA nor the US team officials but, in fact, a misunderstanding "between the boys" on the relay about who should be racing in the final. The result was that Germany collected the bronze medal in 3:17.52. Germany was anchored by 36 year-old Sven Lodziewski, a former East German star who raced at the 1982 World Championships in Guayaquil, and won his last previous medal in 1988.

RESULTS
Finals

Men's 400m freestyle
1. Ian Thorpe (AUS) 3:40.17 WR
2. Grant Hackett (AUS) 3:42.51
3. Emiliano Brembilla (ITA) 3:45.11
4. Massimiliano Rosolino (ITA) 3:45.41
5. Chad Carvin (USA) 3:50.11
6. Dragos Coman (ROM) 3:50.13
7. Syridon Gianniotis (GRE) 3:52.09
8. Shunichi Fujita (JPN) 3:52.11

Women's 400m individual medley
1. Yana Klochkova (UKR) 4:36.98
2. Maggie Bowen (USA) 4:39.06
3. Beatrice Caslara (ROM) 4:39.33
4. Qi Hui (CHN) 4:41.64
5. Kaitlin Sandeno (USA) 4:43.13
6. Nicole Hetzer (GER) 4:44.77
7. Tomoko Hagiwara (JPN) 4:48.47
DQ Ayane Sato (JPN) 4:46.05DQ

Men's 4×100 meter freestyle relay
1. Australia
(Michael Klim, Ashley Callus,
Todd Pearson, Ian Thorpe) 3:14.10
2. The Netherlands 3:14.56 ER
3. Germany 3:17.52
4. Sweden 3:18.00
5. Italy 3:19.37
6. Russia 3:21.63
DQ U.S.A. 3:15.29DQ
DQ Brazil

Semifinals

Women's 200m butterfly
Fastest eight qualifiers for Monday's final
1. Annika Melhorn (GER) 2:08.95
2. Petria Thomas (AUS) 2:09.20
3. Yuko Nakanishi (JPN) 2:09.79
4. Eva Risztov (HUN) 2:09.91
5. Mireia Garcia (ESP) 2:09.97
6. Mette Jacobsen (DEN) 2:10.43
7. Shelly Ripple (USA) 2:10.62
8. Kaitlin Sandeno (USA) 2:10.65

Men's 50m freestyle
Fastest eight qualifiers for Monday's final
1. Anthony Ervin (USA) 22.05
2. Pieter van den Hoogenband (NED) 22.14
3. Mark Foster (GBR) 22.19
4. Vyacheslav Shyrshov (UKR) 22.30
5. Stefan Nystrand (SWE) 22.31
6. Roland Schoeman (RSA) 22.34
6. Brett Hawke (AUS) 22.34
8. Tomohiro Yamanoi (JPN) 22.37

Women's 100m breaststroke
Fastest eight qualifiers for Monday's final
1. Luo Xuejuan (CHN) 1:07.48
2. Agnes Kovacs (HUN) 1:08.02
3. Leisel Jones (AUS) 1:08.58
4. Sarah Poewe (RSA) 1:08.98
5. Mirna Jukic (AUT) 1:09.31
6. Megan Quann (USA) 1:09.32
7. Kristy Kowal (USA) 1:09.37
8. Rhiannon Leier (CAN) 1:09.69

Men's 100m backstroke
Fastest eight qualifiers for Monday's final
1. Randall Bal (USA) 54.93
2. Orn Arnarson (ISL) 55.21
3. Markus Rogan (AUT) 55.22
4. Steffen Driesen (GER) 55.26
5. Peter Horvath (HUN) 55.38
6. Gordan Kozulj (CRO) 55.42
7. Matt Welsh (AUS) 55.47
8. Josh Watson (AUS) 55.78

Prelims
Men's 4x100m freestyle relay
Fastest eight qualifiers for Sunday's final
1. U.S.A. 3:17.11
2. Australia 3:17.27
3. The Netherlands 3:18.48
4. Germany 3:18.60
5. Sweden 3:19.20
6. Italy 3:20.03
7. Brazil 3:21.19
8. Russia 3:21.70

Men's 400m freestyle
Fastest eight qualifiers for Sunday's final
1. Grant Hackett (AUS) 3:44.88
2. Ian Thorpe (AUS) 3:45.22
3. Emiliano Brembilla (ITA) 3:46.45
4. Massimiliano Rosolino (ITA) 3:47.92
5. Chad Carvin (USA) 3:49.93
6. Shunichi Fujita (JPN) 3:50.36
7. Syridon Gianniotis (GRE) 3:50.98
8. Dragos Coman (ROM) 3:50.99

Women's 400m individual medley
Fastest eight qualifiers for Sunday's final
1. Beatrice Caslaru (ROM) 4:40.36
2. Maggie Bowen (USA) 4:41.31
3. Nicole Hetzer (GER) 4:41.81
4. Yana Klochkova (UKR) 4:42.52
5. Kaitlin Sandeno (USA) 4:43.88
6. Qi Hui (CHN) 4:44.65
7. Tomoko Hagiwara (JPN) 4:45.94
8. Ayane Sato (JPN) 4:46.05

Women's 800m freestyle
Fastest eight qualifiers for Monday's final
1. Hannah Stockbaurer (GER) 8:31.79
2. Diana Munz (USA) 8:33.09
3. Kaitlen Sandeno (USA) 8:35.51
4. Jana Pechanova (CZE) 8:36.87
5. Rebecca Cooke (GBR) 8:37.21
6. Sachiko Yamada (JPN) 8:37.27
7. Chen Hua (CHN) 8:37.52
8. Flavia Rigamonti (SUI) 8:40.33

Women's 200m butterfly
Fastest 16 qualifiers for Sunday's semifinals
1. Petria Thomas (AUS) 2:07.91
2. Annika Melhorn (GER) 2:08.37
3. Jessica Deglau (CAN) 2:10.75
4. Kaitlin Sandeno (USA) 2:10.87
5. Eva Risztov (HUN) 2:11.07
6. Mireia Garcia (ESP) 2:11.15
7. Mette Jacobsen (DEN) 2:11.27
8. Yuko Nakanishi (JPN) 2:11.45
9. Georgina Lee (GBR) 2:11.61
10. Shelly Ripple (USA) 2:11.76
11. Elizabeth Van Welie (NZL) 2:11.87
12. Asako Kitida (JPN) 2:12.03
13. Petra Zahrl (AUT) 2:12.25
14. Sophia Skou (DEN) 2:12.35
15. Audrey Lacroix (CAN) 2:12.94
16. Irina Bespalova (RUS) 2:13.65

Men's 50m freestyle
Fastest 16 qualifiers for Sunday's semifinals
1. Brett Hawke (AUS) 22.18
2. Jose Martin Meolans (ARG) 22.31
3. Julio Santos (ECU) 22.34
4 Roland Schoeman (RSA) 22.39
4 Bartosz Kizierowski (POL) 22.39
6 Ashley Callus (AUS) 22.42
6 Anthony Ervin (USA) 22.42
8. Jason Lezak (USA) 22.45
9. Johan Kenkhuis (NED) 22.47
10 Stefan Nystrand (SWE) 22.48
10 Pieter van den Hoogenband (NED) 22.48
12 Mark Foster (GBR) 22.51
12 Vyacheslav Shyrshov (UKR) 22.51
14. Ricardo Busquets (PUR) 22.70
15. Tomohiro Yamanoi (JPN) 22.75
16. Attila Zubor (HUN) 22.76

Women's 100m breaststroke
Fastest 16 qualifiers for Sunday's semifinals
1. Sarah Poewe (RSA) 1:08.71
2. Luo Xuejuan (CHN) 1:08.78
3. Leisel Jones (AUS) 1:08.86
4. Agnes Kovacs (HUN) 1:08.98
5. Kristy Kowal (USA) 1:09.02
6. Rhiannon Leier (CAN) 1:09.40
7. Megan Quann (USA) 1:09.71
8. Mirna Jukic (AUT) 1:09.85
9. Tarnee White (AUS) 1:09.94
10. Simone Weiler (GER) 1:09.96
11. Elena Bogomazova (RUS) 1:09.99
12. Junko Isodo (JPN) 1:10.45
13. Jaime King (GBR) 1:10.85
14. Roberta Crescentini (ITA) 1:10.90
15. Madelon Baans (NED) 1:11.08
16. Elvira Fischer (AUT) 1:11.14

Men's 100m backstroke
Fastest 16 qualifiers for Sunday's semifinals
1. Markus Rogan (AUT) 55.08
2. Steffen Driesen (GER) 55.44
3. Randall Bal (USA) 55.47
4. Gordan Kozulj (CRO) 55.56
5. Orn Arnarson (ISL) 55.63
6. Peter Horvath (HUN) 55.67
7. Lim Keng (MAL) 55.85
8. Stev Theloke (GER) 55.99
9. Aaron Peirsol (USA) 56.02
10. Matt Welsh (AUS) 56.04
11. Josh Watson (AUS) 56.11
12. Blaz Medvesek (SLO) 56.24
12. Alexandre Massura Neto (BRA) 56.24
14. Vladislav Aminov (RUS) 56.25
15. Mariusz Siembida (POL) 56.28
16. Emanuele Merisi (ITA) 56.33

DIVING
Final

Women's 10-meter synchronised diving (five dives)
1. Duan Qing/Sang Xue (China) 329.94 points
2. Yevgeniya Olshevskaya/Svetlana Timoshinina (Russia) 306.90
3. Takiri Miyazaki/Emi Otsuki (Japan) 297.00
4. Marion Reiff/Anja Richter/Libiseller (Austria) 279.78
5. Loudy Tourky/Rebecca Gilmore (Australia) 274.92
6. Kimiko Hirai-Soldati/Nicole Pohorenec
(USA) 269.49
7. Ditte Kotzian/Annett Gamm (Germany) 264.42
8. Olga Lyeonova/Olena Zhupina (Ukraine) 255.48

Men's 3-metre synchronised diving (five dives)

1. Peng Bo/Wang Kenan
(China) 342.63 points
2. Joel Rodriguez/Fernando Platas
(Mexico) 338.49
3. Alexander Dobroskok/Dmitry Sautin
(Russia) 335.19
4. Mark Shipman/Tony Ally
(Britain) 319.98
5. Andreas Wels/Tobias Schellenberg
(Germany) 310.68
6. Robert Newbury/Steven Barnett
(Australia) 307.08
7. Troy Dumais/Thomas Davidson
(USA) 284.94
8. Jose Miguel Gil/Rafael Alvarez
(Spain) 282.72

World Record Progression: Men's 400m Freestyle

3:51.56 Brian Goodell (USA) Aug. 27, 1977
3:51.41 Vladimir Salnikov (URS) Apr. 06, 1979
3:51.40 Vladimir Salnikov (URS) Aug. 19, 1979
3:51.20 Vladimir Salnikov (URS) Feb. 29, 1980
3:50.49 Peter Szmidt (CAN) July 15, 1980
3:49.57 Vladimir Salnikov (URS) Mar. 12, 1982
3:49.57 Vladimir Salnikov (URS) July 14, 2982
3:48.32 Vladimir Salnikov (URS) Feb. 19, 1983
3:47.80 Michael Gross (WGR) Jun. 27, 1985
3:47.38 Artur Wojdat (POL) Mar. 25, 1988
3:46.95 Uwe Dassler (GDR) Sep. 23, 1988
3:46.47 Kieren Perkins (AUS) Apr. 03, 1992
3:45.00 Evgeny Sadovyi (CIS) Jul. 29, 1992
3:43.80 Kieren Perkins (AUS) Sep. 09, 1994
3:41.83 Ian Thorpe (AUS) Aug. 22, 1999
3:41.33 Ian Thorpe (AUS) May 13, 2000
3:40.59 Ian Thorpe (AUS) Sep. 16, 2000
3:40.17 Ian Thorpe (AUS) July 22, 2001

Maggie Bowen and Yana Klochkova (r) at press conference after 400 IM

Maggie Bowen & USA Swimmings Mary Wagner pose for the camera at the 2001 World Championships.

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