BY Phillip Whitten
LONG BEACH, Calif., July 12. AUBURN Aquatics' Margaret Hoelzer swam the fastest semifinal time in the women's 200-meters backstroke to earn the number one seed for tomorrow's final.
Hoelzer clocked a solid 2:12.57 to win her semifinal heat and lead all qualifiers. Longhorn Aquatics' Hayley McGregory turned in the second-fastest time, 2:13.30.
These two swimmers are the favorites to win Olympic berths, but the final eight are so tightly bunched that any of them could find herself an Olympian 24 hours from now.
Only 1.15 seconds separates second from eighth place, while 1.88 seconds is the difference between first and eighth.
One swimmer to watch is Kristen Caverly, the third qualifier at 2:13.75. Only 12 minutes earlier, Caverly swam the final of the 200-meter breaststroke, where she finished in fourth place. Tomorrow she will be rested for the backstroke final.