USA Short Course National Championships: Day Three Prelims

ATLANTA, Georgia, December 1. AS the date turned to the final month of a momentous 2007 in the sport of swimming, the United States will close the curtains on the year tonight with the final session of championship swimming at the USA Short Course National Championships held in Atlanta, Ga.

Women's 200 backstroke
With American record holder Natalie Coughlin electing not to compete in the event, the national title is up for grabs. Mary DeScenza qualified first with a time of 1:55.34, while Margaret Hoelzer battled her in the 11th heat with a time of 1:55.41. Mary Beck, in heat 12, couldn't overcome the top two times, but still clinched a third-place 1:55.46.

A lot of time separates third from fourth, as Melissa Marik qualified with a 1:58.10 and Julianne McLane took fifth in 1:58.19.

Gemma Spofforth (1:58.30), Stephanie Proud (1:58.31) and Erica Meissner (1:58.32) completed the top eight.

Click here to view event results PDF file.

Men's 200 backstroke
Adding to his already amazing meet, Ryan Lochte will definitely take a run at his American record time of 1:37.68 after turning in a sterling time of 1:39.44 in prelims.

Second place will be a battle between Chris DeJong (1:43.18), Matt Grevers (1:43.26), Hongzhe Sun (1:43.83) and Adam Mania (1:43.97) as they each clocked 1:43s.

Ian Clark (1:44.21), James Wike (1:44.36) and Doug Van Wie (1:44.43) complete the top eight. Randall Bal finished in ninth with a time of 1:44.65.

Click here to view event results PDF file.

Women's 100 freestyle
Natalie Coughlin will definitely be looking to be the first person under 47 after setting the American record with a time of 47.00 in 2003. Coughlin wowed the crowd at Georgia Tech in prelims with a scintillating time of 47.78.

Kara Lynn Joyce will give chase as she touched in 48.15, while Ava Ohlgren (48.65) and Rachel Komisarz (49.00) will be looking to cut some major time to contend with Coughlin.

Emily Silver (49.02), Jessica Hardy (49.04), Carrie Ellis (49.07) and Kara Denby (49.09) rounded out the top eight.

Click here to view event results PDF file.

Men's 100 freestyle
Both 100 free American records may be in jeopardy as Michael Phelps has set his sites on the sprint distance event. Phelps clocked a top time of 42.63 with the 41.62 of Anthony Ervin and 41.17 of Cesar Cielo as his target during finals tonight.

Bryan Lundquist finished second in 42.75, while Nathan Adrian (42.89) and Cielo (42.96) took third and fourth.

Peter Vanderkaay (43.17), Matt Grevers (43.41), Alex Righi (43.46) and Ben Wildman-Tobriner (43.70) comprised the rest of the top eight finishers.

Click here to view event results PDF file.

Women's 200 breaststroke
Caitlin Leverenz and Elizabeth Tinnon will be in for a battle as the duo clocked times of 2:10.60 and 2:10.76 to qualify first and second, respectively.

Elle Weberg (2:11.12), Alia Atkinson (2:11.88), Keri Hehn (2:11.92) and Spindrift Beck (2:12.78) touched third through sixth, while Jessica Schmitt (2:13.77) and Julie Stupp (2:13.87) wound up seventh and eighth.

Click here to view event results PDF file.

Men's 200 breaststroke
Eric Shanteau clocked the fastest time of the morning with a 1:57.34, while Vlad Polyakov hit the wall in 1:57.73 and will be looking to make some noise when he is relegated to the B Final tonight.

Cheyne Block placed third in 1:58.63, while Mark Gangloff (1:58.65) and Neil Versfeld (1:58.81) took fourth and fifth.

Ryan Hurley (1:58.85), Stuart Ferguson (2:00.12) and Robert Margalis (2:00.85) completed the rest of the top eight.

Click here to view event results PDF file.

Women's 200 butterfly
Mary DeScenza and Kim Vandenberg will take a run at Natalie Coughlin's American standard of 1:51.91 after DeScenza hit the wall in 1:54.77 and Vandenberg placed second in 1:54.93.

Kathleen Hersey (1:56.09), Tanya Krisman (1:56.26) and Amanda Sims (1:56.45) took third through fifth, while Dana Vollmer (1:56.66), Kaitlin Sandeno (1:57.10) and Rachel Ridgeway (1:57.14) placed sixth through eighth.

Click here to view event results PDF file.

Men's 200 butterfly
Randall Tom (1:44.34), Davis Tarwater (1:44.57) and Jayme Cramer (1:44.95) each posted sub-1:45 times to take the top three qualifying spots in the event.

Ryan Lochte, who will be looking to add to his already stocked event schedule, placed fourth in 1:45.32, while Stefan Ghergel took fifth in 1:46.20.

Emmanuel Crescimbeni (1:46.29), Eddie Erazo (1:46.36) and Doug Lennox (1:46.70) touched sixth through eighth.

Click here to view event results PDF file.

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