USA Swimming Grand Prix, Missouri: Day Three Finals; Hoff Sets Another AR, U.S. Open Mark

COLUMBIA, Missouri, February 17. WITH news coming out of Australia of the second world record in as many days, one here in Missouri and one in Sydney, swimming fans were treated to a show from Katie Hoff here at the Missouri Grand Prix.

Women's 200 free
Katie Hoff added another American record to her coffer this weekend with a blazing fast time of 1:56.08. That performance, with splits of 27.61, 29.18, 29.50 and 29.79, eclipsed Natalie Coughlin's national record of 1:56.43 set on at the 2007 World Championships. It also improved upon Hoff's best time of 1:57.09 from the same meet as Hoff dipped under 1:57 for the first time.

Hoff did, however, come up short of adding the world record to her resume as Laure Manaudou's 1:55.52 stands safe for another day.

Coughlin clocked a swift 1:57.47 to pick up the silver medal, while Kara Lynn Joyce touched third in 1:58.72.

Morning Finals Impact
1. Katie Hoff; 1:56.08; 1:57.57; Faster
2. Natalie Coughlin; 1:57.47; 1:59.04; Faster
3. Kara Lynn Joyce; 1:58.72; 1:58.77; Faster
4. Kim Vandenberg; 1:58.91; 1:59.86; Faster
5. Allison Schmitt; 1:59.72; 2:00.19; Faster
6. Jessica Rodriquez; 2:01.16; 2:00.82; Slower
7. Ashley Chandler; 2:01.27; 2:00.66; Slower
8. Kate Ziegler; 2:01.60; 2:00.78; Slower

Men's 200 free
While recent Speedo advertising used Michael Phelps' world record of 1:43.86 as the chosen time to hype as the future goal, the swimming superstar settled for lowering his pool record from last year with a winning effort of 1:45.71.

The performance still is well on the top of the list as the best in the world this year.

Meanwhile, former Club Wolverine teammate Klete Keller put together a strong second-place time of 1:47.54, just more than a second slower than his personal-best time of 1:46.13 set at the 2004 Athens Games.

Erik Vendt, continuing his strong recent success, placed third in 1:49.08 putting himself in position to make a run at the 800 free relay in Omaha.

Morning Finals Impact
1. Michael Phelps; 1:45.71; 1:47.43; Faster
2. Klete Keller; 1:47.54; 1:47.87; Faster
3. Erik Vendt; 1:49.08; 1:49.16; Faster
4. Davis Tarwater; 1:49.35; 1:49.42; Faster
5. Matthew Owen; 1:49.55; 1:49.99; Faster
6. Jayme Cramer; 1:50.07; 1:50.09; Faster
7. Dan Madwed; 1:50.30; 1:50.16; Slower
8. Robbie Renwick; 1:51.64; 1:50.42; Slower

Women's 200 breast
With prelim top-seed Caitlin Leverenz (2:26.98) scratching, Keri Hehn jumped through the opening to win the event in a pool-record time of 2:27.13. That readout surpassed Tara Kirk's standard of 2:27.42 set last year at this meet. Hehn also came close to her career-best effort of 2:26.72 set at the 2007 Pan American Games.

Anne Poleska wound up taking second in the race with a time of 2:28.89, while Kirk finished third in 2:29.08.

Meanwhile, Amanda Beard placed just behind in fourth with a time of 2:29.65.

Morning Finals Impact
1. Keri Hehn; 2:27.13; 2:27.53; Faster
2. Anne Poleska; 2:28.89; 2:29.33; Faster
3. Tara Kirk; 2:29.08; 2:28.36; Slower
4. Amanda Beard; 2:29.65; 2:30.67; Faster
5. Varga Marmolejo; 2:29.78; 2:31.94; Faster
6. Elizabeth Tinnon; 2:30.14; 2:29.24; Slower
7. Vipa Bernhardt; 2:30.49; 2:32.51; Faster
8. Julie Stupp; 2:34.73; 2:31.49; Slower

Men's 200 breast
Eric Shanteau crushed his pool record with a time of 2:10.86, as he dropped more than two seconds from Scott Usher's 2:12.13 facility standard set during prelims. Shanteau also nearly cleared his personal-best time of 2:10.65 set at last summer's national championships.

Usher, the top seed with the 2:12.13 pool record, dropped in with a second-place swim of 2:11.80, while world-record holder Brendan Hansen finished a surprising third place with a time of 2:12.51.

Morning Finals Impact
1. Eric Shanteau; 2:10.86; 2:15.15; Faster
2. Scott Usher; 2:11.80; 2:12.13; Faster
3. Brendan Hansen; 2:12.51; 2:14.46; Faster
4. Giordan Pogioli; 2:13.16; 2:14.12; Faster
5. Vlad Polyakov; 2:13.59; 2:13.58; Slower
6. Mark Gangloff; 2:15.26; 2:16.61; Faster
7. Neil Versfeld; 2:15.44; 2:16.41; Faster
8. Ryan Hurley; 2:18.77; 2:17.53; Slower

Women's 50 free
Kara Lynn Joyce chased the U.S. Open standard of Inge de Bruijn set in 2000 with a time of 24.50, but fell just short with a personal-best time of 24.59. That time lowered her pool record of 24.71 set during prelims.

Dara Torres, still recovering from injury, clocked a time of 24.89 to take second-place, while Natalie Coughlin snared third in 25.22.

Morning Finals Impact
1. Kara Lynn Joyce; 24.59; 24.71; Faster
2. Dara Torres; 24.85; 24.89; Faster
3. Natalie Coughlin; 25.22; 25.43; Faster
4. Jessica Hardy; 25.63; 25.58; Slower
5. Kim Vandenberg; 25.65; 25.92; Faster
6. Michelle Engelsman; 25.76; 25.87; Faster
7. Jana Kolukanova; 25.95; 26.09; Faster
8. Leila Vaziri; 26.19; 26.03; Slower

Men's 50 free
After hearing about Eamon Sullivan's world record down in Sydney, Cesar Cielo gave it a go, but wound up with a 22.01 with Fred Bousquet touching right after him in 22.05. Both times surpassed Cielo's pool record of 22.31 set during prelims.

Milorad Cavic picked up third place with a time of 22.29, while Matt Grevers was the hardluck fourth-place finisher in 22.37.

Meanwhile, Nathan Adrian posted a strong swim out of the consolation heat with a 22.36.

Morning Finals Impact
1. Cesar Cielo; 22.01; 22.31; Faster
2. Fred Bousquet; 22.05; 22.39; Faster
3. Milorad Cavic; 22.29; 22.51; Faster
4. Matt Grevers; 22.37; 22.28; Slower
5. Nick Brunelli; 22.51; 22.69; Faster
6. Bryan Lundquist; 22.69; 22.68; Slower
7. Neil Walker; 22.70; 22.66; Slower
8. Gary Hall Jr.; 22.71; 22.36; Slower

Women's 400 IM
Katie Hoff continued her remarkable meet with a U.S. Open clocking in the women's 400 IM. Hoff, who already owns the world record with a 4:32.89 at the 2007 World Championships – her first world record, cleared her U.S. Open mark of 4:35.82 set in August 2006. Hoff posted a time of 4:34.53 to win the event today.

Kirsty Coventry, fresh off the women's 200 back world record yesterday, grabbed second with a 4:37.70, while Caitlin Leverenz placed third in 4:40.70.

Morning Finals Impact
1. Katie Hoff; 4:34.53; 4:36.83; Faster
2. Kirsty Coventry; 4:37.70; 4:42.08; Faster
3. Caitlin Leverenz; 4:40.70; 4:45.70; Faster
4. Jessica Rodriquez; 4:48.70; 4:46.61; Slower
5. Julie Stupp; 4:51.84; 4:52.00; Faster
6. Katie Carroll; 4:54.34; 4:55.24; Faster
7. Carol McElhany; 4:56.25; 4:54.27; Slower
8. Erika Erndl; 4:57.04; 4:57.30; Faster

Men's 400 IM
In a possible preview to the 2008 Beijing Games final in the event, not withstanding the absence of Hungary's Laszlo Cseh, Michael Phelps won the face-to-face battle with Thiago Pereira – handily. The world-record holder in the event with a ridiculous 4:06.22 at last year's World Championships, Phelps clocked a routine 4:14.08 to claim a four-second victory.

Pereira, with a 4:11.14 to his credit, wound up taking second in 4:18.49, while holding off Ryan Lochte. Lochte rounded out the top three in 4:22.06.

Morning Finals Impact
1. Michael Phelps; 4:14.08; 4:18.12; Faster
2. Thiago Pereira; 4:18.49; 4:25.28; Faster
3. Ryan Lochte; 4:22.06; 4:26.34; Faster
4. Robert Margalis; 4:22.14; 4:25.34; Faster
5. Lewis Smith; 4:24.10; 4:25.51; Faster
6. Pat Mellors; 4:24.39; 4:24.65; Faster
7. Fran Crippen; 4:27.93; 4:27.34; Slower
8. Tamas Kerekjarto; 4:30.44; 4:26.69; Slower

Relays
The Sun Devil Aquatics team of Angela Duckworth, Sarah Cox, Danielle Caldwell and Haley Krakoski posted a meet-record time of 8:36.13 in the women's 800 free relay to surpass the time of The Bolles School (8:36.20) set last year.

The SCO squad of Lewis Smith, Stuart Houston, Ewan Johnston and Robbie Renwick set the pool record with a time of 7:39.29. That eclipsed the 7:49.42 set by the Mizzou Swim Team on July 21, 2006.

Kara Lynn Joyce at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Tara Kirk at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Brendan Hansen at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Dara Torres at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Katie Hoff at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Keri Hehn at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Michael Phelps at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Scott Usher at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

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