USA Swimming Grand Prix, Missouri: Day Two Prelims; Katie Hoff Matches U.S. Open Record

COLUMBIA, Missouri, February 16. ONE interesting by-product of morning finals is that a few hours after World and American records, fans get to come back to the pool for more action. Just such an occurrence has happened with the second day of preliminary swimming at the Missouri Grand Prix in Columbia.

By the end of the second night of prelims, Katie Hoff walked away with a U.S. Open record in the 200 free after taking the 400 free American record this morning.

Women's 200 free prelims
Fresh off a remarkable American record in the women's 400 free, which dropped Janet Evans down to one final record, Katie Hoff matched her own U.S. Open in the women's 200 free with a swift 1:57.57.

Hoff previously clocked a 1:57.57 this past summer, but has a 1:57.09 to her credit as her personal best. Laure Manaudou's world record 1:55.52 and Natalie Coughlin's American standard of 1:56.43 will both be in trouble tomorrow morning.

Kara Lynn Joyce dropped her personal-best with a second-place 1:58.77, while Coughlin placed third in 1:59.04. Kim Vandenberg completed the sub-2:00 swims with a fourth-place 1:59.86.

Allison Schmitt (2:00.19), Ashley Chandler (2:00.66), Kate Ziegler (2:00.78) and Jessica Rodriquez (2:00.82) rounded out the rest of the championship eight.

Men's 200 free prelims
Michael Phelps paced qualifying in the 200 free with a time of 1:47.43, which is the fastest in the world this year – ahead of Grant Hackett's 1:47.76 from the New South Wales State Open Championships this weekend.

Klete Keller qualified second in 1:47.87, while Erik Vendt improved upon his top time with a 1:49.16 as he continues his personal march to Beijing.

Davis Tarwater snagged fourth in 1:49.42, while Matthew Owen placed fifth in 1:49.99.

Jayme Cramer (1:50.09), Dan Madwed (1:50.16) and Robbie Renwick (1:50.42) claimed the final transfer spots into the championship heat.

Women's 200 breast prelims
Caitlin Leverenz led the way during prelims with a pool-record readout of 2:26.98 to grab lane four in the championship heat. Her time eclipsed the 2:27.42 set by Tara Kirk last year.

She was followed by Keri Hehn (2:27.53) and Kirk (2:28.36) picked up the next two spots, while Elizabeth Tinnon (2:29.24), Anne Poleska (2:29.33), Amanda Beard (2:30.67), Julie Stupp (2:31.49) and Varga Marmolejo (2:31.94) rounded out the top eight.

Men's 200 breast prelims
Scott Usher dropped nearly a second from the pool record with a time of 2:12.13, erasing the 2:13.03 set by Eric Shanteau last year at the meet. The time also stands as the fastest in the world this year, ahead of Ryo Tateishi's 2:13.61.

Vlad Polyakov qualified second in 2:13.58, while Giordan Pogioli picked up third in 2:14.12.

World-record holder Brendan Hansen must have had it in cruise control during prelims with a fourth-place effort of 2:14.46.

Shanteau (2:15.15), Neil Versfeld (2:16.41), Mark Gangloff (2:16.61) and Ryan Hurley (2:17.53) comprised the rest of the championship contenders.

Women's 50 free prelims
Another event, another pool record as Kara Lynn Joyce lowered Natalie Coughlin's standard of 25.22 set last year with a swift time of 24.71 – the fastest time in the world this year. Not only did Joyce surpass the pool record, and Britta Steffen's 24.93 as the top world time, she also chipped away at her personal-best effort of 24.80 set at the 2007 World Championships.

Dara Torres, coming off some injuries and gunning for her fifth Olympic berth, clocked a time of 24.89 after posting an American record with a 24.53 at last summer's national championships.

Coughlin served up a 25.43 for third, while Jessica Hardy (25.58) and Michelle Engelsman (25.87) took fourth and fifth, respectively.

Kim Vandenberg (25.92), Leila Vaziri (26.03) and Jana Kolukanova (26.09) picked up the final championship heat spots.

Men's 50 free prelims
Matt Grevers, sporting the new TYR Tracer suit, dropped a huge amount of time off his personal best with a time of 22.28. The performance surpassed the pool record of 22.40 set by Cullen Jones last year.

Grevers just touched out Cesar Cielo, who clocked a 22.31 and will be looking for a Brazilian record tomorrow as he tries to lower his 21.84 record.

Gary Hall Jr. placed third with a time of 22.36, while Fred Bousquet clocked a fourth-place time of 22.39.

Other top swimmers made it into the top eight as Milorad Cavic (22.51), Neil Walker (22.66), Bryan Lundquist (22.68) and Nick Brunelli (22.69) will vie for the fastest swimmer of the meet title.

Women's 400 IM
World-record holder Katie Hoff, with an American (400 free) and U.S. Open (200 free) record in her pocket already, came with a second of her own U.S. Open standard in the 400 IM with a time of 4:36.83. She set the U.S. Open record with a 4:35.82 in Aug. 2006.

Kirsty Coventry, the newly-minted world-record holder in the 200 back, placed second in 4:42.08, while Caitlin Leverenz finished third in 4:45.70.

Jessica Rodriquez took fourth in 4:46.61, while Julie Stupp (4:52.00) and Carol McElhany (4:54.27) touched fifth and sixth, respectively.

Katie Carroll (4:55.24) and Erika Erndl (4:57.30) pocketed the final two transfer spots into finals.

Men's 400 IM prelims
Michael Phelps put together a relaxed time of 4:18.12 to grab the top time in finals, while Pat Mellors touched in 4:24.65 for the second seed.

Thiago Pereira posted a time of 4:25.28 for third, while Robert Margalis (4:25.34) and Lewis Smith (4:25.51) hit the wall fourth and fifth during prelims.

Ryan Lochte (4:26.34), Tamas Kerekjarto (4:26.69) and Fran Crippen (4:27.34) completed the rest of the top eight.

Gary Hall Jr. at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Katie Hoff at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Amanda Beard at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Kirsty Coventry at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Brendan Hansen at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

Scott Usher at 2008 Missouri Grand Prix

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