World Championships: Emily Seebohm Rockets to Fastest Semifinal Swim of 100 Backstroke

By John Lohn

MELBOURNE, Australia, March 26. WITH favorite Natalie Coughlin still recovering from the championship of the 100 butterfly, Australia's Emily Seebohm, a 14-year-old sensation, managed the fastest semifinal mark in the women's 100 backstroke. Seebohm was timed in 1:00.51 and will occupy Lane Four for the championship final.

Coughlin, the world-record holder and only woman in history to go under a minute, was fourth-fastest during the semifinals. Coughlin was timed in 1:00.64, slower than her prelim time of 1:00.38. But, Coughlin had raced the 100 fly final earlier in the night, setting an American record for the bronze medal. Consequently, all she wanted to do at night was move forward into the championship race.

Frenchwoman Laure Manaudou, tackling one of the most daunting schedules of the week, was second-fastest in the semifinals, behind a time of 1:00.55. Tomorrow night, Manaudou will race the finals of the 1,500 free and 100 backstroke, a unique double and certainly a challenging program. She was followed in third by Japan's Hanae Ito (1:00.62).

The rest of the field for the final features Japan's Reiko Nakamura (1:00.71), Australia's Tay Zimmer (1:01.06), the Ukraine's Iryna Amshennikova (1:01.21) and Russia's Anastasia Zueva (1:01.23). American Leila Vaziri was 10th in 1:01.39.

"I'm already excited for the final, especially about going into Lane Four," Seebohm said. "It'd be great to get a medal, but if that happens or not it doesn't really matter. I can't get too excited or I won't sleep tonight."

Click Here to view event results PDF file.

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