By P.H. Mullen<\/p>\n
It was the most anticipated showdown of tonight's Phillips 66 National Championships, but Santa Clara's Tom Wilkens turned it into a one-man show
\nas he handily beat Tom Dolan in the 400 meter individual medley en route to becoming the fifth fastest man in history with the world's seventh-fastest time.<\/p>\n
Wilkens narrowly led Dolan, the world-record in the event, into the breastroke leg and then proceeded to open a 3-1\/2 body-length lead. With the crowd on its feet for the first time all night, Wilkens stayed
\nsignificantly ahead of world record pace until the final 100 meters.<\/p>\n
"I knew what my splits were," said Wilkens, who glanced at the overhead scoreboard twice during his race. "When I couldn't see the clock, I could
\nhear the crowd cheering me on."<\/p>\n
"People were wondering why I didn't swim the breast at this meet," added Wilkens, who was ranked No. 1 in the world in the 200-meter breastroke in 1998. "I wanted to prove what I could do when I concentrated on the I.M."<\/p>\n
Dolan, who earlier won the 800-meter freestyle with his fastest time since the mid-1990s, finished second in 4:17.28.<\/p>\n
Triple 1996 Olympic gold medalist Josh Davis of Texas Aquatics won the men's 200-m free tonight in 1:47.94, the third-fastest time in American.<\/p>\n
Swimming in a black full-length Speedo "Fastskin" body suit, Davis, 27, enjoyed a one-second lead after the first 100 meters and sealed victory with a furious burst of six-beat kicking the final 50 meters. Scott Goldblatt of Berkeley Aquatics (N.J.) finished
\nsecond in 1:49.36 and while Britain's Jamie Salter touched third in 1:49.60. It was Davis' sixth national title in the event.<\/p>\n
"I was only .2 second off Biondi's record," said Davis, referring to Matt Biondi's 1988 American record 1:47. 72. "I've been dreaming of that record for a long time, over seven years."<\/p>\n
Davis, whose wife is expecting their third child on Sept. 15th, the day of the Olympic opening ceremonies, credited a new, focused work program for his victory.<\/p>\n
The Dallas Mustang's Martina Moravcova easily won the women's 200 meter freestyle with a time of 1:59.28. The 24-year-old Slovakian, spinning high through the water with her characteristic straight-arm recovery, hit the 100 meters just ahead of 100-meter champion Dara Torres and then used the third 50 to pull away from the field.<\/p>\n
Finishing second in 2:00.75 was Diana Munz of Lake Erie Silver Dolphins, who was competing in her first national meet since a serious back injury last summer. Torres–who won her first national championship the year Munz was born–slid to third with 2:02.03.<\/p>\n
For full results, click on:
\nhttp:\/\/www.usswim.org\/meets\/2000\/spgnat\/news_330.htm<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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