By John Lohn<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE, Australia, March 29. THE showdown that has been hyped for months will officially unfold tomorrow night, but Natalie Coughlin sent an early statement that she's the woman to beat in the 100 freestyle. Racing in the second semifinal, Coughlin broke the American record in the two-lap freestyle with a time of 53.40. The swim, the second-fastest in history to the global standard of Germany's Britta Steffen (53.30), lowered the previous American mark of 53.58, set last summer by Amanda Weir.<\/p>\n
Coughlin took her race out hard, but turned at the 50-meter mark behind Australia's Libby Lenton. However, she stormed off the wall and powered home for a comfortable margin. Lenton touched in 53.85 for the No. 2 seed in the championship final. Earlier in the meet, Lenton was 53.42 on the leadoff leg of Australia's 400 free relay and certain will be a factor when the gold medal is on the line.<\/p>\n
"I do not even know what to say," Coughlin said. "I had no idea how fast I was going. I have been experimenting staying under water longer. It obviously helps, so I am going to do that again."<\/p>\n
It will almost certainly take a world record for victory tomorrow night and the possibility of a time near 53-flat is not out of the question. Coughlin has been superb this week, having already broken her own world record in the 100 backstroke, in addition to setting an American record in the 100 butterfly. Lenton, meanwhile, won the 100 fly.<\/p>\n
Steffen, en route to taking top honors in the first semifinal, was clocked in 54.05 and will also be a contender for the top spot on the podium. The fourth position went to Canadian Erica Morningstar in 54.08 and the Netherlands' Marleen Veldhuis was fifth in 54.17. Aussie Jodie Henry, the reigning Olympic champion, secured the sixth spot in 54.23. The field for the final was filled out by France's Malia Metella and Sweden's Josefin Lillhage, who posted identical times of 54.61.<\/p>\n