SYDNEY, Australia, February 16. SWIMMERS like Grant Hackett and Leisel Jones did not disappoint during the second day of swimming at the New South Wales State Open Championships held in Sydney, Australia.<\/p>\n
Women's 400 free<\/b>
\nBronte Barratt cut a remarkable 12 seconds from her preliminary time with a winning effort of 4:06.38, which scared her Australian record of 4:05.93 set last August at the Japan International Swim Meet in Chiba.<\/p>\n
Kylie Palmer locked down silver-medal honors with a second-place 4:09.29, while Linda Mackenzie placed third in 4:11.81.<\/p>\n
Men's 50 fly<\/b>
\nIn an exciting race from start-to-finish, Andrew Lauterstein touched out Adam Pine, 24.28 to 24.30, for the sprint fly title. Meanwhile, Matt Jaukovic placed third in 24.68, just holding off Mitchell Patterson, who finished fourth in 24.69.<\/p>\n
Women's 100 fly<\/b>
\nJessicah Schipper and Felicity Galvez put together the two quickest times in the world this year as Schipper rocketed to a 58.02 for the title and Galvez improved upon her 58.82 from the Victorian Championships in January with a 58.72.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Stephanie Rice joined the duo under 1:00 with a bronze-winning time of 59.94.<\/p>\n
Men's 200 back<\/b>
\nHayden Stoeckel posted the second-quickest time of the year in the world with a 1:58.62 to win the title. That performance stands behind Ryosuke Irie's 1:56.33 from last month, but fell a second off the Australian record of 1:57.59 set by Matt Welsh in 2000.<\/p>\n
Ashley Delaney earned second place with a sub-2:00 readout of 1:59.24, while Robert Hurley wound up third in 2:02.05 \u2013 just beating out hard-luck fourth-place finisher Marco Loughran (2:02.15).<\/p>\n
Women's 100 back<\/b>
\nYoungster Emily Seebohm, 15, who shocked her nation with a national record time of 1:00.51 at the 2007 World Championships, surfaced victorious with a 1:01.39 in this race. <\/p>\n
Although slower than her prelim time of 1:01.05, she had enough to defeat Meagen Nay's second-place effort of 1:01.61. Tayliah Zimmer touched just behind with a third-place time of 1:01.70, while Belinda Hocking settled for fourth with a 1:01.82.<\/p>\n
Men's 100 breast<\/b>
\nBrenton Rickard, the Australian record holder with a 1:00.39 under his belt, dominated the race with a winning readout of 1:01.07, which is the second-fastest time in the world this year behind Hugues Duboscq's 1:00.84.<\/p>\n
Jim Piper garnered second place with a time of 1:02.68, while Luke Trickett touched out Craig Calder, 1:03.57 to 1:03.78, to grab the bronze.<\/p>\n
Women's 200 breast<\/b>
\nWhile she had some company yesterday in the form of Tarnee White in the 100 breast, Lethal Leisel Jones was pretty lonely in the longer distance event today. Jones, the world record holder with a 2:20.54 from 2006, posted the top time in the world this year with a 2:23.04. That effort far surpassed the 2:25.16 set by Seul-Ki Jung at the test event in China last month.<\/p>\n
The performance also far surpassed the second-place time of 2:29.18 recorded by Sarah Katsoulis. Sally Foster, meanwhile, finished third in 2:29.86.<\/p>\n
Men's 200 free<\/b>
\nGrant Hackett continued to show signs that he is completely back from any training hiccups he encountered in 2007, this time with a thrilling victory over Kenrick Monk. Hackett clocked a time of 1:47.76 to add to his men's 400 free title from yesterday. Monk settled for silver just behind with a 1:47.86.<\/p>\n
Both performances are the best in the world this year, and the first under 1:48 as Monk previously held the top readout with a 1:48.01 from the Victorian Championships last month.<\/p>\n
Nicholas Ffrost held off Patrick Murphy, 1:48.24 to 1:48.47, for third-place honors.<\/p>\n
Women's 50 free<\/b>
\nSally Foster picked up the splash-and-dash triumph with a winning time of 25.52, while Alice Mills placed second in 25.63. Olivia Halicek touched third in 25.91, just defeating Danni Miatke (25.97), for third place.<\/p>\n
Men's 200 IM<\/b>
\nLeith Brodie chopped nearly five seconds from his preliminary effort to emerge with the title in 2:02.48, while Travis Nederpelt hit the wall in 2:03.07 to pocket the silver medal. Keita Sameshima, in from Japan, rounded out the top three with a 2:06.42, knocking off Shane Cross (2:06.58).<\/p>\n
Relays<\/b>
\nThe North Shore team of Hayley Palmer, Penelope Marshall, Emma Hotchin and Barrett Dunlop won the women's 800 free relay in 8:32.00, while the Sopac squad of Theodore Pasialis, Joshua Minogue, Grant Brits and Kenrick Monk earned the men's 800 free relay win in 7:38.40.<\/p>\n
Multi-Disability Events<\/b>
\nMatthew Cowdrey won the men's 100 back in 1:05.21, while Hannah MacDougall finished first in the women's 100 back in 1:15.83.<\/p>\n