![\"Katie](\"\/media\/hoff1(3).jpg\")
<\/p>\nCOLUMBIA, Missouri, February 18. SO far, so so so good! That's the theme of the Missouri Grand Prix thus far this year. With two world records already on the board, there were a few close calls but no more world records were in the offering.<\/p>\n
Erik Vendt did, however, post a U.S. Open mark in the 1500 free to end the day of individual events.<\/p>\n
Women's 800 free<\/b>
\nWith her eyes on Wu Yanyan's 200 IM world record later today, Katie Hoff gave Janet Evans' 800 freestyle mark a break by cruising to victory in the event with a winning effort of 8:27.32. The time is the best in the world this year, ahead of Kate Ziegler's 8:28.66 set last month, but well off Hoff's best time of 8:22.80.<\/p>\n
The performance did, however, crush Kalyn Keller's facility standard of 8:39.43 set last year at this meet.<\/p>\n
Open water star Chloe Sutton came ever so close to breaking her career-best time in the event with a second-place time of 8:40.55. Her personal-best readout still stands at 8:40.04 set at the 2007 Junior National Championships.<\/p>\n
Jessica Rodriquez, meanwhile, placed third in 8:44.72 to complete the top three in the race.<\/p>\n
Women's 100 fly<\/b>
\nRachel Komisarz took a serious run at Natalie Coughlin's American record in the women's 100 fly when she clocked a time of 57.92 to win the race. While she came up short of Coughlin's 57.34 set at the World Championships in Melbourne, Komisarz did clip her own pool record of 57.96 set last year at this meet.<\/p>\n
Komisarz came pretty close to dropping her personal-best time, as well, with her top time coming with a 57.60 set in December.<\/p>\n
Mary DeScenza pocketed second-place in the event with a time of 59.08, while Dana Kirk placed third in 59.34. Kim Vandenberg joined the top trio under 1:00 with a fourth-place 59.45.<\/p>\n
Morning Finals Impact<\/i>
\n1.\tRachel Komisarz; 57.92; 59.67; Faster
\n2.\tMary DeScenza; 59.08; 1:00.15; Faster
\n3.\tDana Kirk; 59.34; 1:00.28; Faster
\n4.\tKim Vandenberg; 59.45; 59.41; Slower
\n5.\tFelicia Lee; 1:00.05; 1:00.42; Faster
\n6.\tWhitney Lopus; 1:00.41; 1:00.52; Faster
\n7.\tJacque Fessel; 1:00.85; 1:01.21; Faster
\n8.\tWhitney Myers; 1:01.83; 1:01.14; Slower<\/p>\n
Men's 100 fly<\/b>
\nSuperstar Michael Phelps continued to show signs of a potentially historic meet at the 2008 Beijing Games as he routinely lowered his best times clocked at this meet a year ago. He did it again with a pool-record time of 51.52, destroying his facility standard of 52.33 set last year.<\/p>\n
He touched almost a half-second ahead of world-record holder Ian Crocker, who placed second in 52.00.<\/p>\n
Brazilian Kaio Almeida completed the top three with a time of 52.60, just touching out fourth-place finisher Lyndon Ferns (52.69).<\/p>\n
Morning Finals Impact<\/i>
\n1.\tMichael Phelps; 51.51; 52.66; Faster
\n2.\tIan Crocker; 52.00; 52.10; Faster
\n3.\tKaio Almeida; 52.60; 53.43; Faster
\n4.\tLyndon Ferns; 52.69; 53.37; Faster
\n5.\tDavis Tarwater; 53.28; 53.25; Slower
\n6.\tMatt Grevers; 53.34; 53.63; Faster
\n7.\tMasayu Kishida; 53.43; 53.42; Slower
\n8.\tPeter Verhoef; 54.17; 54.05; Slower<\/p>\n
Women's 100 back<\/b>
\nIf it weren't for Natalie Coughlin setting the bar even lower during prelims last night with a world record race of 59.21, we'd be talking about just how close Kirsty Coventry came to claiming both backstroke world records in one weekend.<\/p>\n
Notably, Coughlin scratched from today's finals due to prior commitments.<\/p>\n
Coventry came within .03 seconds of the previous standard set by Coughlin at Worlds in Melbourne last year with a 59.44. Coventry closed out the event with a winning effort of 59.47, going out in 28.95 and coming home in 30.52. The performance did, however, drop Coventry's African and national record time of 59.61 set during prelims. She also strengthened her mark as the second-swiftest swimmer in the event.<\/p>\n
Haley McGregory completed a strong weekend of swimming with a second-place finish of 1:00.22, while Mary DeScenza finished with a third-place 1:01.11.<\/p>\n
Morning Finals Impact<\/i>
\n1.\tKirsty Coventry; 59.47; 59.61; Faster
\n2.\tHaley McGregory; 1:00.22; 1:00.31; Faster
\n3.\tMary DeScenza; 1:01.11; 1:01.79; Faster
\n4.\tLeila Vaziri; 1:01.24; 1:00.86; Slower
\n5.\tMargaret Hoelzer; 1:01.55; 1:02.67; Faster
\n6.\tElizabeth Wycliffe; 1:02.36; 1:02.25; Slower
\n7.\tRachel Goh; 1:02.58; 1:03.24; Faster
\n8.\tJacque Fessel; 1:03.71; 1:03.01; Slower<\/p>\n
Men's 100 back<\/b>
\nIn a head-to-head battle, Aaron Peirsol gave Michael Phelps a rare touch-out loss. Usually, Phelps has the uncanny ability of getting to the wall first in the tight battles, but Peirsol touched him out, 53.56 to 53.70, in Peirsol's pet event.<\/p>\n
The first man under 53, Peirsol demolished his previous pool record of 54.29 set last year.<\/p>\n
Phelps, meanwhile, came within a second of his personal-best time of 53.01 set last summer during the national championships.<\/p>\n
The rapidly improving David Cromwell, who will be making a push for an Olympic bid in a deep U.S. event, took third in 54.40.<\/p>\n
Morning Finals Impact<\/i>
\n1.\tAaron Peirsol; 53.56; 55.89; Faster
\n2.\tMichael Phelps; 53.70; 54.29; Faster
\n3.\tDavid Cromwell; 54.40; 55.83; Faster
\n4.\tPeter Marshall; 55.28; 55.22; Slower
\n5.\tAdam Mania; 55.29; 56.02; Faster
\n6.\tRyan Lochte; 55.44; 56.25; Faster
\n7.\tGuy Barnea; 55.95; 56.09; Faster
\n8.\tDoug Van Wie; 56.04; 56.12; Faster<\/p>\n
Women's 100 breast<\/b>
\nAfter lowering the pool record with a stellar time of 1:06.66 during prelims last night, Tara Kirk didn't have more left in the tank as she settled for a gold-medal winning time of 1:07.25.<\/p>\n
She held off American-record holder Jessica Hardy, who placed second in 1:07.89. Meanwhile, Keri Hehn claimed a distant third place in 1:09.50.<\/p>\n
Morning Finals Impact<\/i>
\n1.\tTara Kirk; 1:07.25; 1:06.66; Slower
\n2.\tJessica Hardy; 1:07.89; 1:07.81; Slower
\n3.\tKeri Hehn; 1:09.50; 1:08.63; Slower
\n4.\tLindsay Payne; 1:09.88; 1:10.86; Faster
\n5.\tVipa Bernhardt; 1:09.95; 1:10.63; Faster
\n6.\tElizabeth Tinnon; 1:10.26; 1:08.98; Slower
\n7.\tAnne Poleska; 1:10.77; 1:11.23; Faster
\n8.\tAmanda Beard; 1:10.83; 1;10.56; Slower<\/p>\n
Men's 100 breast<\/b>
\nWorld-record holder Brendan Hansen touched with one of the fastest times in the world this year when he clocked a 1:00.85, breaking the pool record of 1:01.69 he shared with Mark Gangloff during prelims last night. The duo nipped the 1:01.75 set by Kevin Swander last year.<\/p>\n
Gangloff, meanwhile, picked up second place in a time of 1:01.24, while Scott Usher snared third in 1:01.46.<\/p>\n
Morning Finals Impact<\/i>
\n1.\tBrendan Hansen; 1:00.85; 1:01.69; Faster
\n2.\tMark Gangloff; 1:01.24; 1:01.69; Faster
\n3.\tScott Usher; 1:01.46; 1:01.79; Faster
\n4.\tHenrique Barbosa; 1:02.18; 1:02.25; Faster
\n5.\tVlad Polyakov; 1:02.28; 1:02.81; Faster
\n6.\tMichael Phelps; 1:02.57; 1:02.77; Faster
\n7.\tAdam Ritter; 1:02.91; 1:02.97; Faster
\n8.\tDarren Mew; 1:03.73; 1:03.05; Slower<\/p>\n
Women's 200 IM<\/b>
\nIn a bit of an upset, as many across the swimming community expected Katie Hoff to clear the drug-tainted world record of Wu Yanyan after posting a 2:10.91 during prelims, Kirsty Coventry emerged with the victory and moved into third all-time in the event.<\/p>\n
Coventry, who already grabbed the 200 back global standard this weekend, ripped off an African and Zimbabwe record time of 2:10.08 in a mild upset of Hoff. The performance came short of Hoff's U.S. open time of 2:10.05, but erased the 2:10.91 pool record set by Hoff last night.<\/p>\n
Hoff, meanwhile, checked in with another 2:10 readout, this time with a second-place effort of 2:10.23 \u2013 still an incredibly fast time. Talk about a fun battle to witness, and Caitlin Leverenz had the best seat in the house with a third-place 2:14.19.<\/p>\n
Morning Finals Impact<\/i>
\n1.\tKirsty Coventry; 2:10.08; 2:12.11; Faster
\n2.\tKatie Hoff; 2:10.23; 2:10.91; Faster
\n3.\tCaitlin Leverenz; 2:14.19; 2:17.92; Faster
\n4.\tJessica Rodriquez; 2:15.77; 2:15.97; Faster
\n5.\tKim Vandenberg; 2:16.89; 2:16.48; Slower
\n6.\tFelicia Lee; 2:17.05; 2:16.54; Slower
\n7.\tJulie Stupp; 2:20.21; 2:18.13; Slower
\n8.\tWhitney Myers; 2:20.61; 2:19.03; Slower<\/p>\n
Men's 200 IM<\/b>
\nThiago Pereira emerged triumphant from the shorter medley with a time of 2:00.24 as he threatened his pool record of 1:59.19 set last year.<\/p>\n
Tamas Kerekjarto placed second in 2:01.92, while Jeremy Knowles touched a distant third in 2:04.31.<\/p>\n
Morning Finals Impact<\/i>
\n1.\tThiago Pereira; 2:00.24; 2:04.75; Faster
\n2.\tTamas Kerekjarto; 2:01.92; 2:02.36; Faster
\n3.\tJeremy Knowles; 2:04.31; 2:05.16; Faster
\n4.\tPat Mellors; 2:04.44; 2:04.55; Faster
\n5.\tDan Madwed; 2:04.46; 2:04.78; Faster
\n6.\tLewis Smith; 2:06.72; 2:06.35; Slower
\n7.\tMasayu Kishida; 2:08.36; 2:08.21, Slower
\n8.\tAdam Ritter; 2:10.36; 2:07.19; Slower<\/p>\n
Men's 1500 free<\/b>
\nErik Vendt cut nearly 10 seconds from his previous personal best time of 14:57.01 set at last summer's U.S. national championships with a winning effort of 14:47.59 in the first heat of the distance event today.<\/p>\n
With the swim, Vendt became the second-fastest American in the event, now ahead of Chris Thompson's 14:56.81. Vendt came within two seconds of Larsen Jensen's national record time of 14:45.29 set in 2004.<\/p>\n
He also cleared the U.S. Open standard of 14:48.34 previously set by Grant Hackett in 2003, and also obliterated the pool record of 15:27.81 set by Chad La Tourette last year.<\/p>\n
La Tourette wound up taking second place in 15:03.59, while Fran Crippen placed third in 15:20.74.<\/p>\n
Relays<\/b>
\nSun Devil Aquatics' team of Ashley Brewer, Katie Olsen, Emily Barton and Haley Krakoski won the women's 400 medley relay in 4:20.55, while a team made up from the Santa Clara Swim Club (relay members were not disclosed) set the pool record with a 3:52.33 in the men's 400 medley relay.<\/p>\n
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![\"Rachel](\"\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/media\/komisarz1.jpg\")
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![\"Michael](\"\/media\/phelps1(3).jpg\")
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![\"Kim](\"\/media\/vandenberg1(1).jpg\")
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![\"Erik](\"\/media\/vendt2(1).jpg\")
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![\"Michael](\"\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/media\/vendtcheer1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
COLUMBIA, Missouri, February 18. SO far, so so so good! That's the theme of the Missouri Grand Prix thus far this year. With two world records already on the board,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":85157,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-usa","category-zzzzzzzzz"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n