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Tuesday, September 19
Krayzelburg goes for second gold
Associated Press
SYDNEY, Australia -- Lenny Krayzelburg is swimming toward
another Olympic gold. Jenny Thompson would settle for one of her
own.
Krazyelburg, who already has one gold at the Sydney Games,
cruised to an Olympic record in preliminaries of the 200-meter
backstroke Wednesday (Tuesday night ET) at 1 minute, 58.40
seconds.
"I wasn't thinking about the record," Krayzelburg said. "I
just wanted to swim a good race."
Thompson, American's most-decorated female gold medalist,
qualified third in the 100 freestyle preliminaries -- her last
chance to win an individual gold.
It won't be easy with Inge de Bruijn in the field. The world
record-holder was top qualifier in the morning at 54.77. Dara
Torres of Beverly Hills, Calif, was second, 55.12, followed by
Thompson's 55.22.
"It was fine for a morning swim," said Thompson, of Dover,
N.H. "I expect to be faster tonight (in the semis). I'm recovered
from the 100 fly."
In that race, she was expected to be De Bruijn's top challenger
but faded to fifth as the Dutch superstar blew away the field.
The 27-year-old American did win the sixth gold medal of her
career, anchoring the 400 freestyle relay to pass Bonnie Blair for
most golds by a U.S. woman.
But all of Thompson's gold medals have come in relays. Her only
individual medal was silver in the 100 freestyle at the 1992
Barcelona Games.
Krayzelburg, world record-holder in the 200, broke the Olympic
mark of 1:58.47 set by Spain's Martin Lopez-Zubero eight years ago.
Krayzelburg won gold Monday in the 100 backstroke and is an
overwhelming favorite in the 200. Spotting his time on the
scoreboard, he gave a subtle grin and wave to the crowd, followed
by a thumbs-up to his coach.
The native of Ukraine, who became an American citizen in 1995
and lives in Studio City, Calif., should face his toughest
challenge from 17-year-old Aaron Peirsol of Irvine, Calif. He was
second-fastest in qualifying at 1:59.10, advancing to the 16-man
evening semifinals.
"We bring out the best in each other," Krayzelburg said.
De Bruijn is favored to win her second gold medal in the 100
freestyle, having set a world record of 53.80 on May 28. In all,
she's the record holder in three Olympic events.
"It felt really good. Very nice and smooth," De Bruijn said of
her preliminary swim. "It's going to be a very, very close race."
De Bruijn and countryman Pieter van den Hoogenband are two of
the biggest stars in the pool, quite an accomplishment for a tiny
European nation best known for soccer and speedskating.
Van den Hoogenband has a gold in the men's 200 freestyle --
beating Australia's Ian Thorpe in world record time -- and was
favored in Wednesday night's 100 freestyle final after becoming the
first man in history to break 48 seconds in the semis.
"I lost my voice cheering for Pieter," De Bruijn said in a
raspy tone. "He did an awesome job."
Torres, the 33-year-old former model and infomercial
spokeswoman, hopes to pick up the third medal of her comeback. In
addition to a bronze in the 100 butterfly, she was part of the U.S.
team that set a world record in the 400 freestyle relay.
"This is going to be one of the toughest races," said Torres,
swimming in her record fourth Olympics after leaving the sport for
seven years. "A lot of girls are going 54 seconds."
Tom Dolan of Arlington, Va., followed up a world-record
performance in the 400 individual medley by qualifying second in
the 200 IM at 2:01.55. Italy's Massimiliano Rosolino was first in
2:00.92.
Tom Wilkens of Middletown, N.J., also advanced with the
seventh-fastest time, 2:02.21, after watching the final of the 200
breaststroke on television the previous night. He failed to failed
to make it out of the prelims in one of his strongest events.
"I was a little mad at myself," Wilkens said. "I should have
been in that race."
Agnes Kovacs of Hungary set an Olympic record in the women's 200
breaststroke prelims at 2:24.92, wiping out the mark of 2:25.41 set
by South African Penny Heyns four years ago.
Kristy Kowal of Reading, Pa., was second-fastest (2:26.73) and
Amanda Beard of Irvine, Calif., placed eighth in 2:27.83. Beard won
silver in the event as a 14-year-old at the Atlanta Games.
"It was easy, probably the easiest 200 I've done this year,"
Kowal said. "This event is pretty open. Whoever steps up is going
to win it."
Shockingly, Heyns won't get a chance. The defending Olympic
champion struggled home in 20th at 2:30.17 -- about 6½ seconds off
her 1999 world record -- and didn't even make the semis.
At age 25, she might retire from swimming to enter missionary
work.
"I considered not swimming the 200 because, in all honesty, I
don't have legs right now," Heyns said. "(But) I wanted to go out
there, enjoy the ready room, enjoy the crowd, enjoy my fellow
competitors and what swimming offers you."
The United States advanced to the final of the women's 800
freestyle relay as top qualifier. The team of Samantha Arsenault,
Julia Stowers, Kim Black and Diana Munz went 8:01.69. Australia was
second at 8:03.26, setting up another Aussie-Yank showdown in the
evening.
Van den Hoogenband led a star-studded field in the evening's
showcase event, the 100 freestyle final. Russian star Alexander
Popov will be going for his third straight gold medal in the event,
which also includes 1996 silver medalist Gary Hall Jr. of Phoenix.
Other finals on Day 5 of the eight-day meet were in the men's
200 breaststroke and the women's 200 butterfly and 800 relay.
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