By John Lohn
OMAHA, Nebraska, June 30. A summer after stamping an identity as an international class breaststroker, Rebecca Soni moved a step closer to making her first Olympic Team. Swimming the semifinals of the 100 breaststroke, Soni registered a time of 1:06.87 to grab the top seed for tomorrow's final. Soni was the only woman under 1:07.
Soni won national titles last summer in Indianapolis and her stock has risen ever since. While she's best in the 200 breaststroke, she's certainly a balanced breaststroker, the owner of quality speed for the 100 and the necessary endurance for the 200 breast. Soni's time was just off the meet record of 1:06.85, set by Jessica Hardy in the prelims.
The 200 Olympic champion from Sydney, Megan Jendrick grabbed the No. 2 spot for the final, thanks to a swim of 1:07.17. Jendrick has been steady the past few years, her efforts highlighted by a shared silver medal in the 200 breast at the 2007 World Championships. Now, she's one race from a return to the Olympics after an eight-year hiatus.
International veteran Tara Kirk was third in the semifinals, going 1:07.19 and has the ability to drop time, evident in her personal best being in the low-1:06 territory. Annie Chandler (1:08.06) followed in fourth and Hardy was fifth in 1:08.18, much slower than her morning meet record. Whether she can regain her form will soon be determined.
Closing out the field for the final Elizabeth Tinnon (1:08.43), Amanda Beard (1:08.73) and Lindsay Payne, who won a swimoff with Jessica Botzum for the eighth position. Beard is trying to make her fourth Olympic Team and her improving speed in the 100 breast is a good indicator for her primary event, the 200 breast.
Video Footage Removed Due to NBC Restrictions
Go to Swimming World's 2008 Olympics Landing Page for the most comprehensive coverage of the meet on the Internet.
