U.S. Men Have Last Word, Set World Mark in 400m Medley Relay as Pan Pacs End With a Bang

By Stephen J. Thomas

YOKOHAMA, Japan, August 29. THE 2002 Pan Pacific Championships came to a spectacular close today, with the US winning five of seven events. The Americans saved the best for last, setting a spectacular world record in the men's 400m medley relay — the only world mark set here in Yokohama. Fourteen world marks were set at the last Pan Pacs, in Sydney three years ago.

Men's 400m Medley Relay
The Aussies had just taken gold over the USA in the womenfs event, so Team USA was ready to exact some revenge here. Peirsol splashed a very fast 54.17 to head Aussie Matt Welsh (54.52) and Japanfs Morita headed Janes of Canada. Brendan Hansen took the USA farther ahead with the third fastest all-time breaststroke split 1:00.14, Piper held second for the Aussies and Yamaguchi third from Canadafs Brown.

Then Phelps split the all-time fastest fly – 51.13 – and the USA was now well under world record pace. Huegill split 51.69, Yamamoto 52.38 and Mintenko 51.91.

It was left to Jason Lezak to come home in 48.04 to break the USAfs own world record set in Sydney by just 0.25 seconds – 3:33.48. Thorpe clocked 47.20, tying the second fastest split in history, behind Hoogie, to take silver for the Aussies and Brent Hayden split 48.58 to pick up another bronze for Canada.

Sensational stuff!

USA: 3:33.48 WR
Aaron Peirsol 54.17
Brendan Hansen 1:00.14
Michael Phelps 51.13
Jason Lezak 48.04

Australia: NR
Matt Welsh 54.52
Jim Piper 1:01.43
Geoff Huegill 51.69
Ian Thorpe 47.20

Canada:
Riley Janes 56.07
Mike Brown 1:01.61
Mike Mintenko 51.91
Brent Hayden 48.58

Men's 1500m Freestyle
Given the amount of kiometers Grant Hackett has raced in the past few weeks, it would have been understandable if he had splashed out a solid time and taken home added another gold to add to his collection.

Instead he reinforced his place as the greatest distance swimmer in history, clocking the second fastest time in history 14:41.65, just 0.01 in front of the great Kieren Perkins' best from 1994 but behind his world record of 14:34.56. He now six of the top ten times in history over the distance.

Hackett said after the race, "My performance convinced me I could lower my PB in the future given Ifve completed such a hard program with all the swims at the Commonwealth Games and this meet."

The USA's Erik Vendt took the silver in 15:02.24 and Larsen Jensen the bronze 15:05.17, both just short of their individual PRfs.

Men's 200m Individual Medley
Before the race, Michael Phelps had made it clear that he wanted to take Finn Jani Sievinenfs world mark away from him. He went for it.

Phelps was under world record pace for the fly (25.56 to 26.17), and held it in the dorsal leg (55.36 to 56.61). But the second half was tough and he dropped behind at the 150 (1:31.34 to 1:30.03) and finally finished in a Championship record 1:59.70, the eigth fastest all-time performance, but slower than his American record time of 1:58.68 from the US Nationals.

Japan's Takahiro Mori had a great swim for a national record 2:00.61, moving him to 13th all-time performer. USAfs Tom Wilkens took bronze in 2:01.17 to edge out Canadafs Brian Johns.

Men's 100m Butterfly
USAfs Ian Crocker was keen to go under 52 seconds in this race and with a 50-meter split of 24.61 (WR 24.49) he whad a chance, with world record-holder for the 50 fly, Aussie Geoff Huegill a surprising 0.28 adrift.

The second half was not at world record pace, but Crocker took the money one better than his World Champs silver, clocking 52.45 with Huegill second just 0.03 behind. Olympic finalist Canadafs Mike Mintenko clocked 52.69 to take the bronze.

Women's 100m Freestyle
The USAfs Natalie Coughlin just keeps getting faster and faster. Tonight she was awesome. She exploded off the blocks like greased lightening, then stroked smoothly down the pool, turning in 25.98 (Inkyfs world split is 25.81), half a second ahead of comebacker Jenny Thompson. She powered off the wall and left the field in her wake to slap the pads under 54 seconds – 53.99 – the fourth fastest swim in history, and a new American and Championship record. Only Inge de Bruijn has ever sum faster.

The Aussies' new sprint queen, Jodie Henry, made the most of the fast pace to pass Jenny Thompson and take silver in a new Commonwealth and Australian record 54.55 (15th all-time performer). Thompson took bronze for USA in 54.75, her sixth medal in this event at Pan Pacs. Japan's Tomoko Nagai was 4th in 55.64 ahead of Aussie Sarah Ryan 55.78.

Coughlin was extremely animated when she spoke after her sensational swim, "I am really excited and surprised with the time. As the meet has gone on, I have felt more and more tired but technically I felt I swam a better race than last night, I felt perfect in the water. I feel really pumped for the relay now."

Women's 200m Backstroke
The USA's Margaret Hoelzer was a surprise winner here tonight after hot favorite, Japan's Tomoko Hagiwara, scratched after her warm-up, leaving the race up for grabs.

Hoelzer was in sixth place at the 100 and worked her way through the field with a strong second half to take the race comfortably in a PR 2:11.00 (8th fastest American).

"It was great to swim my best time and win here. I wanted to go out just fast enough and have enough energy for the finish," said Hoelzer of her race.

Japanfs other competitor, Aya Terakawa, along with second fastest qualifier Jennifer Fratesi of Canada, came from the back of the field to take silver and bronze respectively. Terakawa clocked 2:12.28, Fratesi 2:12.71. The USAfs Diana MacManus was 4th in 2:14.01.

Women's 400m Medley Relay
Team USA lost to the Aussies at the World Champs last year, so there was pride on the line here.

Nat Coughlin was pumped for a big swim after her sensational freestyle win and her backstroke was just as good – 1:00.09 – the third fastest time in history. Japan touched just ahead of the Aussies.

Leisel Jones made up some ground to put the Aussies behind USA's Amanda Beard, with Canada's Rhiannon Leier moving to third.

The race changed its course in the fly leg where world champ Petria Thomas swam the fastest fly split in history – 56.94 – to get within 0.36 of a tiring Jenny Thompson, with Canada's Jenny Button holding third.

Then it was down to the Aussie silver medalist from earlier in the night, Jodie Henry, up against the USA's anchor, Lindsay Benko. Benko turned in 26.53 to Henry's 26.49, keeping the USA in front by 0.22.

In the last 50, Henry got on top of Benko to split 54.07 to 54.98, giving the Sheilas from Down Under the gold in a Championship record 4:00.50. The USA touched in 4:101.15 while Laura Nicholls came home in 54.99 to win bronze for Canada (4:05.69).

Australia: 4:00.50 CR
Di Calub 1:01.98
Leisel Jones 1:07.51
Petria Thomas 56.94
Jodie Henry 54.07

USA: 4:01.15
Nat Coughlin 1:00.09
Amanda Beard 1:07.76
Jenny Thompson 58.32
Lindsay Benko 54.98

Canada: 4:05.69
Erin Gammel 1:02.32
Rhiannon Leier 1:09.22
Jenny Button 59.16
Laura Nicholls 54.99

PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Yokohama, Japan
August 24-29

DAY SIX: August 29, 2002
Finals Results

Event 64 1500m Freestyle Men Timed Final

Ranking Results

WR 14:34.56 Grant HACKETT AUS 2001/07/29 FUKUOKA
CR 14:41.65 Grant HACKETT AUS 2002/08/29 YOKOHAMA