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SHENZHEN, China, August 16. THE United States had a strong night atop the podium with three gold medals out of seven opportunities during the third night at the World University Games. The meet is taking place in long course meters format.
Japan's Ryosuke Irie claimed the men's 50 back with a time of 25.11, just off his 10th-ranked season best of 25.02 from the Mare Nostrum stop in Monaco earlier this summer. Israel's Guy Barnea placed second in 25.21, while Russia's Sergey Makov wound up third in 25.42. Barnea had been faster this year as well with an eighth-ranked 25.01 from Worlds.
USA's Maya Dirado, who stands 10th in the world with a 4:37.88 in the women's 400 IM at U.S. Nationals this month, easily won the distance medley event with a 4:40.79. Japan's Miho Takahashi placed second in 4:42.28, while Austria's Joerdis Steinegger earned third in 4:43.30.
USA's Jimmy Feigen gave the Stars and Stripes a second straight gold with a winning time of 49.26 in the men's 100 free. Romania's Norbert Trandafir touched second in 49.41, while Japan's Shinri Shioura picked up third-place honors in 49.50.
After tying for the men's 200 breast title, Lithuania's Giedrius Titenis knocked off New Zealand's Glenn Snyders, 1:00.39 to 1:00.71, in the men's 100 breast finale this evening. Titenis' top time this year is a 12th-ranked 1:00.25 from Worlds, while Snyders broke 1:00 at Worlds with a sixth-ranked 59.94. Brazil's Joao Gomes Jr. earned third in 1:00.78.
China's Sun Ye raced to a win in the women's 200 breast with a 2:24.63. That effort came up just short of her fifth-ranked season best of 2:24.24 from the Chinese Nationals in April. USA's Andrea Kropp took second overall tonight in 2:26.18 to move to 21st in the world rankings, and third in the U.S. behind Rebecca Soni (2:21.03) and Amanda Beard (2:25.99). Japan's Satomi Suzuki snared third in 2:26.67, more than two seconds off her seventh-ranked season best of 2:24.36 from Japanese Nationals in April.
Spain's Melania Costa Schmid cleared 1:58 to win the women's 200 free with a 1:57.98. That effort just missed her 20th-ranked season best of 1:57.83 set at Worlds. New Zealand's Lauren Boyle touched second in 1:59.19, while USA's Karlee Bispo picked up third in 1:59.31.
USA's Michael Klueh (1:48.79), Dax Hill (1:48.89), Matt Bartlett (1:48.62) and Matt McLean (1:47.24) won the men's 800 free relay in 7:13.54. Japan's Sho Sotodate (1:49.14), Yuya Horihata (1:48.08), Yuma Kosaka (1:49.30) and Sho Uchida (1:48.14) placed second in 7:14.66. Australia's David McKeon (1:48.92), Mitchell Dixon (1:49.58), Kristopher Taylor (1:49.76) and Nicholas Ffrost (1:49.32) took third in 7:17.58.
