Jeffrey, Rigamonti Sparkle as Charlotte Ultraswim Ends
By Phillip Whitten
CHARLOTTE, NC, June 8. IT may have been pouring cats and dogs, and some of the streets of Charlotte may have been flooding, but everything was under control on the final day of the Charlotte Ultraswim.
Sixteen year-old Rhi Jeffrey demonstrated, once again, her awesome potential as she swam away with the 100 free in 55.84 to go along with her 200 win.
On the other end of the distance spectrum, Smitzerland's and SMU's Flavia Rigamonti stroked to a strong 16:16.98 performance in the 1500, half a minute ahead of Brooke Bennett in second.
Auburn Aquatics' Margaret Hoelzer took the 200 back in 2:14.42 while teammate Kirsty Coventry, representing Zimbabwe, edged Canada's Liz Warden in the 200 IM, 2:17.12 to 2:17.35.
On the men's side, Fran Crippen aand klete Keller reprised their 400 meter race from yesterday in the 800. The result was the same: Crippen withstood a furious late charge by Keller to win by a tiny margin. In the 400, it was 12-hundredths of a second; today, at twice the distance, it was 11-hundredths.
Crippen even-split his race to finish in 8:01.80, wehile Keller negative-split a 4:03.93 – 3ZA:57.98 to touch in 8:01.91.
Neil Walker won the men's 100 free in 50.94. Trinidad's George Bovell took the 200 IM in 2:03.47 and Chris deJong was victorious in the 200 back, 2:03.65.