By Phillip Whitten
SYDNEY, Sept. 21
Events:
Men's 50 Free – Prelims
Top 16 advance to Semi-Finals:
1. Kizierowski POL 22.05 National Record
2. Hall, Jr USA 22.14
3. Popov RUS 22.15
4. Ervin USA 22.24
5. v.d.Hoogenband NED 22.32
6. Busquets PUR 22.42
7. Hawke AUS 22.45
8. Dedekind RSA 22.46
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9. Volynets UKR 22.52
10. Nystrand SWE 22.53
11. Schoeman RSA 22.53
12. Kenkhuis NED 22.61
13. Vismara ITA 22.62
14. Foster GBR 22.65
15. Pimankov RUS 22.74
16. Fydler AUS 22.80
Bart Kizierowski of Poland, an NCAA champion who swam for the University of California was the surprise top qualifier in the 50 Free this morning, clocking a lifetime best 22.05.
All the big players advanced to the semi-finals. Gary Hall was .01 faster than his nemesis, Alex Popov, while Anthony Ervin and Pieter van den Hoogenband were fourth and fifth. South Africa's Roland Schoemann, last year's world leader, was eleventh. Aussies Brett Hawke and Chris Fydler qualified seventh and 16th.
Interestingly, three of the top four qualifiers–Kizierowski, Hall and Ervin–all swim for coach Mike Bottom at the Phoenix (Arizona) Swim Club.
Look for a great showdown among Popov, van den Hoogenband, Hall, Ervin, and possibly Kizierowski to shape up by the finals.
Women's 800 – Prelims
Top 8 advance to Finals:
1. Bennett USA 8:26.47
2. Klochkova UKR 8:29.84 National Record
3. Sandeno USA 8:30.12
4. Rigamonti SUI 8:30.44
5. Stockbauer GER 8:31.74
6. Henke GER 8:31.86
7. Yamada JPN 8:33.06
8. Chen CHN 8:33.23
The USA's Brooke Bennett, the defending Olympic champion, easily qualified first (8:26.47), with teammate Kaitlin Sandeno in the third spot. Ukraine's Yana Klochkova, who won both individual medley events, is seeded second. She could be very tough in the finals.
Switzerland's Flavia Rigamonti was fourth. Japan's Sachiko Yamada qualified seventh.
Bennett was very pleased with her swim: "I wanted to go easy this morning, and after '96, I'm not as nervous. I wanted to do an 8:28 and I did an 8:26. It's been three days since my last swim. That gave me time to live the moment and now move on to this race."
Men's 100 Butterfly – Prelims
Top 16 advance to Semi-Finals:
1. Klim AUS 52.73
2. Huegill AUS 52.79
3. Mintenko CAN 52.90 National Record
4. Yamamoto JPN 52.91
5. Froelander SWE 53.14
6. Gaspar HUN 53.29
7. Poliakov RUS 53.30
8. Sylantiyev UKR 53.34
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9. Crocker USA 53.45
10. Hickman GBR 53.48
11. Hannan USA 53.54
11. Esposito FRA 53.54
13. Rupprath GER 53.57
14. Keizer NED 53.66
15. Hard FIN 53.67
16. Aartsen NED 53.81
The Aussies qualified 1-2 as expected, with Michael Klim, the world record-holder, six-hundredths ahead of Geoff Huegill, who has the world's fastest time this year. This is the host team's best shot to sweep an event. Canada's Mike Mintenko was the surprise third fastest qualifier with a national record 52.90. Japan's Takashi Yamamoto was the only other sub-53 second swimmer this morning.
Both Americans advanced to the semi-finals. Youngster Ian Crocker had the day's fastest 50 split (24.52) and led his heat for 90 meters before fading to fourth in his heat with the ninth fastest time. Hannan qualified in a tie for eleventh.
Women's 200 Backstroke – Prelims
Top 16 advance to Finals-Finals:
1. Mocanu ROM 2:09.21 National Record
2. Maracineanu FRA 2:11.01
3. Zhivanevskaya ESP 2:11.60
4. Nakao JPN 2:11.69
5. Hagiwara JPN 2:12.15
6. Benko USA 2:12.72
7. Fargus GBR 2:12.99
8. Buschschulte GER 2:13.42
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9. Adkins USA 2:13.54
10. Ornstedt DEN 2:13.61
11. Rund GER 2:13.87
12. Don-Duncan GBR 2:14.18
13. Stefanyshyn CAN 2:14.28
14. Stoney AUS 2:14.61
15. Maria ESP 2:14.78
16. Wittstock RSA 2:15.10
Romania's Diana Mocanu, 16, winner of the women's 100 meter backstroke earlier at the Games, easily led all qualifiers during the prelims of the women's 200 meter backstroke. Mocanu's 2:09.21 was almost two seconds faster than the 2:11.01 recorded by France's Roxanna Maracineanu, the 1998 world champion.
Americans Lindsay Benko and Amanda Adkins qualified sixth and ninth, respectively.
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