By Craig Lord
FUKUOKA, July 25. EVER heard of George Bovell? How about Andriy Serdinov? Ok, so try Maxim Podoprigora?
Still no luck? Well, they were all fastest qualifiers in the heats at the World Championships in Fukuoka this morning.
Podoprigora, a 23-year-old from Austria via eastern Europe, dashed to a 2mins 12.26sec best time in the fourth heat of the 200m breaststroke, to improve on a best time of 2:14.20sec, achieved in Sydney last year to place him 20th on the world rankings in 2000. The year befoe that his best was 2mins 18.02sec but Podoprigora is now set to threaten for a medal in a race in which all potential candidates for gold passed safely into the semi-finals yesterday, Ed Moses, of the US, in fifth on 2:13.58, behind teammate Brendan Hansen on 2:13.35, and just ahead of Dimitri Komornikov, of Russia, on 2:13.73. Domenico Fioravanti, the Olympic champion from Italy, was ninth in 2:15.09.
Serdinov, 19 of Ukraine, clocked 52.97sec in lane 6 of the ninth heat of the 100m butterfly. His best last year was 53.65sec, for 26th in the world. Beyond him all title hopes came through, though Michael Klim, of
Australia, will race in lane 1 in the first semi-final after manging only 53.83sec to ensure qualification by just 0.2sec. Teammate Geoff Huegill was third man through in 53.04sec, with Olympic champion Lars Frolander, of Sweden, seventh best on 53.14sec.
Ian Crocker, at 53.08, made it through comfortably but temmate Bryan Jones, at 54.20sec, missed the cut.
And so to Bovell, 18 and from Trinidad and a 2:01.35sec effort over 200m medley. Bovell is coached by the man who helped sprinter Leah Martindale to success. He improved from 2:04.68sec at the Olympic Games, for 55th in the world. He will need to do more, however, if he is to threaten Massimiliano Rosolino, the Olympic champion, through third on 2:02.02sec just behind American Tom Wilkens, on 2:01.42.
US teammate Robert Margalis also came through, in 2:02.81 for 10th.
Among women, American Natalie Coughlin, of the US, celebrated her bronze medal in the 50m backstroke yesterday with a fastest qualifying time of 26.52sec over 50m butterfly, with Inge de Bruijn, of the Netherlands, next best in 26.63sec. De Bruijn was taking it easy before the final of the 100m freestyle tonight, a final which will be raced in the absence of an American for the first time in world championship history.
In the 200m backstroke Olympic champion Diana Mocanu, of Romania, swept to a comfortable 2mins 11.04sec just ahead of Britain's Joanna Fargus, on 2:11.16, both times better that that in which Roxana Maracineanu, of
France, won the title in 1998.
Britain is looking forward to another final tonight, the women's 4x200m freestyle. Until a shared silver medal with the US over 4x100m freestyle two days ago no British women's relay had ever come close to winning a medal at the world championships. Tonight, a different quartet will attenpt to provide Britain with its first ever world long-course title.
The big clash of the night is, however, the much-awaited maelstrom of a 200m freestyle between Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband and Ian Thorpe, the world record holder.
RESULTS
Here are the results from this morning's prelim heats at the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships:
Men's 100 meter Butterfly
(Top 16 qualify for tonight's semifinals)
1. Andriy Serdinov (UKR) 52.97
2. Vladislav Kulikov (RUS) 53.03
3. Michael Mintenko (CAN) 53.04
3. Geoff Huegill (AUS) 53.04
5. Ian Crocker (USA) 53.08
6. Franck Esposito (FRA) 53.11
7. Lars Frolander (SWE) 53.14
8. Thomas Rupprath (GER) 53.31
9. Igor Martchenko (RUS) 53.52
10. Takashi Yamamoto (JPN) 53.53
10. Joris Keizer (NED) 53.53
12. Tero Valimaa (FIN) 53.66
13. Jere Hard (FIN) 53.73
14. Michael Klim (AUS) 53.83
15. Denis Sylantyev (UKR) 53.86
16. Ouyang Kunpeng (CHN) 53.94
Women's 50 meter Butterfly
(Top 16 qualify for tonight's semifinals)
1. Natalie Coughlin (USA) 26.52
2. Inge de Bruijn (NED) 26.63
3. Karen Egdal (DEN) 26.89
4. Petria Thomas (AUS) 27.01
5. Vered Borochovski (ISR) 27.02
6. Anna-Karin Kammerling (SWE) 27.05
7. Junko Onishi (JPN) 27.11
8. Ruan Yi (CHN) 27.16
9. Therese Alshammer (SWE) 27.19
10. Alison Sheppard (GBR) 27.33
11. Fabienne Dufour (BEL) 27.39
12. Natalia Sutiagina (RUS) 27.40
13. Otylia Jedrzejczak (POL) 27.47
14. Elena Poptchenko (BLR) 27.51
15. Urska Slapsak (SLO) 27.53
16. Mary Descenza (USA) 27.54
Men's 200 meter Breaststroke
(Top 16 qualify for tonight's semifinals)
1. Maxim Podoprigora (AUT) 2:12.26
2. Brendan Hansen (USA) 2:13.35
3. Regan Harrison (AUS) 2:13.50
4. Kosuke Kitajima (JPN) 2:13.56
5. Ed Moses (USA) 2:13.58
6. Dmitry Komornikov (RUS) 2:13.73
7. Davide Rummolo (ITA) 2:14.33
8. Martin Gustafsson (SWE) 2:14.72
9. Domenico Fioravanti (ITA) 2:15.09
10. Morgan Knabe (CAN) 2:15.62
11. Daniel Malek (CZE) 2:15.64
12. Ian Edmond (GBR) 2:15.84
13. Jose Couto (POR ) 2:15.95
14. Hugues Duboscq (FRA) 2:16.51
15. Yoshiaki Okita (JPN) 2:16.80
16. Jakob Sveinsson (ISL) 2:17.09
17. Simon Cowley (AUS) 2:17.35
18. Elvin Chia (MAL) 2:17.91
19. Vladimir Labzin (EST) 2:18.73
20. Jarno Pihlava (FIN) 2:18.90
21. Val Kalmikovs (LTU) 2:19.23
22. Chi Kin Tam (HKG) 2:19.78
23. Michael Williamson (IRL) 2:20.09
24. Dov Malnik (ISR) 2:20.52
25. Wickus Nienaber (SWZ) 2:21.85
26. Shang-hsuan Yang (TPE) 2:22.42
27 Cho-yi Chen (TPE) 2:22.51
28. Alvaro Fortuny Lopez (GUA) 2:22.94
29. Sergei Voytsekhovich (UZB) 2:23.71
30. Ansel T Jin A Tam (SUR) 2:24.76
31. Malick Fall (SEN) 2:26.70
32. Guillermo Henriquez (DOM) 2.27.29
33. Jean Luc Razakarivowy (MAD) 2:27.52
34. Graham Smith (BER) 2:28.72
35. Baktash Gheidi (IRI) 2:31.01
36. Abdul Hafiz Salleh (MAS) 2:33.60
37. Rainiui Teriipaia (TAH) 2:34.76
38. Chan Wai Ma (MAC) 2:36.06
39. Oday Mohammad (IRQ) 2:54.23
40. Iyad Housheya (PLE) 2:54.65
Juan Jose Madrigal (CRC) DNS
Women's 200m backstroke
(Top 16 qualify for tonight's semifinals)
1. Diana Mocanu (ROM) 2:11.04
2. Joanna Fargus (GBR) 2:11.16
3. Stanislava Komarova (RUS) 2:11.54
4. Clementine Stoney (AUS) 2:12.31
5. Jennifer Fraser (CAN) 2:12.67
6. Antje Buschschulte (GER) 2:12.88
7. Nicole Hetzer (GER) 2:13.19
8. Reiko Nakamura (JPN) 2:13.31
9. Aya Terakawa (JPN) 2:13.84
10. Elizabeth Wycliffe (CAN) 2:14.97
11. Anu Koivisto (FIN) 2:15.01
12. Katy Sexton (GBR) 2:15.04
13. Zhan Shu (CHN) 2:15.04
14. Jessica Aveyard (USA) 2:15.22
15. Valentina Brat (ROM) 2:15.32
16. Jamie Reid (USA) 2:15.38
17. Kelly Tucker (AUS) 2:15.55
18. Helen Norfolk (NZL) 2:15.56
19. Alenka Kejzar (SLO) 2:16.31
20. Louise Ornstedt (DEN) 2:17.48
21. Nina Zhivanevskaia (ESP) 2:17.63
22. Anya Gustomelski (ISR) 2:18.36
23. Elena Effimenko (UZB) 2:23.90
24. Saida Iskandarova (UZB) 2:25.31
25. Wai Yen Sia (MAS) 2:26.16
26. Chia Hsien Kuan (TPE) 2:26.89
27. Chin-kuei Yang (TPE) 2:29.57
28. Khadisa Ciss (SEN) 2:30.57
29. Gabriecce Costanzo Mania (PAR) 2:33.35
30. Shun kwan andrea Chum (MAC) 2:36.02
31. Denyse Tan (SIN) 2:43.89
32. Yelena Rojkova (TJK) 2:48.73
Martinez Perla (HON) DQ
Ivana Gabrilo (SUI) DNS
Men's 200m Individual Medley/b>
(Top 16 qualify for tonight's semifinals)
1. BOVELL George, TRI 83 2:01.35
2. WILKENS Thomas, USA 75 2:01.42
3. ROSOLINO Massimiliano, ITA 2:02.02
4. MIKI Jiro, JPN 83 2:02.13
5. BOGGIATTO Alessio, ITA 81 2:02.22
6. NORRIS Justin, AUS 80 2:02.42
7. MANKOC Peter, SLO 78 2:02.48
8. MYDEN Curtis, CAN 73 2:02.55
8. JOHNS Brian, CAN 82 2:02.55
10. MARGALIS Robert, USA 82 2:02.81
10. MORI Takahiro, JPN 80 2:02.81
12. MCGREGOR Grant, AUS 78 2:02.93
13. KENT Dean, NZL 78 2:03.11
14. KOKKODIS Ioannis, GRE 81 2:04.11
15. CABELLO Brenton, ESP 81 2:04.19
16. CARSTENSEN Jacob, DEN 78 2:04.23
17. HALIKA Mickey, ISR 78 2:04.48
18. PLATEL Yves, SUI 77 2:05.11
19. DEMETIS Vasileios, GRE 83 2:05.35
20. MILENKOVIC Marko, SLO 76 2:05.52
21. URRETA Diego, MEX 81 2:06.34
22. GLEASON George, ISV 79 2:06.66
23. DIAZ Javier, MEX 79 2:07.80
24. SAIA Margus, EST 81 2:08.44
25. ZHENG Shibin, CHN 82 2:08.88
26. ZAHAROV Andrei, MDA 75 2:09.85
27. WU Nien-pin, TPE 83 2:10.20
28. TAN Gary, SIN 82 2:10.39
29. MILADINOVSKI Aleksandar, MKD 79 2:10.88
30. CISS Khaly, SEN 81 2:11.77
31. KUEK Fergus, SIN 79 2:12.29
32. ABDUCLAH Wan azlan, MAS 75 2:12.96
33. KHALLOQI Saad, MAR 78 2:13.62
34. YANG Shang-hsuan, TPE 83 2:13.65
35. AL OTAIBI Fahad, KUW 75 2:14.12
36. AL JASSIMI Obaid ahmed obaids, UAE 2:15.75
37. NAZERI Mohammad, IRI 77 2:18.05
38. KANG Daniel, GUM 83 2:18.71
39. BORTNIKOV Aleksei, UZB 83 2:20.71
40. WONG Wing cheung victor, MAC 84 2:23.91
41. LEE Seung gin, NMA 85 2:23.99
42. DUENAS Kin, GUM 85 2:27.22
43. SAEED Zaid, IRQ 79 2:28.01
44. BAKALE Rony, CGO 87 2:31.06
ROBERTS Kenny, SEY 78 DQ
Women's 4 x 200 meter Freestyle Relay
(Top 8 qualify for tonight's final)
1 GBR 8:02.96
JACKSON Nicola 84 27.85 27.85 58.00 58.00 1:29.12 1:29.12 2:00.58 2:00.58 0.84
5/1 BELTON Janine 79 2:28.29 27.71 2:59.10 58.52 3:30.23 1:29.65 4:01.57 2:00.99 +0.08
8:02.96 LEGG Karen 78 4:29.26 27.69 4:59.17 57.60 5:30.03 1:28.46 6:00.72 1:59.15 +0.13
PICKERING Karen 71 6:28.99 28.27 7:00.21 59.49 7:31.45 1:30.73 8:02.96 2:02.24 +0.13
2 AUS 8:03.88
THOMAS Petria 75 28.55 28.55 59.19 59.19 1:30.21 1:30.21 2:00.67 2:00.67 0.74
4/1 GITEAU Kasey 82 2:29.01 28.34 2:59.77 59.10 3:31.84 1:31.17 4:03.57 2:02.90 +0.28
8:03.88 MACKENZIE Linda 83 4:31.32 27.75 5:01.76 58.19 5:32.74 1:29.17 6:03.36 1:59.79 +0.19
MUNZ Lori 79 6:31.34 27.98 7:01.67 58.31 7:32.31 1:28.95 8:03.88 2:00.52 +0.36
3 GER 8:04.83
SZALAI Silvia 75 28.79 28.79 59.01 59.01 1:29.45 1:29.45 1:59.74 1:59.74 0.71
5/2 RIES Alessa 81 2:28.31 28.57 2:59.86 1:00.12 3:31.98 1:32.24 4:03.15 2:03.41 +0.21
8:04.83 HARSTICK Sarah 81 4:31.27 28.12 5:01.74 58.59 5:32.49 1:29.34 6:02.75 1:59.60 +0.35
FRITAG Meike 79 6:30.78 28.03 7:02.10 59.35 7:33.23 1:30.48 8:04.83 2:02.08 +0.22
4 USA 8:05.02
RIPPLE Shelly 80 28.19 28.19 58.71 58.71 1:29.81 1:29.81 2:01.47 2:01.47 0.74
4/2 LANNE Colleen 79 2:28.84 27.37 2:59.70 58.23 3:32.07 1:30.60 4:04.71 2:03.24 +0.05
8:05.02 HARDT Julie 81 4:32.42 27.71 5:02.53 57.82 5:33.28 1:28.57 6:03.96 1:59.25 +0.15
CORREIA Maritza 81 6:31.60 27.64 7:02.60 58.64 7:34.37 1:30.41 8:05.02 2:01.06 +0.19
5 JPN 8:05.76
NAGAI Tomoko 81 27.97 27.97 58.32 58.32 1:29.45 1:29.45 2:01.90 2:01.90 0.72
6/1 MITA Maki 83 2:29.87 27.97 2:59.90 58.00 3:30.70 1:28.80 4:01.90 2:00.00 +0.06
8:05.76 HAGIWARA Tomoko 80 4:29.16 27.26 4:59.32 57.42 5:30.99 1:29.09 6:03.08 2:01.18 +0.36
YAMANOI Eri 78 6:31.04 27.96 7:02.04 58.96 7:34.13 1:31.05 8:05.76 2:02.68 +0.22
6 ITA 8:06.23
PARISE Sara 82 29.05 29.05 59.66 59.66 1:31.15 1:31.15 2:02.65 2:02.65 0.79
6/2 CHIUSO Cristina 73 2:31.18 28.53 3:01.97 59.32 3:33.46 1:30.81 4:04.60 2:01.95 +0.18
8:06.23 STRIANI Luisa 78 4:32.55 27.95 5:03.21 58.61 5:34.85 1:30.25 6:05.89 2:01.29 +0.17
VIANINI Cecilia 76 6:33.72 27.83 7:04.03 58.14 7:35.46 1:29.57 8:06.23 2:00.34 +0.27
7 CAN 8:06.48
LIMPERT Marianne 72 28.98 28.98 59.35 59.35 1:30.38 1:30.38 2:01.28 2:01.28 0.86
2/2 DEGLAU Jessica 80 2:29.60 28.32 3:00.42 59.14 3:31.31 1:30.03 4:01.79 2:00.51 +0.37
8:06.48 SIMARD Sophie 78 4:30.68 28.89 5:01.78 59.99 5:32.71 1:30.92 6:04.13 2:02.34 +0.33
NICHOLLS Laura 78 6:31.27 27.14 7:03.29 59.16 7:35.31 1:31.18 8:06.48 2:02.35 +0.40
8 ESP 8:07.99
ROCA Laura 80 28.26 28.26 58.68 58.68 1:29.50 1:29.50 2:00.77 2:00.77 0.73
7/2 ROUBA Tatiana 83 2:29.10 28.33 3:00.07 59.30 3:32.21 1:31.44 4:03.87 2:03.10 +0.40
8:07.99 ELIZALDE Lidia 83 4:32.32 28.45 5:02.86 58.99 5:34.05 1:30.18 6:06.01 2:02.14 +0.36
CARBALLIDO Paula 79 6:34.21 28.20 7:04.57 58.56 7:35.77 1:29.76 8:07.99 2:01.98 +0.25
9 CHN 8:08.37
ZHU Yingwen 81 28.76 28.76 59.52 59.52 1:31.22 1:31.22 2:01.96 2:01.96 0.80
3/1 CHEN Hua 82 2:30.32 28.36 3:01.23 59.27 3:33.36 1:31.40 4:05.20 2:03.24 +0.11
8:08.37 XU Yanwei 84 4:32.26 27.06 5:02.91 57.71 5:35.11 1:29.91 6:07.42 2:02.22 +0.16
YANG Yu 85 6:34.97 27.55 7:05.50 58.08 7:37.21 1:29.79 8:08.37 2:00.95 +0.21
10 RUS 8:12.68
BOGOSLOVENKO Olga 85 29.26 29.26 1:00.63 1:00.63 1:32.82 1:32.82 2:05.14 2:05.14 0.76
2/1 OUFIMTSEVA Irina 85 2:33.94 28.80 3:04.42 59.28 3:35.48 1:30.34 4:05.76 2:00.62 +0.32
8:12.68 MALANINA Alexandra 85 4:34.77 29.01 5:06.21 1:00.45 5:38.22 1:32.46 6:09.46 2:03.70 +0.48
CHEMEZOVA Nadezhda 80 6:38.70 29.24 7:09.91 1:00.45 7:41.43 1:31.97 8:12.68 2:03.22 +0.62
11 ROM 8:20.56
POTEC Camelia alina 82 28.58 28.58 59.42 59.42 1:30.06 1:30.06 2:00.36 2:00.36 0.91
3/2 PADURARU Simona 81 2:29.13 28.77 3:00.27 59.91 3:31.93 1:31.57 4:02.42 2:02.06 +0.45
8:20.56 HEREA Florina carmen 79 4:30.85 28.43 5:02.24 59.82 5:35.18 1:32.76 6:07.67 2:05.25 +0.69
BRAT Valentina georgiana 85 6:37.41 29.74 7:10.67 1:03.00 7:45.53 1:37.86 8:20.56 2:12.89 +0.43
12 TPE 8:42.94
LIN Chi-chan 80 29.76 29.76 1:01.51 1:01.51 1:33.93 1:33.93 2:06.53 2:06.53 0.79
7/1 KUAN Chia-hsien 85 2:36.47 29.94 3:08.97 1:02.44 3:42.91 1:36.38 4:16.35 2:09.82 +0.61
8:42.94 YANG Chin-kuei 87 4:46.19 29.84 5:20.02 1:03.67 5:55.44 1:39.09 6:30.91 2:14.56 +0.71
SUNG Yi-chien 86 7:01.52 30.61 7:35.72 1:04.81 8:09.97 1:39.06 8:42.94 2:12.03 +0.50
13 SIN 8:47.98
BOUVRON Christel 84 30.12 30.12 1:02.15 1:02.15 1:35.20 1:35.20 2:08.03 2:08.03 0.87
1/2 TEO Nicolette 86 2:39.04 31.01 3:13.56 1:05.53 3:48.76 1:40.73 4:21.48 2:13.45 +0.26
8:47.98 HENG Rebecca 84 4:52.34 30.86 5:27.13 1:05.65 6:02.58 1:41.10 6:37.48 2:16.00 +0.31
CHAN U-nice 87 7:07.00 29.52 7:40.15 1:02.67 8:14.44 1:36.96 8:47.98 2:10.50 +0.12
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