Two Meet Records Fall at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix

Two Meet Records Fall at the Swimnetwork.com Santa Clara International Grand Prix 
Phelps takes home second gold medal of the meet; Vollmer earns third individual gold 

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Two meet records were broken Saturday on the third day of competition at the Swimnetwork.com Santa Clara International Grand Prix. Nathan Adrian (Bremerton, Wash.) broke the meet record in the men’s 50m free in 22.04 and Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry won the women’s 400m IM in a meet-record time of 4:32.15.

Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) took home his second gold medal of the meet, winning the men’s 400m free in 3:48.05. Phelps took a comfortable lead in the first 200 meters, however, he was caught in the final 50 meters by Canada’s Ryan Cochrane. In one the most exciting finishes of the night, Phelps was able to hold off Cochrane for the win. Cochrane took the silver in 3:48.40 and Australia’s Robert Hurley was a close third in 3:48.49.

Coventry’s gold medal and meet record came in the first race of the evening, the women’s 400m IM. The final featured five Olympians, including the world record-holder in the event, Australia’s Stephanie Rice. Coventry’s was followed by Dagny Knutson (Minot, N.D.) who earned silver with a personal best time of 4:36.02. Olympian Elizabeth Beisel (Saunderstown, R.I) claimed the bronze in 4:37.07.

Adrian’s meet record in the 50m free came in the final men’s individual event of the night. The 2008 Olympian beat Trinidad and Tobago’s George Bovell to the wall to earn his first gold medal of the meet. Bovell, who had broke the meet record in the prelims earlier in the day, finished in 22.12 and Canada’s Brent Hayden was third in 22.20.

Dana Vollmer (Gransbury, Texas), who earned two gold medals on Friday, added to her medal haul with a gold in the women’s 200m free. The 2004 Olympian was first in 1:57.46. Australia’s Meagen Nay was second in 1:59.31 and Ariana Kukors (Auburn, Wash.) was third in 1:59.80.

Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) earned gold in the men’s 200m back with a time of 1:56.83. Australia’s Ashley Delaney took the silver in 1:58.60 and Canada’s Matt Hawes earned the bronze in 2:00.30.

Coventry took home her second gold of the night in the women’s 100m back. The world record-holder in the event finished in 1:00.68 for the gold and was followed by Mary DeScenza (Naperville, Ill.) in 1:01.54 and Canada’s Katy Murdoch in 1:02.05. 

In other races, Australia’s Leisel Jones won the women’s 100m breast in 1:07.11 to claim her second gold medal of the meet. Kasey Carlson (Walnut Creek, Calif.) was second in 1:08.33 and Sarah Katsoulis from Australia was third in 1:08.46. Japan’s Masayuki Kishida won the men’s 100m fly with a time of 52.43. Lochte was second, finishing with a personal best time of 52.84 and Ricky Berens (Charlotte, N.C.) was third in 53.00.

Competition concludes Sunday with 12 events. The women’s competition includes the 200m fly, 50m free, 200m IM, 200m back, 800m free and 400m medley relay. The men’s program features the 200m breast, 100m free, 200m IM, 100m back, 1500m free and 400m medley relay. Prelims begin at 9 a.m. and finals start at 5 p.m. PT. 

Footage from the meet the will be broadcast by both Swimnetwork.com and Universal Sports. Swimnetwork.com will provide a LIVE online stream of the finals and the prelims from each day of competition and Universal Sports will broadcast finals footage Friday through Sunday. To view live footage of the meet, visit www.swimnetwork.com. For complete results, click here.


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