Two more world records fell on the next-to-last day of swimming — the 22nd and 23rd of a lightning-quick week.
Britain’s Rebecca Adlington won gold in the 800m freestyle, breaking Janet Evans’ 19-year-old world record — the oldest in swimming.
Adlington touched in 8 minutes, 14.10 seconds to crush the mark of 8 minutes, 16.22 seconds set by the American in Tokyo on Aug. 20, 1989. Alessia Filippi of Italy took the silver and Lotte Friis of Denmark the bronze.
PHOTO: AP
Adlington completed a sweep of the women’s distance events in Beijing, having upset American Katie Hoff to win the 400m freestyle.
Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe defended her Olympic title in the 200m backstroke, winning in a world-record time. She led all the way and finished in 2 minutes, 5.24 seconds, lowering the mark of 2 minutes, 6.09 seconds set by Margaret Hoelzer at the US trials last month.
Hoelzer took the silver in 2 minutes, 6.23 seconds and Reiko Nakamura of Japan the bronze in 2 minutes, 7.13 seconds.
No one was happier that Cesar Cielo, who won Brazil’s first swimming gold with an upset in the 50m freestyle. He broke down crying on the medal stand and was mobbed by his teammates on the deck.
He won in 21.30 seconds, lowering his own Olympic mark of 21.34 seconds that he set in the semi-finals. Amaury Leveaux of France took the silver in 21.45 seconds and Alain Bernard, also of France, the 100m champion, won bronze in 21.49 seconds.
Also, 41-year-old Dara Torres of the US cruised into the final of the 50m freestyle with the fastest semi-final time, 24.27 seconds. Australian teenager Cate Campbell was second at 24.42 seconds.
The 2025 International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Mr Universe Chinese Taipei competition began yesterday at Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, with more than 150 athletes showcasing their physiques. It is the first time in 16 years that the IFBB has held a competition in Taiwan, the last being the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung. The professional bodybuilding contest is bringing together athletes from Taiwan and 16 other countries, including Malaysia, Japan, the US, France and Mexico. IFBB Chinese Taipei president Hsu An-chin said in an interview yesterday that the event came to Taiwan thanks to his lobbying efforts at last
Top seeds Alexander Zverev of Germany and American Coco Gauff on Tuesday advanced to the third round of the Canadian Open after both players were pushed hard by their opponents. World No. 3 Zverev, playing in his first match since his first-round loss at Wimbledon, was far from his best, but emerged with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 win over Adam Walton under the lights in Toronto. Momentum shifted firmly in Zverev’s favor when he won a 52-shot rally in the first set tiebreak and he sealed the win on a double fault by the Australian in the second set. “It was a very
Cycling great Marianne Vos won the opening stage of the women’s Tour de France with a brilliant late attack on Saturday. The 38-year-old Dutchwoman overtook her Visma–Lease a Bike teammate Pauline Ferrand-Prevot approaching the line, and then held off Mauritian rider Kim Le Court in the closing meters of a grueling uphill finish. Ferrand-Prevot looked set to win the stage, but the Frenchwoman attacked too early from 600m and could not withstand the late surge from Vos, who punched the air with her left fist as she crossed the line. Moments later, Vos hugged an exhausted-looking Ferrand-Prevot, the Paris-Roubaix winner. “I didn’t know if
TAIWANESE EXITS: Fellow Australian Christopher O’Connell joined Tristan Schoolkate as a winner following his 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Tseng Hsin-chun Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate on Monday dispatched rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 at the ATP Toronto Masters, ensuring a breakthrough into the world top 100. The 24-year-old from Perth moved to 98th in the ongoing live rankings as he claimed his biggest career victory by knocking out the ATP NextGen champion from November last year. Schoolkate, son of a tennis coach, won his first match over a top-50 opponent on his sixth attempt as he ousted the world No. 49 teenager from Brazil. The qualifier played a quarter-final this month in Los Cabos and won through qualifying for his
RSS