The US piled up four more victories at the World Short Course Championships on Saturday night, although the American women lost a thrilling medley relay final to Australia's world record-setting team.
The Americans won four of 10 finals on the meet's third night, giving them 14 victories in 23 events so far.
Jenny Thompson defeated a strong field in the final meet of her career to win the 50m butterfly, then put the US in front during the fly leg of the 400m medley relay. But Kara Lynn Joyce couldn't hold the lead against Aussie anchor Lisbeth Lenton, whose 100m freestyle split of 52.05 was the fastest in history.
"I guess it took them a world record to beat us," Thompson said. "It was a great fight and we knew it was going to be."
Aussies Sophie Edington, Brooke Hanson, Jessica Schipper and Lenton won in 3 minutes, 54.95 seconds, lowering Sweden's old mark of 3:55.78 set in 2002. It was the meet's first world record in the 25m temporary pool. Sweden was third.
Backstroker Haley Cope gave the Americans the early lead. Tara Kirk dropped to second behind Hanson on the breaststroke portion before Thompson put the Americans back in front by 54-hundredths of a second during the fly. Lenton came off the final turn stronger than Joyce.
"It was really nice to get a victory on their home soil, but we're not going to rub it in because they might get us the next time," Lenton said. "It was neck and neck with everyone coming down to me. I just came out, concentrated on my race plan and it came down to the last turn."
Kaitlin Sandeno won her fourth gold medal of the meet and Brendan Hansen completed a sweep of the breaststroke events by winning the 200m for the Americans, who are without injured star Michael Phelps. He withdrew Friday with a back injury after winning the 200m freestyle.
"If it's in your own pool, you're not going to make a fool of yourself," said Mark Foster of Britain, who won the 50m free at age 34.
Spurring on the home team was a crowd of 11,488 -- largest at a non-Olympic swimming event in the US.
"When they announce USA and everyone goes ballistic, it's absolutely incredible," said Margaret Hoelzer, who won the 200m backstroke. "People obviously like watching in the Olympics. Hopefully, stuff like this will help people stay interested."
At 31, Thompson was the oldest swimmer in the eight-woman 50m fly final that included world record holder Anna-Karin Kammerling of Sweden, Lenton, Martina Moravcova of Slovakia and fellow US Olympian Rachel Komisarz.
Thompson barely outtouched Kammerling, the defending champion, at the wall after a furious sprint through the final 25m. She won in 25.89 seconds. Kammerling finished in 26.02. Lenton, who won the 100m freestyle earlier in the evening, was third. Komisarz and Moravcova tied for fourth.
Thompson checked the scoreboard, then pumped her left arm in the air as the crowd chanted, "Jenny! Jenny!" Thompson defeated Kammerling to win 50m fly short-course titles in 1999 and 2000 before Kammerling won in 2002.
Thompson plans to swim the 100m fly and 50m free before retiring tomorrow night. She returns to her third year of medical school at Columbia University on Tuesday.
Sandeno led a 1-2 American finish in the 400m free. She won in 4:02.01, ahead of Sara McLarty in 4:04.49.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was