Michael Phelps helped the US set five world short-course records and dominate Europe in the Duel in the Pool on Friday.
The Americans won 11 of the 14 events to lead 89-33 at the halfway point of the two-day meet at Manchester Aquatics Centre.
“We wanted to come here and try to keep the ball rolling and it’s definitely a good start,” Phelps said. “Everything’s a stepping stone to 2012.”
PHOTO: REUTERS
In Phelps’ first competitive appearance in England, the 14-time Olympic champion demonstrated he was focused on London 2012.
While most of his competitors are sucking every last second in the pool out of the high-tech suits that will be outlawed on Jan. 1, Phelps continued to sacrifice short-term gain to get reacquainted with the old-style, textile knee-length outfits.
Phelps hopes that will give him a decisive edge over competitors later, although it saw him fail to win a single race at two World Cup short-course meets in Europe last month.
“I’m definitely happier about how things went here, having the opportunity to swim short-course meters again since the World Cup,” Phelps said. “I was faster here than I was there. It just shows things are moving in the right direction. Ever since the World Cups I’ve been wearing the Jammer and that’s probably what I’m going to wear for the rest of my career with the rule changes. To come back to the Jammer means putting more time and energy into having to work harder and having to make sure I’m in better shape.”
In the 4x100m medley relay, Phelps swam the third leg as the US men set a world record of 3 minutes, 20.71 seconds, breaking the 3:23.33 set by Canada in August. Nick Thomas’ backstroke leg set an individual world record of 48.94 seconds.
Despite the slower suit, Phelps touched ahead of Benjamin Starke of Germany to win the 100m butterfly, but he had to settle for third in the 100m freestyle. Teammate Nathan Adrian won the race, followed by Italy’s Marco Orsi. Both were wearing the polyurethane performance-enhancing suits.
The competition started with the US women winning the medley relay in 3:47.97, with Jessica Hardy swimming the second leg as they bettered the world record of 3:49.45 set by Canada in August.
Unlike Phelps, Hardy might not be returning to England for the Olympics, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport set to determine her eligibility for competition on March 12.
Hardy served a one-year ban after testing positive for the anabolic agent clenbuterol before the Beijing Olympics. In May, the American Arbitration Association found the failed test was caused by a contaminated nutritional supplement and requested that Hardy not lose her Olympic eligibility.
Two more world records were set by US women. Julia Smit triumphed in the 400 individual medley in 4:21.04, surpassing 4:22.88 set by Kathryn Meaklim of South Africa last month.
Olympic champion Rebecca Soni clocked 2:14.57 in the 200 breaststroke to take down the 2:15.42 set by Leisel Jones of Australia last month.
The only European victories were delivered by Britons: Fran Halsall in the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly, and Lizzie Simmonds in the 200 backstroke.
Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Friday backed calls for the US to boycott the Winter Olympics in Beijing next year, saying that China’s “nasty” activity made it an inappropriate host. Pompeo, a vociferous critic of Beijing while he was former US president Donald Trump’s top diplomat, said that the previous administration had tried in its final months to persuade the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to move the Winter Games. “I hope that our athletes get a chance to participate in the Olympics,” Pompeo told radio host Hugh Hewitt. “They very much deserve that, but in the end, we cannot
Zion Williamson on Monday produced a dominant performance as the New Orleans Pelicans upset the league-leading Utah Jazz with a 129-124 victory. Pelicans prodigy Williamson finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to give New Orleans a deserved victory over the Western Conference-leading Jazz. It was the sort of display from the 20-year-old Williamson that made him one of the most coveted young players in years when he was snapped up by New Orleans two years ago with the No.1 pick in the draft. Against Utah on Monday, the 2m, 129kg powerhouse used his physique and skill to barrel through the
EYE ON UNITED: Pep Guardiola said the team’s focus was on their next game after the league leaders dominated Wolves, although the scores were level after an hour Manchester City on Tuesday equaled their club record of 28 games unbeaten, hammering Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-1 to open up a gaping 15-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. Pep Guardiola shuffled his pack at the Etihad Stadium against the team who did the league double against them last season as he maintained his club’s assault on an unprecedented quadruple. The champions-elect were made to sweat after Conor Coady canceled out an early own-goal from Leander Dendoncker, but two late goals from Gabriel Jesus and a Riyad Mahrez strike sealed the three points. City’s 28-match unbeaten run in all competitions equals
What to do if you are a windsurfing enthusiast in a country where the sea freezes over for months of the year? For a group of Finns, the answer is to kit out sailboards with skates and take to the ice, reaching speeds of up to 100kph in a burgeoning sport that can only be practiced in a handful of places around the world. “I call them happiness machines,” Feodor Gurvits said, pointing to his self-made board which sits on three blades and has a windsurfing sail attached. “They really make people smile.” Gurvits and about half a dozen ice surfers
RSS