Lochte, Phelps spark US charge at Pan Pacs 

Author: 
BETH HARRIS AP  
Publication Date: 
Sat, 2010-08-21 20:47

The American women won all five events, while the US men won three of three.
The United States took both 4x100-meter freestyle relays, with Phelps and Lochte giving the men a 2.56-second victory over Australia. The women beat the Aussies by 2.95 seconds.
Phelps led off the relay with a meet-record 100 split of 48.13 against Canada's Brent Hayden, whose mark of 48.59 Phelps lowered from four years ago. Jason Lezak swam the third leg and Nathan Adrian anchored the win in a meet-record time of 3:11.74.
“I started passing some of the people on the second leg,” Phelps said.
The women's team of Natalie Coughlin, Jessica Hardy, Amanda Weir and Dana Vollmer won in a meet-record time of 3:35.11.
Lochte, the Olympic champion, won his fourth gold medal, taking the 200-meter backstroke in 1 minute, 54.12 seconds, the world's fastest time this year. That eclipsed the meet record of 1:54.44 set by Aaron Peirsol four years ago.
“I felt pretty in control. I tried to hold back on my first 50,” said Lochte, who hit the lane rope near the end. “I was trying to stay in the middle but it didn't work.” American Tyler Clary earned the silver in 1:54.90. Ryosuke Irie of Japan, the world silver medalist who came in with the world's best time, was third.
Peirsol, the world record-holder, won the consolation final. He was shut out of the championship final by Lochte and Clary, who were faster in the heats. Only two swimmers per country are allowed in the final.
Phelps won the 100 butterfly to collect his third gold medal.
The world and Olympic champion touched in 50.86, erasing American Ian Crocker's meet record of 51.47 set four years ago. Phelps posted the year's fastest time of 50.65 in winning the title at US nationals earlier this month.
Phelps' teammate Tyler McGill earned the silver in 51.85.
Takuro Fujii of Japan took the bronze.
“I was off the blocks slow,” Phelps said. “The one thing I'm not happy with was the first 50. I couldn't get it going.
“To be able to still be under 51 wasn't terrible. If I want to be able to get back to the time I did last summer (at worlds), I just need a good first 50 to build up my speed.” Park Tae-kwan of South Korea won the 400 freestyle with the world's fastest time this year.
Park won in 4:44.73. The Olympic champion was neck-and-neck with Ryan Cochrane of Canada through 300 meters before pulling away on the final two laps. Park finished second in the 200 freestyle earlier in the meet.
Cochrane earned the silver medal in 3:46.78. Zhang Lin of China, the Olympic silver medalist who had the world's fastest time coming in, took the bronze in 3:46.91.
US teammates Dana Vollmer and Christine Magnuson went 1-2 in the women's 100 butterfly. Vollmer was timed in 57.56 and earned her first gold and third medal of the meet.
Magnuson, the Olympic silver medalist who has the world's fastest time this year, was second in 57.95. Yolane Kukla, a 14-year-old Australian, was on world-record pace after 50 meters, but faded to fourth.
The United States dominated the women's 200 backstroke, with 18-year-old Olympian Elizabeth Beisel holding off 16-year-old teammate Elizabeth Pelton at the wall to win.
Beisel finished in 2:07.83 to Pelton's 2:08.10. Belinda Hocking of Australia took the bronze.
It was Beisel's second gold, having won the 400 individual medley on Thursday.
Chloe Sutton of the United States won the women's 400 free, holding off two Australians to earn her first international title.
Sutton touched in 4:05.19, the fourth-fastest time in the world this year. Katie Goldman was second in 4:05.84 and Blair Evans third in 4:06.36.
“I can't believe that just happened,” a breathless Sutton said. “I was hoping I could come in second to Allison because she seems to be on fire this meet. I'm just so excited. I was still fighting at the very end.” Sutton, a 2008 Olympian, earned a silver medal in the 800 free on Wednesday. She will swim in the 10-kilometer open water race on Sunday.
American Jessica Hardy won the 50 breaststroke, a non-Olympic event, in 30.03, third-fastest ever. Felipe Silva of Brazil won the men's race in 27.26.
 

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