American Swimmers Dominate the Pool

     Veterinarian student Kelly Marie Harrigan and freestyle specialist Chad Eric Latourette contributed to the last two victories of their country. Harrigan registered her personal best by touching the pool first in 2:11.48 min to win the women's 200m backstroke.

     Latourette rewrote a new record of 15:00.26 to claim the men's 1,500m freestyle gold medal which eclipsed the 24-year-old 15:02.83 by Russian Vladimir Salnikov set  in Buffalo, 1983. It was also his second triumph in the 2007 Universiade after winning in the 800m freestyle.

    After sitting on the stand supporting her teammates in the past five days Harrigan took the floor in her only event and never let her team down. She was ecstatic to be part of the US overall championship on the pool.

    "It's amazing to be part of the team even when I had to sit back and supported. This is my first time in the game and I won. It's really amazing,'' said the American who said she has spent most of her life studying animal science when not in the pool.

     Of all the 40 golds offered in swimming, American swimmers have swept 10 golds including the women's 4x100 freestyle, Men's 800m freestyle, Women's 200m individual medley, men's 4x100m freestyle relay, Women's 4x200m freestyle relay, Men's 4x200m freestyle relay, Men's 400m individual medley and  Men's 200m freestyle. They also set nine new records from these 10 categories.

   Eight events were competed on the final day and five record were shattered  Audrey Lacroix of Canada won the women's 200m butterfly with new Games mark of  2:06.83 min.

 Sprinter Nicholas Dias Dos Santos of Brazil stole the show in the men's 50m freestyle by timing a new record of  22.12 sec.  

   German Britta Steffen dominated the women's 50m freestyle with a new mark of  24.87 for her second gold in Bangkok following  the women's 100m freestyle.

    The Russian men's 4x100m medley relay team lifted up the last gold medal offered in swimming by clocking a new mark of  3:36.17 min.

    In the non-record breaking event, world record holder Oleg Lisogor of Ukraine made a Universiade swan song on a high note, timing  27.74 to win the men's 50m breaststroke. The 28-year-old consistently competed in the past four Games and by far has 6 golds in his collection.

    "I'm happy to win in my last Universiade. I competed in only one event and won. I'm 100% out of 100% ," said the Sports Teaching student from The Physical Culture Education in Kyiv, who held a world record of  27.18 seconds in Berlin in 2002

    The other gold of the day was won by Nanaka Tamura who swam 1:08.37 min to win the  women's 100m breaststroke.

     After six days, 22 records from 40 events were rewritten. Japan and Germany fell behind USA  with 5 golds each in the medaltally.

     American James Adam Ritter and Japan's Aya Terakawa won the highest number of three golds each. Ritter won the men's 200m freestyle, men's 4x100m freestyle and men's 4x200m freestyle and broke records in all events. The Japanese woman won in the women's 50m backstroke, women's 100m backstroke: and women's 4x100m individual medley.

Lerpong Amsa-ngiam

The Nation