Olympic medallists shine at US championships

Olympic medallists shine at US championships

FEDERAL WAY, Washington (AFP): Melvin Stewart, the 1992 Olympic champion and world record-holder, won a record 11th 200m butterfly national title Thursday as Olympic medallists dominated the U.S. Swimming Championships.

Stewart became the first American swimmer to win 11 national titles in the same event, winning the 200m fly in 1min 58.32secs.

Turkish-born American Ugur Taner chased Stewart the whole race, finishing second in 1:59.77.

Barcelona medallists Nicole Haislett of the United States, Gustavo Borges of Brazil and Norbert Rosza of Hungary were all winners.

Haislett, who won the 200m free and two relay golds in Barcelona, claimed her 10th national title with victory in the 100m freestyle in 56.25 seconds. She easily beat Gitta Jensen of Denmark, who was second in 57.10.

Borges, the Olympic silver medalist who swims for the University of Michigan, won the men's 100m free in 49.64. American Gary Hall was second in 50.27 and Taner was third in 50.42.

Rosza won the men's 200m breaststroke in 2:13.58. Rosza is a former world record-holder in the event and finished second in Barcelona. Steve West was second in 2:16.11 and Seth VanNeerden was third in 2:16.20.

American Kristine Quance won the women's 200m breaststroke in 2:28.55. Former world record-holder Anita Nall was a distant second in 2:30.95.

Michelle Griglione won the women's 200m butterfly in 2:12.72.

Brad Bridgewater won the men's 200m backstroke in 1:59.15, and Suzanne Toledo, a high school student from Michigan, won the women's 200m backstroke in 2:12.26. Selected results (USA unless stated):

Men 100m Freestyle 1. Gustavo Borges (Bra) 49.64secs 2. Gary Hall 50.27 3. Ugur Taner (USA) 50.42 200m Butterfly 1. Melvin Stewart 1:58.32 2. Ugur Taner 1:59.77 3. Tom Malchow 1:59.86 200m Backstroke 1. Brad Bridgewater 1:59.15 2. Greg Burgess 2:00.46 3. Bart Sikora 2:01.70 200m Breaststroke 1. Norbert Rosza (Hun) 2:13.58 2. Steve West 2:16.11 3. Seth van Neerden 2:16.20

Women 100m Freestyle 1. Nicole Haislett 56.25 2. Gitta Jensen (Den) 57.10 3. Richelle Depold 57.59 200m Butterfly 1. Michelle Griglione 2:12.72 2. Whitney Phelps 2:13.27 3. Angie Wester-Krieg 2:13.83 200m Backstroke 1. Suzanne Toledo 2:12.26 2. Lea Loveless 2:12.60 3. Rachel Joseph 2:13.91 200m Breaststroke 1. Kristine Quance 2:28.75 2. Anita Nall 2:30.95 3. Guylaine Cloutier (Can) 2:31.74