Gators Kick Off 2009 FINA World Championships
Sunday, July 26, 2009 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Nine Gators competed in the first day of swimming action at the 2009 FINA World Championships in Rome Sunday, including a gold-medal Championship Record performance for former UF swimmer Ryan Lochte and the U.S. men's 400-meter freestyle relay.
Lochte and teammates, Michael Phelps, Matt Grevers and Nathan Adrian, cruised to gold in the event, clocking a 3:09.21, just shy of the American and World Records (3:08.24), set by Team U.S.A. at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Lochte, who didn't compete in prelims of the event where the U.S. quartet placed fourth, filled in during finals swimming the second-fastest split, a 47.03 100-meter free leg, to help the United States improve to first in the championship heat en route to breaking a championship record.
Likewise, Gator great Dara Torres, a team captain of the women's U.S. World Championships team, swam the second-fastest split on the fourth-place United States women's 400-meter freestyle relay, clocking a 53.72, as the team cruised to a 3:35.23 mark overall. Under Torres' watch, the U.S. team improved from seventh place to fourth in finals.
Several Florida underclassmen took to the water in Rome as well, including sophomore Jemma Lowe, representing Great Britain, who clocked a 58.60 in the 100-meter butterfly to finish 17th overall. Additionally, sophomore Maida Turnadzic swam both the 100 fly and 200-meter IM, placing 53rd and 55th, respectively, for Bosnia. Anna-Liisa Pold joined Turnadzic in the 200 IM, clocking a 2:19.86, good for 44th in the field for Estonia.
Florida's Roberto Gomez and three of his Venezuelan teammates cruised to 16th in prelims of the men's 400-meter freestyle relay (3:17.79) as Gomez clocked a 48.84 split in the process, the fastest on his team of four.
The 13th FINA World Championships continue Monday. Morning sessions are scheduled to take place from 9-12:30 p.m. local time in Rome (3-5:30 a.m. ET), while finals span from approximately 6-8:30 p.m. (12-2:30 p.m. ET). Gator fans can follow swimming sessions live from the Stadio del Nuoto through the Omega Live Timing website here. For more information on the 2009 FINA World Swimming Championships, click here.
Fans in the United States can follow all of the action from the World Championships on NBC and Universal Sports. NBC will broadcast the final two days of the meet on August 1 and 2 from 12 – 2 p.m. EDT. Universal Sports will broadcast the remainder of the competition (July 27-July 31) at both 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT. A webcast of the World Championships will also be available online at www.universalsports.com.
FINALS RESULTS
Women's 400-meter freestyle relay
Dara Torres, Amanda Weir, Christine Magnuson, Dana Vollmer, 4th, 3:35.23 (53.72 split)
Men's 400-meter freestyle relay
Ryan Lochte, Michael Phelps, Matt Grevers, Nathan Adrian, 1st, 3:09.21 (47.03 split), Championship Record
PRELIMS RESULTS
Women's 100-meter butterfly
Jemma Lowe, Great Britain, 17th, 58.60
Maida Turnadzic, Bosnia, 53rd, 1:01.31
Men's 400-meter freestyle
Ricardo Monasterio, Venezuela, 44th, 3:59.04
Women's 200-meter individual medley
Anna-Liisa Pold, Estonia, 44th, 2:19.86
Maida Turnadzic, Bosnia, 55th, 2:26.33
Men's 50-meter butterfly
Shaune Fraser, Cayman, 59th, 24.35
J.B. Walsh, Philippines, 101st, 25.63
Men's 400-meter freestyle relay
Roberto Gomez, Crox Acuna, Octavio Alesi, Albert Subirats, Venezuela, 16th, 3:17.79 (48.84 split)
