Lochte Takes Home Second Individual Gold Medal in 400 IM Sunday; Gators Conclude Worlds
Sunday, August 2, 2009 | Men's Swimming & Diving
The eight-day 13th FINA World Championships closed Sunday for approximately 20 Florida swimmers as former Gator Ryan Lochte reeled in yet another gold medal in Rome. UF student-athletes represented over 10 different countries at the international meet as two Gator coaches, Anthony Nesty and Martyn Wilby, supported UF's representation in Italy. Sunday, Lochte took home first in the men's 400-meter individual medley, clocking a 4:07.01, after also taking the 200 IM title and World Record earlier in the Championship meet.
Florida's Dara Torres competed in finals of the women's 50-meter free, finishing eighth overall with a time of 24.48, after taking the U.S. Nationals title only a few weeks earlier.
In the final event of the 2009 World meet, former UF swimmer Gabriel Mangabeira, who finished eighth in the men's 100-meter fly Saturday, swam a 50.48 butterfly split as the team from Brazil raced to a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter medley relay.
Florida's representation at the World Championships in Rome shined as two individuals brought home World Titles and World Records. Senior Gemma Spofforth took home gold and a World Record in the 100-meter back Tuesday, also adding fourth in the 200-meter back Saturday, while Lochte captured gold in the 400 free relay, 800 free relay (World Record) and individually in the 200 (World Record) and 400-meter individual medley races. Lochte also tacked on a bronze-medal performance in the 200-meter back.
Impressive performances came from Omar Pinzon, who competed in both prelims and semifinals of the 200-meter back for Colombia, the first time he's swam two races in an event at the international level.
While Florida student-athletes wrap up competition from the Stadio del Nuoto in Rome, the 2009 U.S. Open, is set to kick off Tuesday, Aug. 4. Check www.GatorZone.com for results from the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash., as more Florida athletes take to the water Aug. 4-8. Prelims begin at noon (ET), and finals begin at 9 p.m. (ET).
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