Pair of Gators Capture Gold by Breaking Both 400 IM Records on Second Day of Pan Pacs
Friday, August 20, 2010 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Former Gator Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) and incoming freshman Elizabeth Beisel (North Kingstown, R.I.) earned gold medals and broke the Pan Pacific Championship record for the men's and women's 400-meter individual medley Thursday night at the 2010 Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, Calif.
Lochte, who a gold medal Wednesday in the 200-meter freestyle, captured the gold in the 400 IM with a meet-record time of 4:07.59. Lochte had previously broken the meet record earlier in the day with a prelim time of 4:08.77. The former All-American at Florida (2002-06) was on pace to break the world record (held by US teammate Michael Phelps) through the first 150 meters, but fell short of the pace during the breaststroke leg. Lochte was also a member of USA Swimming's 800-meter free relay team, which took gold in the last event of the day.
"I just went out fast and tried to hold on for dear life," Lochte told the Associated Press. "I'm just going out there, having fun and racing. Whatever the outcome is, I'll take it."
Beisel won her first event of the week, placing first on the women's 400 IM medal stand with a time of 4:34.69. Her prelim time of 4:34.04 was a meet record, and she also broke the school record she set exactly two weeks earlier at US Nationals. The victory gave the US women's team two-straight winners in the event (Katie Hoff, 2006). Junior Teresa Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa.) finished sixth in the prelims of the event with a time of 4:42.70, but did not compete for the US in the finals, as only three swimmers from each country can swim in the finals of an event.
The US men's swimming team, coached by University of Florida head swimming coach Gregg Troy, is in first place at the end of day two. The US women's squad also is in first place.
Florida Finishes
Men's 100 Free
16. Brett Fraser – 50.29
33. Shaune Fraser* – 50.43
Men's 400 IM
1. Ryan Lochte* – 4:07.59^ (4:08.77)
14. (Prelim Finish) Sebastien Rousseau – 4:29.07
Men's 800 Free Relay
1. USA (Michael Phelps, Peter Vanderkaay, Ricky Berens, Ryan Lochte*) – 7:03.84
Women's 100 Breast
15. Sarra Lajnef – 1:11.05
Women's 400 IM Finals
1. Elizabeth Beisel – 4:34.69 (4:34.04 Prelim^)
6. (Prelim Finish) Teresa Crippen – 4:42.70
14. Sarra Lajnef – 4:55.95 (4.55.90 Prelim)
Men's Team Rankings – Through Thursday, August 19, 2010
1. USA – 108
2. Japan – 60
3. Australia – 59
4. Canada – 33
5. Brazil – 28
6. Korea – 17
7. China – 11
8. South Africa – 9
9. New Zealand - 2
* Former Gator
^ Meet Record
