Claremore Daily Progress

Breaking News

Sports

July 30, 2012

OLYMPICS: Phelps qualifies 5th fastest for 200 fly

ASSOCIATED PRESS Associated Press

LONDON — Michael Phelps opened defense of his Olympic title in the 200-meter butterfly with the fifth-fastest qualifying time in the preliminaries Monday.

Phelps has yet to have the quickest time in the morning heats at the London Games four years after he won a record eight gold medals in Beijing.

He finished third in his heat at 1 minute, 55.53 seconds, trailing Dinko Jukic of Austria and U.S. teammate Tyler Clary to the wall.

"I'm pretty happy with that swim,'' Phelps said. "That's all I needed it to be.''

Phelps has won the 200 fly at the last two Olympics and set the world record at the 2009 world championships.

He was back in the water hours after swimming a solid second leg on the 4x100 freestyle relay that took silver after Ryan Lochte was overhauled by the French on the closing lap.

"Just getting last night sort of out of the way was something that I needed,'' Phelps said. "I guess I got to bed pretty late. We're all falling asleep pretty late. We're all excited.''

Phelps' mother, Debbie, nodded her head slightly when she saw her son had safely advanced. He was the slowest qualifier for the 400 individual medley final on Saturday, and his surprising fourth-place finish kept him off the medals podium.

"I have no idea what it was, but I don't think it had anything to do with confidence,'' he said. "I felt I was ready to swim faster than that. It just didn't happen.''

Jukic had the top time of 1:54.79, while Clary was second-best at 1:54.96 in advancing to the evening semifinals.

"I felt fantastic. The time was faster than it was at trials,'' Clary said. "I hurt a heck of a lot more at the end of the race in trials. So I had actually said to myself coming into the third wall that I was amazed at how well I felt. Just wanted to see what I could bring it home in.''

Velimir Stjepanovic of Serbia was third at 1:54.99. Others who made the semis included Chad le Clos of South Africa (fourth), 2008 bronze medalist Takeshi Matsuda of Japan (eighth), 2008 silver medalist Laszlo Cseh of Hungary (ninth), Wu Peng of China (10th) and Nick D'Arcy of Australia (12th).

Federica Pellegrini qualified fastest in the 200 freestyle, keeping the Italian on course to defend her Olympic title.

Pellegrini touched in 1:57.16 in the third of five heats, with U.S. teenager Missy Franklin swimming in the lane next to her. But the other American, Allison Schmitt, had the second-quickest time of 1:57.33 in advancing to the evening semifinals on the third day of swimming competition.

"It definitely feels like I'm ready to swim,'' Schmitt said. "I've been preparing for this meet all year. It's been fun so far and I'm looking forward to having more fun tonight.''

Franklin was third best in 1:57.62. She led the first 150 meters before Pellegrini surged ahead over the final lap.

"I didn't expect to be that fast this morning,'' Franklin said. "It's a stacked event. It's definitely going to be fun. I need to keep my energy up. It's going to be tough for sure.''

Pellegrini is the world champion and world-record holder in the event. She finished fourth in the 400 free Sunday.

"I'm happy with the time,'' Pellegrini said. "The bitterness from last night ended right after the race. I know I gave my all.''

Also moving on were Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden (tied for seventh), Australians Bronte Barratt (10th) and Kylie Palmer (11th), and 400 free gold medalist Camille Muffat of France (12th).

Muffat was tired after a fitful night of sleep.

"I kept getting up and opening the drawer the medal was in to check it was real and not a dream. It is so beautiful,'' she said. "This event and the relay is just a bonus for me now.''

Ye Shiwen of China dominated the 200 individual medley heats. Her time of 2:08.90 was 1.61 seconds faster than 2008 silver medalist Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, who swam 2:10.51.

Ye, the 16-year-old world champion, will be looking to add the 200 title to the 400 IM gold medal she won on Saturday in world-record time.

"She comes home like a gun in that freestyle,'' said defending Olympic champion Stephanie Rice, who was ninth.

"If I want to have any chance I need to be well up in front of her heading into the freestyle leg, which shouldn't be too hard for me. She's insane at freestyle but I think my other strokes are better than hers.''

Caitlin Leverenz of the U.S. was third at 2:10.63, followed by Hungary's Katinka Hosszu in 2:10.68. American Ariana Kukors was seventh in making the 16-woman semifinal.

 

Text Only
Sports
  • Gasso trusts that Ricketts will find her timing again

    Oklahoma pitcher Keilani Ricketts was not at her best on Sunday. The defending USA Softball Player of the Year didn’t give up a run in her two and two-thirds innings of work, but she was far from the dominant pitcher who tossed a no-hitter last week.

    May 20, 2013

  • Sooners claim regular season finale with win over K-State

    Oklahoma managed to end the regular season on a positive note Sunday. Kolbey Carpenter went 2 for 4 and drove in three runs to help power the Sooners to a 7-3 victory over Kansas State at Tointon Stadium.

    May 20, 2013

  • Chamberlain's curtain call only the beginning

    The chant reaching near-deafening levels, Lauren Chamberlain finally realized what she was supposed to do.

    Moments after blasting a three-run home run that broke open what had been a close regional final, the sophomore tepidly stepped up out of the dugout and waved to the home crowd, enjoying the first curtain call of her career.

    May 20, 2013

  • OU's dominant victory a shining example of how tough Sooners are in softball

    On the first day Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso thought it was better to go with Michelle Gascoigne over Keilani Ricketts against Arkansas’ bats, the Sooners beat the Razorbacks by five runs.

    A day later Gasso had the same thought. OU prevailed by 13 runs.

    May 20, 2013

  • Cowboys fall short in Big 12 regular season finale

    Oklahoma State University played catch up the entire game of Saturday’s series finale with West Virginia at Allie P. Reynolds, and never could quite get over the hump.
    The Cowboys would respond after each Mountaineer score but it wouldn’t be enough as they lost the finale 5-4 on Senior Day.

    May 20, 2013

  • Referees stop Lake Eufaula Classic with South on top

     It was an outcome unlike any in the 29 years of the Lake Eufaula Classic, and a bruise different than any player has ever departed with.

    Officials, following the second serious skirmish of the game, walked off the field and the game was called, the South leading the North 12-10 at Paul Bell Stadium.

    May 20, 2013

  • Grand Junction Bound: Connors State advances to JUCO World Series

    All season long, Connors State coach Perry Keith has said his team was winning a lot of ball games ugly.

    On Saturday, the game between the Cowboys and No. 1 Delgado (La.) was anything but as Connors beat the Dolphins 3-1 to capture the South Central district championship and a berth in next week’s NJCAA College World Series.

    May 20, 2013

  • Young Americans waste no time qualifying for Indy 500

    Bump Day at Indianapolis followed the script.
    No surprises, no drama and no drivers getting bumped.
    On a day devoid of tension and rumors, all nine drivers who made attempts on the second and final day of Indianapolis 500 qualifications made it into the 33-car field, led by two young Americans - Josef Newgarden and Graham Rahal - who easily had the two fastest cars on the track.

    May 20, 2013

  • NCAA WOMEN'S BB: Texas Tech hires OSU assistant Candi Whitaker

    Texas Tech has hired Oklahoma State assistant Candi Whitaker to coach its women's basketball team.
    The school announced Monday that the former Lady Raiders player would return to her alma mater as coach. The move comes about a week after Kristy Curry left for Alabama.

    May 20, 2013

  • Pacers, Heat start bracing to square off again

    A year ago when Miami and Indiana faced off in the postseason, there were blood-drawing hits, flagrant fouls, technical fouls, choke signs being directed toward LeBron James and more than a few sharp-tongued comments.
    Here they possibly go again, at least on the comment front.
    The Eastern Conference finals between the Heat and Pacers won't begin until Wednesday night, but there's already signs that the animosity present throughout last season's Miami-Indiana second-round series will likely return this time around.

    May 20, 2013