The last day of competition in Melbourne confirmed the American
swimmers' domination who swept 20 of the 40 gold medals in offer
during the eight-day event.?
The 21-year-old wunderkind Phelps was the shining star of the
Championship as he bagged seven golds, breaking retired Australian
star Ian Thorpe's record of six gold medals at a single World
Championships.
Phelps won every event in which he graced the pool and beat all
expectations by even improving his personal best in most events.
made sure that he won every event he swam.
Becoming the first man to swim the 200 meters freestyle in under
1:44, he went on to break two more world records in the 200 meters
butterfly chase and the 400 meters individual medley. He made it
four by improving his own world record in the 200 meters individual
medley.
The upcoming Beijing Olympics will be another chance for the
star, and his own US team, to dominate even more.
In the eight-day competition, 14 world records fell across 13
events, with eleven of these going to US swimmers.
?
17-year-old Katie Hoff not only defended two titles in the women's
individual medley, but also smashed the world record of the 400
meters medley.
22-year-old Ryan Lochte was twice Phelps' dauphin in the
individual medley events, but also claimed his first individual
world champion title in the 200 meters backstroke race, during
which he defeated world champion and teammate Aaron Peirsol and
beat the latter's world record.
Australia comforted their second-place in the medal table with
nine golds, but were left trailing in the US' wake, making these
championships far more one-sided than their predecessor in Montreal
when Australia tallied 13 gold metals to the United States' 15.
However, the Australian women's swimmers still stood out,
especially breaststroker Leisel Jones and freestyle sprinter
Lisbeth Lenton.
Due to the Thorpedo's retirement and Grant Hackett slowing down,
the Australian men's swimmers under-performed, grabbing their
single gold in the 4x100 meters medley relay. Even this could be
considered lucky since current world-record holders, the US, were
disqualified in the heats for a foul.
Besides Phelps and the US-Australia dominance, many stars also
shone brightly in the pool.
French beauty Laure Manaudou came away happily with two gold and
two silver medals in individual events, having also improved the
200 meters freestyle world record.
17-year-old Park Tae Hwan notched up one gold and one bronze in
long-distance freestyle competition. The Asian hopeful bravely
represented South Korea, and proved to be the equal of Hackett and
other great swimmers by challenging them down to the wire.
Japan's only gold came from Kosuke Kitajima in the men's200
meters breaststroke with world record holder Brendan Hansen out
with a virus. However, Olympic champion Kitajima set up a climactic
showdown in Beijing with Hansen, who only beat him by one stroke in
the 100 meters.
Meanwhile, the other Japanese swimmers showed their skill by
collecting two silvers and four bronzes.
The USA team finished first with 21 golds, 14 silvers and 5
bronzes ahead of host Australia (11-6-7) and Russia (9-7-10). China
stood back in fourth place with 9 golds, 5 silvers and 2
bronzes.
(Xinhua News Agency April 2, 2007)