2:08.50!

ANOTHER WORLD RECORD!

Not a Slow Summer: Hansen Sets Two More World Records
Not exactly accurate but Amy Shipley's high on my list of favorite writers now because she's such a hard core Brendan fan (even giving him an extra WR in the 100 this week, haha.) . And there's a photo if you follow the link.

VICTORIA, B.C., Aug. 20 - It was another run-of-the-mill meet for U.S. breaststroker Brendan Hansen: two individual events, two world records.

Three days after lowering his world record in the 100-meter breaststroke, Hansen did the same in the 200. At the U.S. championships three weeks ago, Hansen accomplished the same double, meaning he has set four world records in August.

After the race, Hansen, 25, began plotting his next assault on the record books. "Right now, I have to go back to the drawing board to see how low I can make these records," he said.

Hansen, who trains in Austin under coach Eddie Reese, finished in 2 minutes 8.50 seconds, knocking .24 of a second off of his world mark.

Phelps and Hansen set new world records

Hansen lowered his own record in the 200 meters breaststroke, winning the event in 2:08.50 to eclipse his previous time of 2:08.74.

"We make it look easy but it's really hard," Hansen told reporters. "A lot of hard work went in to that."

Hansen tops own 200 breast world record

VICTORIA, British Columbia - Brendan Hansen lowered his own world record in the 200-meter breaststroke for the second time in two weeks, beating Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan at the Pan Pacific Championships Sunday night.

Hansen led all the way and touched in 2 minutes, 08.50 seconds - slicing 0.24 seconds off the mark he set Aug. 5 at the U.S. national championships in Irvine, Calif.

Hansen checked his time on the scoreboard, shouted "Yeaaah!" and punched the water with fist, sending a spray into the air.

Kitajima took the silver in 2:10.87. American Scott Usher earned bronze in 2:16.49.

Hansen has carried an admitted chip on his shoulder since Kitajima beat him twice at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where the American settled for bronze in both breaststroke events.

Two weeks ago, Hansen also lowered his own mark in the 100 breast.

Former Longhorn Hansen lowers own record in 200 breaststroke

In the men's 200 breaststroke, Hansen led all the way and touched in 2:08.50 — slicing 0.24 seconds off the mark he set Aug. 5 at the U.S. national championships in Irvine, Calif. Kitajima took the silver in 2:10.87. American Scott Usher earned bronze in 2:16.49.

Hansen has carried an admitted chip on his shoulder since Kitajima beat him twice at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where the American settled for bronze in both breaststroke events.

Hansen also won the 100 breast in Victoria. Kitajima was third.

Hansen Drops 200 Breast World Record for Second Time in Month

VICTORIA, British Columbia, Aug. 20. BRENDAN Hansen is so good at his chosen stroke, he can even toy with the crowd en route to setting world records. At the 150-meter mark, Hansen sat .28 off his world-record pace in the event set at the 2006 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships on August 5. Hansen, however, turned on the steam in the final 50 meters to shave .24 seconds off his previous global standard of 2:08.74 with a scintillating 2:08.50 at the 2006 Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships.

After clocking a 29.10 split to open the initial 50 meters of the race, Hansen crossed the second 50 meters in 33.16 for a halfway time of 1:02.26. Hansen picked up the pace in the third 50 meters with a 32.86 split for a 1:35.12 at the 150-meter mark. He then brought it home with a 33.38 in the final 50 for the record in 2:08.50.

In comparison, Hansen went sub-29 seconds in his previous world-record time with a 28.87. He then clocked a 32.71 split for a 1:01.58 time at the 100-meter mark. Hansen then slowed a bit during the third 50 meters with a 33.26 for a 1:34.84 at the 150-meter point. He closed out the swim with a 33.90 split en route to a 2:08.74.

"My race strategy tonight was to take it out a little slower than I did at Nationals," Hansen said. "It was hard for me to hold back that much, but it sure felt good that last 50. That's what we were looking for tonight. The way the U.S. guys have been swimming this meet really fired me up."

Meanwhile, former world-record holder Kosuke Kitajima was Hansen's closest spectator with a silver-medal 2:10.87, while American Scott Usher turned in a bronze-winning 2:11.49.

Incidentally, Hansen's effort also cleared his meet record of 2:10.37 set during prelims.

Phelps and Hansen break own world records

"My race was to take it out a bit slower than I did at the national, but it was hard to hold back," Hansen said. "I knew if I swam the race right I would have a lot left in the tank."

There are some really great reaction shots of him tonight that I'll get added to the gallery ASAP and John Lohn has an article coming out for the Delco Times tomorrow that I'll get posted as soon as I get it.