WOW!

What an amazing morning/evening of swimming (depending on your time zone). World Records dropping left and right. Phelps started the night off smashing Thorpes record in the 200 Free, then Natalie fed off that excitement and got a new WR in the 100 Back. Peirsol looked like he might finally get beat by Lochte who was swimming an amazing race in the 100 back but then Aaron found a new gear and became the first man to break 53 seconds. Federica Pellegrini shocked no one more than herself with a WR in the 200 Free Semis (Katie Hoff got a PB and a new AR in her Semi of the same event) and I though Leisel Jones was going to get one too but tightened up a bit and had to settle for a course record. No trouble getting up at 4 am when you get to see a show like that!

Brendan looked amazingly confident in the 50 and when he looks that confident it's hard to believe he won't win. He finished the Semi-Finals with the top time and what I believe is a personal best of 27.51, just a breath ahead of Lisogor and Terrin. (Sorry about your man Warnecke Lotus Sport. He just missed making the Semi's this time. You can cheer for Brendan now.)

Top Eight Qualifiers:

HANSEN Brendan USA 27.51
LISOGOR Oleg UKR 27.53
TERRIN Alessandro ITA 27.55
KITAJIMA Kosuke JPN 27.89
DYMO Valeriy UKR 27.97
RICKARD Brenton AUS 27.98
VAN DER BURGH Cameron RSA 27.99
MALUL Michael ISR 28.08

Article from John Lohn over at Swimming World

"That race showed that I'm getting better," Hansen said. "I'm loving it and having a blast with everything right now. The 100 was definitely a confidence booster and I'm riding that wave into the rest of the meet. It's just grip and rip it."

Sorry I wasn't able to post an update yesterday (busy busy day) but I'm going to try to get caught up with the links now....

Those who missed the 100 Breast Final it's up on WCSN now along with all the other finals that have been contested up to today...right here.

Hansen is golden yet again - John Lohn

"He's a great competitor," Hansen said of Kitajima. "We have a rivalry, but one with mutual respect. I couldn't see where he was, but I knew he was right there with me. I just put the blinders on and let my experience come through. With about 20 meters to go, I knew I was going to be off at the finish. I either had to go long (for the wall) or go short and I decided to go long. I've been doing this for 20 years and my instincts took over. If I didn't go long (and stretch for the wall, rather than take another quick stroke), I'd probably be here with the silver medal."

snip

"(Kitajima) brings out the best in me and I think I bring out the best in him," Hansen said. "If our rivalry brings more attention to the sport, that's a great thing. I know I'm going to draw and build off this and what my teammates have been doing."

Hansen good as gold again

Hansen holds off rival Kitajima in breaststroke

Texas Trio Off To Fine Start

Same top two, different race, slower too, yet the way in which Brendan Hansen, of the US, retained the 100m breaststroke crown in 59.78sec to 59.96sec for Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima spoke volumes about who is now boss of breaststroke.

The 2003 title went to Kitajima in 59.78 and the 2005 crown to Hansen in 59.37, which remains a championship record. A war of words later and Hansen has taken the record on so far past Kitajima - 59.13 and 2:08.50 - that he has room for nervousness, room for mistakes, room for making sure that whatever happens, he can still stop the clock first.

The gap between gold and silver was tiny - 0.16sec - and yet it was not unlike watching the Popov era, when the Russian was at his best: there was never a point in the race at which you thought that Hansen could succumb to Kitajima. The American had the edge, he had what it took to say 'I know you're on my shoulder - but not this time, this is mine'.

They turned almost in a world of their own, 27.67 for the champion and 27.79 for former champion, with Norway's Alex Oen Dale getting too excited, on a 27.93, the only other sub-28sec first-50m man. The Scandinavian paid a price for his bravery, finishing 8th in 1:01.67, but the main feature in the middle of the pool produced a fantastic duel. There was once a time when Hansen, coached by Eddie Reese, might have wobbled as Kitajima coasted alongside. No more. Hansen hads built himself a buffer zone that allows him to be off best but still the best.

And hundreds more I can't possibly link them all so here's the google link - knock yourselves out. If y'all have any favorites I've missed please let me know.