2007 National 200 Breaststroke Champion -Brendan Hansen!

Tonight Brendan raced to maintain his title of National Champion and did it with a time of 2:09.90. Great job Brendan!

1. HANSEN Brendan 81 TXLAST 0.71 29.17 1:02.30 1:35.60 2:09.91
2. SHANTEAU Eric 83 TXLAST 0.73 29.75 1:02.88 1:36.52 2:10.65
3. BREE Andrew 81 TENNSE 0.80 29.87 1:03.41 1:37.52 2:13.15
4. VERSFELD Neil 85 ABSCGA 0.74 30.20 1:04.28 1:38.19 2:13.44
5. ZAICH Paul 86 STANPC 0.87 30.18 1:03.98 1:38.24 2:13.52
6. USHER Scott 83 BA-IN 0.82 30.18 1:04.27 1:38.54 2:14.62
7. MAHONEY Sean 88 TERAPC 0.86 30.36 1:04.60 1:39.56 2:15.36
8. SPANN Scott 88 CW-MI 0.68 29.47 1:02.83 1:38.61 2:15.70

When we went in to the pool today we were all complaining about difficulty breathing. Our eyes were burning and it was really uncomfortable in the natatorium. I didn't even think of the difficulties that was putting on the athletes.
In this article in USA Today, they spoke of this problem.

"The air quality is horrendous," Hansen said after his race. "You expect to come to a really good facility and you've got guys saying, 'Don't go to the warmdown pool because you won't be able to breathe.'"

Facility officials were working Tuesday on problems with the air outtake system in the natatorium.

Hansen was expected to finish comfortably in front of the field. Instead, he got a last-lap challenge from Longhorn Aquatics teammate Eric Shanteau, who finished in 2:10.65.

"That was probably one of the hardest 200 breaststrokes I've ever done," Hansen said.

In the women's 800-meter freestyle, world champion Kate Ziegler held off fellow teen sensation Katie Hoff in the first of their three showdowns this week. They'll meet in the 400 free on Thursday and the 200 free on Friday.

Ziegler also had trouble breathing.

"I have asthma as it is, so I dove in and suddenly I couldn't breathe," she said.

Brendan may have felt difficulty, but he sure made it look easy. I am still coughing from being at that pool hours after leaving. Hopefully they will have the trouble fixed before Brendan swims the 100 Breast on Friday.


Brendan's cousin Caitlin Meehan beat her best tonight in her 200 Breast race and proved that her Olympic Trials cut wasn't a fluke. She finished with a 2:33.78.



Congraulations to both Brendan and Caitlin!