Aksana Petrushenka occupies Women’s 200m IM title: Day five – 2011 World Deaf Swimming Championships
Aksana Petrushenka of Belarus occupied the gold medal of Women’s 200m Individual Medley (IM) meet on day five of the 2011 World Deaf Swimming Championships on Thursday, August 11, in Coimbra, Portugal.
The 27-year-old Petrushenka remained inevitably strong for the top position on the victory stand and flew away with the Deaf World Record, by posting a wonderful effort of 2 minutes and 22.78 seconds. Her time was 1.08 seconds under her own previous record
of 2 minutes and 23.86 seconds, set by Petrushenka in 2009. Similarly, she also improved Anna Tovsta’s Deaf Championships record of 2 minutes and 31.80 seconds, with a considerable difference of 9.02 seconds.
She was trailed by Hannah Fitton of Great Britain, who remained 6.37 seconds away from the gold medallist and reached the podium for silver medal, with a timing of 2 minutes and 29.15 seconds. The third position was secured by German swimmer, Jarmila Gupta,
who was only 0.01 seconds slower than Fitton, as she posted a time of 2 minutes and 29.16 seconds for the bronze medal.
In the meantime, Gupta was chased by her closest competitor and team-member, Linda Neumann, who was 3.56 seconds slower than the third finisher and submitted a time of 2 minutes and 32.72 seconds for fourth spot. Next was Lauren McAlpin of United States,
who stayed only 1.49 seconds behind her preceding swimmer and reported in a fifth fastest time of 2 minutes and 34.21 seconds.
Meanwhile, McAlpin’s team-member, Sydney Bello transpired as the sixth fastest swimmer of the four-lap race, as she remained 0.83 seconds behind her team-member and clocked a time of 2 minutes and 35.04 seconds. Celeste Maria Punet of Argentina was the seventh
fastest finisher of the event, as she produced a time of 2 minutes and 37.47 seconds, while Alena Akexeeva of Russia was disqualified from the event due to an improper finish.
The crowd was impressed with the record-improving effort of Petrushenka, while the winners received accolades and medals for their flawless swims after the session.
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