Allison Schmitt conquers Women’s 200m freestyle heats: Day three – 2011 FINA World Championships
Allison Schmitt of USA dominated the qualifying rounds of the Women’s 200m freestyle to enter the semi-finals as the fastest swimmer on day three of the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) organised 2011 World Championships on Tuesday, July 26,
in Shanghai, China.
Schmitt clinched the top qualification spot by producing a remarkable effort of 1 minute and 56.66 seconds. Her time was 3.68 seconds above the championship and world record of 1 minute and 52.98 seconds, made by Frederica Pellegrini at the 2009 Rome World
Championships.
World record holder, Pellegrini, failed to overcome Schmitt’s effort with a difference of only 0.21 seconds and qualified as the second finest swimmer of the event, with a timing of 1 minute and 56.87 seconds. She was followed by Bronte Barratt of Australia,
who remained half a second behind her and occupied the third fastest spot of the swim, by reporting in a time of 1 minute and 57.37 seconds.
Barratt was 0.03 seconds ahead of her following swimmer, Agnes Mutina of Hungary, who appeared as the fourth best qualifying swimmer in a time of 1 minute and 57.40 seconds. Kylie Palmer of Australia surfaced as the fifth best swimmer of the qualifying rounds,
as she remained only 0.02 seconds behind her foregoing swimmer and posted a time of 1 minute and 57.42 seconds. Palmer was pursued by Netherlands Femke Heemskerk, who entered the next round as the sixth fastest swimmer, with a timing of 1 minute and 57.43
seconds.
Silke Lippok of Germany was the seventh finest swimmer of the four-lap race, as she remained 0.10 seconds behind Heemskerk and clocked a time of 1 minute and 57.53 seconds. The eighth best spot of the swim was secured by Lauren Boyle of New Zealand, who
qualified for the semi-finals by submitting a time of 1 minute and 57.72 seconds.
The arena enjoyed the gruelling efforts of all participants, who tried hard to acquire a top qualification spot in the next round. In addition, the semi-final will take place in the second session, where the top-eight swimmers will enter the final.
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