Ami Matsuo grabs Women 200m IM gold: Day one – 2012 NSW Metropolitan Championships
Ami Matsuo of CARL grabbed gold medal of the Long Course 200m Individual Medley (IM) final in Women 14-15 Year Olds age class on foremost day of the 2012 New South Wales (NSW) Metropolitan Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on Saturday,
March 3.
The 15-year-old Matsuo asserted dominance over her challengers throughout the four-lap butterfly event and earned her way to the victory stand for gold medal.
With her commendable efforts, she completed her first lap in a time of 31.36 seconds. She was followed by Paris Zhang of MQU, who was 0.38 seconds behind her and posted a time of 31.74 seconds for the equivalent distance.
The battle continued in second lap, where Zhang overpowered Matsuo by completing her initial half of the race in a time of 1 minute and 09.71 seconds. She remained 0.23 seconds ahead of Matsuo, who enveloped her first half of the swim with the timing of
1 minute and 09.94 seconds.
The third lap saw ruthless aggression of Matsuo, who restored her pace and ended her lap with an effort of 1 minute and 53.15 seconds. Her marvellous effort placed her in a lead of 0.72 seconds over Zhang, who reported a timing of 1 minute and 53.87 seconds.
Both competitors continued their nerve-wrecking pace in the final round while Matsuo served notice of her talent and produced a timing of 2 minutes and 24.98 seconds. The gold medallist remained nearly two seconds slower from the mark of 2 minutes and 22.87
seconds, owned by Ashleigh Steed of USWM during 2010.
She remained nearly two seconds ahead of 15-year-old Zhang, who followed her on the podium for silver medal with the timing of 2 minutes and 26.83 seconds. The third spot of the event was obtained by Caitlyn Richardson of SSSD, who was 0.80 seconds away
from her foregoing finisher and settled on the medal rostrum for bronze medal with the timing of 2 minutes and 27.63 seconds.
The crowd acknowledged commendable struggles of all contestants in the 200m discipline whereas the position holders collected medals for their promising efforts after the session.
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