Anastasia Zueva tops Women’s 50m back-stroke semi-finals: Day four – World Championships
Anastasia Zueva of Russia won the semi-finals of Women’s 50m back-stroke on fourth day of the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) scheduled 2011 World Championships on Wednesday, July 27, in Shanghai, China.
The 21-year-old Zueva was the fastest swimmer of the one-lap swim, as she completed her sprint in a noteworthy time of 27.88 seconds. Her time was only 0.82 seconds away from the championship and world mark of 27.06 seconds, made by Zhao Jing of China at
the 2009 World Championships in Rome.
She was followed by Mercedes Peris Minguet of Spain and Aliaksandra Herasimenia of Belarus, who engaged each other in a neck-to-neck battle for the second best qualification. Both swimmers tried their best to escape each other for the second fastest qualification
but failed to do so and concluded their swims in a same time of 27.93 seconds, to secure the second fastest qualification spot in the finals.
Chang Gao of China was the fourth finest swimmer to qualify into the final rounds, as she stayed 0.12 seconds behind the duo of second fastest qualifiers and clocked an admiring time of 28.05 seconds to proceed into the final rounds. She was trailed by Julia
Wilkinson of Canada, who remained evident for the fifth best qualification spot and clocked a time of 28.10 seconds. Melissa Franklin of USA stayed only 0.04 seconds behind her foregoing swimmer and secured the sixth fastest qualification spot, with a timing
of 28.14 seconds.
Similarly, Franklin was in a lead of 0.02 seconds over her following competitor, Aya Terakawa, who entered the finals as seventh finest swimmer, with a timing of 28.16 seconds. The final spot was secured by Emily Seebohm of Australia, who secured the eighth
qualification spot, by reporting in a time of 28.19 seconds.
Zueva was glad with her victory in the semi-finals and expressed her desire of conquering the gold medal, by dominating the final round. Furthermore, the crowd applauded for the commendable efforts of all swimmers, while the final will take place in the
second session of the meet.
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