Melissa Franklin wins Women’s 200m back-stroke semi-finals: Day six – 2011 FINA World Championships
Melissa Franklin of USA impressed the Shanghai aquatic arena by dominating the semi-final of Women’s 200m back-stroke meet, on the sixth day of the ongoing 2011 World Championships on Friday, July 29, in Shanghai, China.
The ongoing World Championships is the 14th Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) organised Long Course swimming meet, where the world’s phenomenal athletes are competing with each other.
Franklin claimed the fastest qualification spot of the event, by submitting an astounding time of 2 minutes and 07.76 seconds. Her time was 1.09 seconds slower than the world record of 2 minutes and 04.81 seconds, set by Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe at the
2009 Rome World Championships.
The fastest swimmer was followed by Belinda Hocking of Australia, who stayed 1.86 seconds behind the fastest finisher and reached the finals as the second fastest swimmer, with a timing of 2 minutes and 07.76 seconds. With her second fastest finish, Hocking
edged out her closest competitor, Elizabeth Beisel, with a difference of just 0.06 seconds as Beisel posted a time of 2 minutes and 07.82 seconds for third finest qualification spot.
Daryna Zevina of Ukraine was the fourth fastest swimmer to enter the finals, as she stayed only 0.40 seconds behind the third qualifying swimmer and reported a time of 2 minutes and 08.22 seconds. She was trailed by Alexianne Castel of France, who emerged
as the fifth finest swimmer to enter the final round, by clocking a time of 2 minutes and 08.41 seconds.
Sharon Van Rouwendaal was the sixth qualifying swimmer, as she stayed 0.01 seconds behind Castel and ended her four-lap sprint in 2 minutes and 08.42 seconds. Meagen Nay of Australia earned the seventh finest qualification spot of the event, by submitting
a time of 2 minutes and 08.53 seconds. She was followed by Elizabeth Simmonds, who qualified as the eighth swimmer in a time of 2 minutes and 08.79 seconds.
The session concluded after the immaculate swims of all participants, while these swimmers will face each other in the final round to earn a podium finish.
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