Stephanie Rice wins Women’s 200m IM semi-final: Day three – EnergyAustralia Swimming Championships
Triple Olympic champion, Stephanie Rice of St Peters Western Swim Club won the semi-final of Women’s 200m Individual Medley (IM) on third day of the 2012 EnergyAustralia Swimming Championships at the South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Adelaide
on Saturday, March 17.
The 23-year-old Rice is now just one-step away from capturing gold medal of the discipline and subsequently, claiming her eligibility in the Australian team to the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Rice stayed prominent for the fastest spot from the start of the swim as she completed her initial lap of the race with the timing of 28.35 seconds. She stayed 0.23 seconds ahead of her strongest competitor, Emily Seebohm of Nudgee Brothers, who completed
her initial lap of the race by posting a time of 28.58 seconds.
The second lap saw forceful efforts of Seebohm, who accelerated her efforts and became prominent for first position by overpowering Rice’s effort with the timing of 1 minute and 02.23 seconds. The 19-year-old Seebohm remained 0.25 seconds ahead of Rice,
who covered the same by clocking a time of 1 minute and 02.48 seconds.
With her continued efforts in the third lap, Rice regained her position and ended her 150 metres of the swim by producing a time of 1 minute and 40.56 seconds. Her magnificent pace in the third lap placed her 1.35 seconds ahead of Seebohm, who enveloped
the equivalent distance by completing her lap in a time of 1 minute and 41.91 seconds.
The final lap saw gruelling efforts of both competitors but Rice managed to claim first position of the discipline as she tapped the finishing end with an effort of 2 minutes and 12.65 seconds. She was trailed by Seebohm, who stayed 0.35 seconds slower from
her and qualified into the playoff as second best swimmer by posting 2 minutes and 13.00 seconds.
Alicia Coutts of Redlands snared third qualification spot of the event as she posted 2 minutes and 13.86 seconds.
In addition, these finalists will race each other in the playoff, where the top two finishers will reserve their seat in Australian team to London.
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