Swimmers shine in swimming events: Santa Clara International Grand Prix – Part 5
After the scintillating forms of national and international swimmers on first day of the 2012 Santa Clara International Grand Prix, the attention of the audience shifted towards the day two swimming events.
Being the last stop of the 2012 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series, the Santa Clara Meet is of considerable importance as it allowed the swimmers to race each other in their exclusive events and find out their deficiencies before the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The day two of the championship featured playoffs of 400m Individual Medley (IM), 200m freestyle, 200m backstroke and 50m freestyle in Men and Women’s corner.
The opening event of the second day was Women’s 400m IM, where Caitlin A Leverenz stifled hopes of her challengers by occupying gold medal of the discipline.
The 21-year-old Leverenz demonstrated her astonishing efforts in the distant IM event as she paved her way to the top of victory stand for gold medal.
With her epic pace and true determination, Leverenz sprinted her way towards the finishing wall for gold medal with the timing of 4 minutes and 37.13 seconds.
Her title-claiming effort remained nearly five seconds slower from the meet record of 4 minutes and 32.15 seconds, held by Kirsty Coventry in 2009.
The gold medallist remained almost six seconds slower from the American and US Open mark of 4 minutes and 31.12 seconds, made by Katie Hoff of North Baltimore in 2008.
Her alluring effort also remained almost eight seconds slower from the world record of 4 minutes and 29.45 seconds, made by Stephanie Rice during 2008.
The champion was followed by Min Zhao of Shanghai Swimming, who stayed nearly three seconds apart and proved her mettle for second position of the discipline by clocking an effort of 4 minutes and 40.67 seconds.
The 14-year-old Zhao remained in a lead of nearly six seconds over Andrea M Taylor, who secured bronze medal of the discipline by producing a time of 4 minutes and 46.94 seconds.
Next was the equivalent event in Men’s corner, where Scott T Clary devastated hopes of his opponents by clinching the title of the discipline. The 23-year-old showed no mercy to his opponents and reached the finishing end for first position by reporting a time of 4 minutes and 15.02 seconds.
His gold winning effort remained almost four seconds slower from the meet record of 4 minutes and 11.40 seconds, set by Club Wolverine’s Phelps in 2006.
The champion remained almost ten seconds slower from the US Open mark of 4 minutes and 05.25 seconds, clocked by Michael Phelps of USA during June 2008.
Clary’s furious efforts also remained almost twelve seconds slower from the world record of 4 minutes and 03.84 seconds, made by Phelps at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
With his astonishing efforts, Clary remained 3.75 seconds faster from Joshua C Prenot, who stayed prominent for second position of the discipline with an effort of 4 minutes and 18.77 seconds.
The 18-year-old Prenot was trailed by Robert J Margalis, who remained nearly 2.30 seconds apart and transpired on the finishing wall for bronze medal by clocking a time of 4 minutes and 21.02 seconds.
The arena went wild with the forceful efforts of all participants in the IM discipline while the crowd was eager to see gruelling efforts of their beloved swimmers in the forthcoming events.
To be continued in Part 6.
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