Lenton wins again, Pieter shines

MELBOURNE – Libby Lenton bagged her second gold medal of the world championships and Pieter van den Hoogenband was eyeing his first after upstaging Michael Phelps yesterday.

Lenton out-touched her Australian team mate Jessicah Schipper to win the 100 metres butterfly final 24 hours after helping the host nation to victory in the women’s 4×100 freestyle final. Van den Hoogenband has never won a world title but the flying Dutchman could be on course to end his drought after qualifying ahead of Phelps for today’s 200-metres freestyle final.Van den Hoogenband won his semi in one minute 46.33 seconds while Phelps, who is chasing an unprecedented eight gold medals in Melbourne, took his in 1:46.75, setting the stage for an epic showdown.The US won two gold medals in the Susie O’Neill pool on Monday, Brendan Hansen beating his Japanese rival Kosuke Kitajima in the 100 breaststroke and teenager Katie Hoff retaining her 200 individual medley title.South Africa collected their first gold medal when Roland Schoeman powered to victory in the 50 butterfly final but it was the stunning performance of Lenton that stole the show.Lenton fought off a determined challenge from Schipper to win in 57.15 and stay on course for a record seven golds.”I’m just taking it one step at a time,” Lenton told reporters.”They’re all very good competitors but I’m also a pretty good competitor.”Schipper had to settle for the silver medal after beating Lenton in Montreal two years ago, while American Natalie Coughlin took the bronze after leading at the halfway stage.Hansen came out on top in his ongoing private battle with Kitajima after the pair flashed down the last lap stroke for stroke, the American getting his hands on the wall first to win in 59.80 seconds.Kitajima also went under a minute to take the silver medal and Australia’s Brenton Rickard was third.”That was definitely a battle,” Hansen said.”I take my hat off to him, he’s a great competitor.”The sometimes bitter rivalry between Hansen and Kitajima has dominated men’s breaststroke over the past five years and looks set to continue through to next year’s Beijing Olympics.”Hansen is a very young strong swimmer and I respect him,” Kitajima said.”I was just one stroke behind him but I am happy with the way I swam.”Hoff looked to be on her way to breaking Wu Yanyan’s 10-year-old world record when she finished the breaststroke leg and turned for home 0.78 under the mark.But the 17-year-old faded over the last 10 of freestyle and had to settle for the fourth fastest time in history (2:10.13).Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic 200 backstroke champion, finished second and Australia’s Stephanie Rice third.Schoeman, 26, once again showed his rivals a clean pair of heels as he powered to his second straight world title in 50 butterfly in 23.28, leaving American Ian Crocker and Denmark’s Jakob Schiott Andkjaer with the minor medals.Nampa-ReutersVan den Hoogenband has never won a world title but the flying Dutchman could be on course to end his drought after qualifying ahead of Phelps for today’s 200-metres freestyle final.Van den Hoogenband won his semi in one minute 46.33 seconds while Phelps, who is chasing an unprecedented eight gold medals in Melbourne, took his in 1:46.75, setting the stage for an epic showdown.The US won two gold medals in the Susie O’Neill pool on Monday, Brendan Hansen beating his Japanese rival Kosuke Kitajima in the 100 breaststroke and teenager Katie Hoff retaining her 200 individual medley title.South Africa collected their first gold medal when Roland Schoeman powered to victory in the 50 butterfly final but it was the stunning performance of Lenton that stole the show.Lenton fought off a determined challenge from Schipper to win in 57.15 and stay on course for a record seven golds.”I’m just taking it one step at a time,” Lenton told reporters.”They’re all very good competitors but I’m also a pretty good competitor.”Schipper had to settle for the silver medal after beating Lenton in Montreal two years ago, while American Natalie Coughlin took the bronze after leading at the halfway stage.Hansen came out on top in his ongoing private battle with Kitajima after the pair flashed down the last lap stroke for stroke, the American getting his hands on the wall first to win in 59.80 seconds.Kitajima also went under a minute to take the silver medal and Australia’s Brenton Rickard was third.”That was definitely a battle,” Hansen said.”I take my hat off to him, he’s a great competitor.”The sometimes bitter rivalry between Hansen and Kitajima has dominated men’s breaststroke over the past five years and looks set to continue through to next year’s Beijing Olympics.”Hansen is a very young strong swimmer and I respect him,” Kitajima said.”I was just one stroke behind him but I am happy with the way I swam.”Hoff looked to be on her way to breaking Wu Yanyan’s 10-year-old world record when she finished the breaststroke leg and turned for home 0.78 under the mark.But the 17-year-old faded over the last 10 of freestyle and had to settle for the fourth fastest time in history (2:10.13).Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic 200 backstroke champion, finished second and Australia’s Stephanie Rice third.Schoeman, 26, once again showed his rivals a clean pair of heels as he powered to his second straight world title in 50 butterfly in 23.28, leaving American Ian Crocker and Denmark’s Jakob Schiott Andkjaer with the minor medals.Nampa-Reuters