We're covering the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials all week.At the Olympic Trials, first is first, second is first, and third is last.
For a little while on Monday, Haley McGregory was holder of the fastest 100 meter backstroke in history. But she won't get to swim the event in Beijing.
Since the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Natalie Coughlin has always held the world record in the women's 100 meter backstroke. During the morning's preliminaries, Coughlin was dethroned by McGregory, who broke Coughlin's most recent record set in February. McGregory enjoyed the title of world record holder for about two minutes. In the following heat, Coughlin reclaimed her world record title, setting the stage for a dramatic finals tonight.
It was dramatic, but it didn't turn out the way McGregory hoped. As the women entered the water for the finals of the 100 meter backstroke commentator Rowdy Gaines pointed out that eight of the ten fastest times in recorded swimming history are shared between Coughlin and McGregory.
At the starting buzzer, Coughlin immediately showed why she is so skilled at this event, an event that she calls her "baby." The last to surface, Coughlin took her first stroke half a body length ahead of the rest of the field. McGregory was right on Coughlin's tail for the next 35 meters while third seed Margaret Hoelzer began to sneak up on both of them. After the turn, Coughlin pulled well ahead of both McGregory and Hoelzer and touched the wall in a new world record time, becoming the first woman in history to swim the 100 meter backstroke under 59 seconds. In a heartbreaking finish, Hoelzer beat McGregory to the wall. Coughlin set a new world record. Hoelzer will train alongside the queen of backstroke. McGregory, by a margin of .21 seconds, will have to focus on the 200 meter backstroke as her last chance to make it to Beijing in August.
