Pan Pacific Championships, Irvine, California, day 4:
Men's 800m Freestyle
Ryan Cochrane (CAN) added the 800m crown to the 1,500m title he'd won earlier in the meet, his 7:48.71 lifting him to second on the 2010 world ranks behind European champion Sebastien Rouault.
Chad La Tourette took silver in 7:51.62, the bronze for Takeshi Matsuda (JPN) in 7:51.87. Robert Hurley (AUS) left his challenge too late and was locked off the podium in 7.52.71, Peter Vanderkaay (USA) the last man home inside 8mins, on 7:54.10.
At half-way, Cochrane turned in 3:55.59, 0.23sec ahead of Matsuda. The Canadian extended his lead to a second over the next 100m, brought in his kick and with 100m to go on 6:23.02 had a 1.55sec lead - and going away, Matsuda's battle for silver with La Tourette, who had the edge by the end.
Cochrane told the crowd: "I just wanted to get hand to wall first. It's a good time but not great, it's okay for now but this is about" London 2012.
His eye is on Grant Hackett, the retired Australia who kept his championship record of 7:44.78 from 2002, and used to devastate his rivals with a blistering open pace that did not damage his prospects at the deep end of the race. Cochrane has been stepping up over 400m with a view to that. "I want to get close to 3:40 - I'm a little bit off that but its about progressing."
Trans-Atlantic splits:
Rouault: 56.09; 1:54.59; 2:54.15; 3:53.56; 4:53.17; 5:52.74; 6:52.01; 7:48.28
Trans-Atlantic medals:
- Pan Pacs: 7:48.71; 7:51.62; 7:51.87
- Euro 1-3: 7:48.28; 7:49.12; 7:49.94
Records
Shiny suit era
- WR: 7:32.12 Zhang Lin (CHN) Jul 2009
- ER: 7:43.84 Federico Colbertaldo (ITA) Jul 2009
February 1 2008
- WR: 7:38.65 Grant Hackett (AUS) Jul 2005
ER: 7:46.64 Yuri Prilukov (RUS) Jul 2005
