Pan Pacific Championships, Irvine, California, day 1 finals:
Women 800m freestyle
A joyous return to form and the top of the podium for 2007 world champion Kate Ziegler (USA), on 8:21.59, her second-best ever performance behind the 8:18.52 in which she held off Laure Manaudou (FRA) for gold at Melbourne 2007. Silver went to teammate Chloe Sutton, on 8:24.51, with Katie Goldman (AUS) third in 8:26.38 as she races big-time for the Dolphins for the first time.
Ziegler, mentored by Ray Benecki and now coached by Bill Jewell and Jon Urbanchek, showed her pre-Beijing experience as she shadowed Sutton and Goldman to half-way, made her move on the fifth 100m to turn 0.03sec back from Sutton and then piled on the pressure on her way to retaining the title. The Pan Pacs record remains: that 8:16.22 that had stood as the world record between 1989 and the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when Rebecca Adlington (GBR) dominated the field to claim gold in 8:14.10.
Goldman faces a second big battle this year, against the Commonwealth led by Adlington, on 8:21.25 in June this year, 8:21.95 at spring nationals but 7th in Budapest last week after a 55km training week, a few days of rest from which led to a 4:04.45 win over 400m on the last day of the European Championships.
Fourth place in Irvine went to the winner of the faraway fastest morning heat, Melissa Gorman (AUS), world 5km champion, in 8:30.45
Trans-Atlantic splits:
- Ziegler: 1:00.43; 2:03.68; 3:07.39; 4:11.45; 5:14.76; 6:17.81; 7:20.74; 8:21.59
- Sutton: 59.80; 2:03.19; 3:07.05; 4:10.83; 5:14.79; 6:18.39; 7:22.39; 8:24.51
- Goldman: 59.95; 2:03.30; 3:07.24; 4:10.83; 5:15.42; 6:19.32; 7:23.87; 8:26.38
- Friis: 59.96; 2:02.95; 3:06.46; 4:09.97; 5:13.43; 6:16.80; 7:20.91; 8:23.27
Trans-Atlantic medals:
- Pan Pacs: 8:21.59; 8:24.51; 8:26.38
- Euro 1-3: 8:23.27; 8:24.00; 8:24.99
Records
Shiny suit era
- WR/ER: 8:14:10 Rebecca Adlington (GBR) Aug 2008
February 1 2008
- WR: 8:16.22 Janet Evans (USA) Aug 1989
- ER: 8:18.80 Laure Manaudou (FRA) Mar 2007
