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Hansen Well-Placed For Olympic Bid

Aug 6, 2011

Brendan Hansen (Havertown, Pa.) gave warning to the wider world that his comeback plans are going swimmingly, a 2:10.59 victory over 200m breaststroke on the last evening at the ConocoPhillips USA nationals in Stanford providing the former world champion and record holder with a welcome "confidence boost".

After confining to silver Texas Longhorn’s Eric Friedland, on 2:12.91, and to shared bronze Sean Mahoney (Rio Vista, Calif.) and Clark Burckle (Lexington, Ky.), on 2:13.08, Hansen said: "That was unexpected. I can’t even begin to tell you how much of a confidence boost that swim was. I haven’t felt that good about a 200m breast since 2006." Hansen is well-placed to have a crack at making it back on to a US Olympic team for next year, a status that would also make him a medal shot at London 2012.

Hansen had already won the 100m title, and there was a second crown for world 200m backstroke champion Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.), a 53.63 effort over 100m freestyle getting the better of Amanda Weir (Lawrenceville, Ga.), on 54.14, and world 100m butterfly champion Dana Vollmer (Granbury, Texas), on 54.27.  Franklin earned the ConocoPhillips Performance Award of the meet for her 100m backstroke victory. 

Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill.) won the men’s 200m backstroke in 1:57.26 ahead of Rex Tullius (Port Orange, Fla.), 1:57.48, and Nick Thoman (Cincinnati, Ohio), 1:59.31. Grevers also earned the the Kiphuth High-Point Award for overall best men's performance, the women's award going to  Elizabeth Beisel (Saunderstown, R.I.), world 400m medley champion last week in Shanghai.

The 1500m freestyle produced a tight race between Andrew Gemmell (Wilmington, Del.) and Sean Ryan (Chattanooga, Tenn.) that ended in that order 15:01.31 to 15:01.43, with bronze to Michael Klueh (Evansville, Ind.) in 15:04.24. Solid efforts but how good was Brian Goodell…

The last distance race of the meet for women had 15-year-old Gillian Ryan, of the Parkland Aquatic Club, taking a debut national crown in 8:27.64 ahead of Haley Anderson (Granite Bay, Calif.) and Ashley Twichell (Fayetville, N.Y.), on 8:29.19 and 8:35.20 respectively. 

Micah Lawrence (Pflugerville, Texas) claimed the 200m breaststroke in 2:27.06 ahead of Haley Spencer (O’Fallon, Mo.), on 2:27.09, and Michelle McKeehan (Franklin, Ind.), on 2:27.57.

The overall team award went to Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics, the women's trophy to Stanford Swimming, men’s to SwimMAC Carolina.