INDIANAPOLIS — Gary Hall Jr set an American record in the 50-metres freestyle on Tuesday, the seventh day of the US Olympic Swimming Trials.
Hall, 25, clocked 21.76 seconds, breaking Tom Jager’s US record of 21.81 set in 1990.
Hall’s Phoenix Swim Club team-mate Anthony Ervin, 19, was second in 21.80, also under the old mark. The times are the second and third fastest in history, bettered only by Alex Popov’s 21.64 world mark set at the Russian trials in June.
Neil Walker was third in 22.12, followed by 1998 world champion Bill Pilczuk, whose 22.21 was faster than his winning time at the world championships in Perth.
With his performance, Hall — who was diagnosed last year with Type 1 juvenile diabetes, the worst type, and considered quitting swimming — has set up a rematch of his 1996 grudge match against Popov, the 1992 and 1996 Olympic champion.
Asked about their impending duel, Hall refused to predict the outcome but said: ‘It will be a good race. It always is when Alex Popov is in the race.’
Bennett wins women’s 800m freestyle
Brooke Bennett, the 1996 Olympic 800m freestyle champion, left no doubt that she plans to repeat, swimming a lifetime best time of 8:23.92.
Janet Evans is the only American ever to swim the event faster.
Bennett took the lead at the start and swam with Diana Munz for 100m before pulling steadily away from the field. Munz, who earlier beat Bennett in the 400m freestyle by five-hundredths of a second, turned in second place until 700m, when Kaitlin Sandeno came charging past her.
Munz came roaring back, but at the wall, it was Sandeno who touched five-hundredths in front in 8:28.61. Sandeno, 17, has now made the team in three grueling events: 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly and 800m free.
Seventeen year-old Ian Crocker won the men’s 100m butterfly after trailing for the first 80m. His time, 52.78 seconds, was only two-hundredths of a second off the American record.
Crocker was third at the 50, a full half-second behind the upset-minded Tommy Hannan, the fourth qualifier, who turned under world record pace. Hannan held on to the very end, touching in second place in 52.81. Dod Wales, son of 1968 Olympian Ross Wales, was third.
Adkins wins women’s 200m backstroke
Amanda Adkins came streaking from behind on the final lap to win the women’s 200m backstroke in 2:12.97. Lindsay Benko, who won the 200m freestyle earlier in the meet, was second in 2:13.19. Shelly Ripple was third in 2:14.25.
Lea Maurer, 29, the American record-holder in the 100m backstroke, gave it her all in what probably will be her swan song. Maurer led through the first 150m but could not hold on, fading to fifth.
In the evening’s only semifinal event, the women’s 50m freestyle, 1996 quadruple Olympic gold medalist Amy Van Dyken set a US Olympics Trials record of 25.11 seconds in the first semi. But just minutes later, 33-year-old Dara Torres lowered that mark to 24.93, just off her American record of 24.73.
Results
Women’s 200m backstroke final
1. Amanda Adkins 2:12.97
2. Lindsay Benko 2:13.19
3. Shelly Ripple 2:14.25
4. Linda Riker 2:14.41
5. Lea Maurer 2:15.12
6. Beth Botsford 2:15.39
7. Keegan Walkley 2:17.60
8. Katie Cowan 2:17.96
Men’s 100m butterfly final
1. Ian Crocker 52.78
2. Tommy Hannan 52.81
3. Dod Wales 53.41
4. Bryan Jones 53.79
5. Matt Ulrickson 53.82
6. Jeff Somensatto 53.89
7. Adam Messner 53.97
8. Matt Pierce 54.15
Women’s 800m freestyle final
1. Brooke Bennett 8:23.92
2. Kaitlin Sandeno 8:28.61
3. Diana Munz 8:28.66
4. Kalyn Keller 8:38.70
5. Julie Varozza 8:40.56
6. Rachel Komisarz 8:43.03
7. Magda Dyszkiewicz 8:43.48
8. Jamie Tannhauser 8:44.11
Men’s 50m freestyle final
1. Gary Hall Jr 21.76 (U.S. record)
2. Anthony Ervin 21.80
3. Neil Walker 22.12
4. Bill Pilczuk 22.21
5. Jason Lezak 22.30
6. Matt Macedo 22.51
7. Aaron Ciarla 22.55
8. Christian Hasbach 22.81
Women’s 50m freestyle semifinals
1. Dara Torres 24.73
2. Amy Van Dyken 25.11
3. Haley Cope 25.48
4. Christina Swindle 25.50
5. Catherine Fox 25.53
6. Courtney Allen 25.61
7. Liesl Kolbisen 25.63
8. Tammie Stone 25.67.
Source: SOCOG