Hansen revenges and five major records fall

Breaststroke specialist Brendan Hansen of the United States revenged for his consecutive losses to Kosuke Kitajima of Japan and set a new championships record in the 100m breastroke final here on Monday.

Meanwhile, including Hansen's new championships record, three championships records and two world records were smashed in the swimming pool.

Hansen powered to victory in men's 100m breastroke final by stopping the clock at 59.37 seconds, with defending champion Kitajima trailed behind at 59.53 seconds.

Meanwhile, Hansen shaked 0.34 second off the previous championships record, which was just registered by Kitajima in the preliminary round on Sunday.

Kitajima grabbed both the titles of 100m and 200m breaststroke at 2003 World Championships, leaving Hansen comforting himself with one silver and one bronze.

In 2004, Hansen astonishingly broke both the 100m and 200m breaststrokes world records at the U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials to qualify for his first Olympic Games.

However, the world record holder again received a silver and a bronze from the two events while Kitajima firmly kept his dominance in Athens.

"The extra things I had tonight was emotions. When you get beat in front of the crowd like I did last summer, and come out here in the same situation, in the same block, it was like giving me a second chance, and I didn't want to screw it up twice," said the triumphant American.

Besides, the bald 23-year-old even praised himself as a good swimmer. "What makes a good swimmer is one who can come back after a great disappointment, and come back and rebound and go faster."

Hugues Duboscq of France finished third with 1:00.20.

In men's 50m butterfly final, the first final on Monday, Roland Schoeman of South Africa powerfuly rushed to victory and again smashed the world record.

The 25-year-old "Flying man", member of the South African team that won the 4x100m freestyle gold medal at 2004 Athens Olympics, clocked at 22.96 seconds and twice smashed the world record in Montreal

25-year-old Schoeman shaking 0.29 second off the previous world record established by American Ian Crocker in the semi-final on Sunday, topped the eight finallists with 23.01 seconds

In the final, He didn't give American Ian Crocker, the previous record holder any chances to overtake and amazingly rewrite his own world record to 22.96 seconds.

After the victory ceremony, the high-spirited South African said, "It is very rewarding to get under 23 seconds, I did not expect it at all."

Ian Crocker who had to settle for a second place with a time of 23.12 seconds said, "I am happy with my performance, it was the best time".

Sergiy Breus of Ukraine took the bronze with 23.38 seconds.

Jessicah Schipper of Australia, who rewrote the championships record of women's 100m butterfly both in the preliminary round and semi- final on Sunday, finally locked the Championships record at 57.23 seconds in Monday's final.

Schipper's teammate Lisbeth Lenton came second at 57.37, also faster than the previous championships record of 57.96 seconds established by U.S. veteran Jenny Thompson in Barcelona.

Polish Otylia Jedrzejczak finished third at 58.57.

The last gold on Monday was snatched by 16-year-old Katie Hoff in women's 200m Individual Medley. The youngest member of U.S. delegation rushed to victory at 2:10.41, also a new championships record.

Besides, when Olympic title holder and world champion Luo Xuejuan of China, Australian world record holder Leisel Jones and teammate Brook Hanson were pay much attention in women's 100m breaststroke semi-finals, Jessica Hardy of America stole the spotlight by smashing the world record with a best qualifying time of 1:06.20.

Aiming at defending her title in Montreal, Luo believed her fifth place semi-final time was just satisfactory.

American wunderkind Michael Phelps will finally be able to duel with Australian captain Grant Hackett in Montreal as the two giants sailed to men's 200m freestyle.

20-year-old Phelps squandered his first chance of head-to-head rivalry with Hackett at this year's World Championships by shockingly failed to qualified for the 400m freestyle final on Sunday. Hackett grabbed the gold with no threat at all.

Source: Xinhua