Hansen sets world mark; disappointment for others

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Brendan Hansen set a world record to earn a spot on his first Olympic swimming team. Veterans Ed Moses, Brooke Bennett and Diana Munz found disappointment in the U.S. trials.

Hansen broke the mark in the 100-meter breaststroke, dominating the field with a time of 59.30 seconds Thursday night. He joined Michael Phelps as the first swimmers to set world records in the temporary pool built on the Long Beach shoreline.

Hansen made up for a heartbreaking showing in the 2000 trials, when he finished third in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes — just missing the team in both events.

”I was racing the Brendan Hansen from the 2000 Olympic trials,” he said. ”I'm definitely looking forward to the Olympics. This is a stage I've never been on before.”

Hansen's expected rivalry with Moses went flat when the Sydney silver medalist didn't make the team. Moses finished sixth, nearly 3 seconds behind Hansen.

”I haven't been feeling real good,” said Moses, who believes he had food poisoning. ”I'm not going to make that as an excuse. I hold myself accountable.”

Hansen, who broke the American record he shared with Moses in the semifinals, went even faster in the final. He eclipsed the record of 59.78 set by Japan's Kosuke Kitajima in last year's world championships.

Moses has struggled with injuries since Sydney, and his time was actually slower than what he swam in the semis.

”I'm really disappointed,” he said.

So were Bennett and Munz, the gold and silver medalists from Sydney who found themselves in the odd position of swimming the 400 freestyle in the far outside lanes.

”It was very surprising,” said Munz, who couldn't remember the last time she didn't earn a coveted middle-lane assignment given to the fastest swimmers.

Bennett finished next-to-last in the eight-woman final. Munz rallied for third, but she was more than a full second behind second-place Kalyn Keller.

”It's upsetting, sad,” Bennett said. ”The trials are the most unpredictable meet you'll ever go to. It's 10 times harder than standing on the blocks at the Olympic Games.”

Munz was lucky to even be in the final, having struggled to the ninth-fastest time in the semis. But Lindsay Benko dropped out to concentrate on the 200 free, opening up a spot.

”I have to put it behind me,” she said.

Moses, Bennett and Munz have other chances to qualify for their second Olympic team.

Moses will try again in the 200 breaststroke Saturday.

Bennett and Munz will make attempts in the 200 freestyle Friday and the 800 freestyle Monday. Bennett is a two-time gold medalist in the longer distance.

”That's really the most important one,” she said.

Phelps and Natalie Coughlin cruised into their respective Friday night finals.

Phelps was the fastest semifinalist in the 200 free at 1:47.42, even though he wasn't happy with the time. He already made the team with a world record in the 400 individual medley Wednesday.

The 19-year-old from Baltimore wants to break Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals in the Athens Games.

Coughlin was the top qualifier in the 100 backstroke semifinals.

The men's 100 back final on Friday night features a stellar field, including world recordholder Lenny Krayzelburg and Aaron Peirsol, who has the second-fastest time ever.

The friendly rivals finished 1-2 in Sydney.

Peirsol had the fastest semifinal time at 54.22, while Krayzelburg, who underwent two shoulder surgeries since Sydney, settled for fifth at 55.05. Jeff Rouse, the 1992 Olympic champion who is attempting a comeback at 34, qualified seventh.

”It's absolutely the best (race) I'll ever swim in,” Rouse said.

The women's 100 breaststroke final Friday features one of the most talented fields in trials history. Former Olympians Amanda Beard, Megan Quann, Staciana Stitts and Kristy Kowal, along with four-time NCAA champion Tara Kirk, are among the eight finalists.

Jenny Thompson likely made her fourth Olympic team by finishing second in the 100 butterfly Thursday night. Rachel Komisarz won in 58.77; Thompson's time was 58.98.

”It's a bit of a relief,” Thompson said. ”My preliminary swims weren't that great.”

Kaitlin Sandeno was the first swimmer to earn a second spot on the team with her victory in the 400 freestyle, one day after finishing second in the 400 individual medley. She won in 4:08.07 to beat Kalyn Keller, whose older brother Klete also has made the team. They are the first siblings on the same Olympic swim team since 1976.