Romania's Potec prevents Chinese women's clean sweep

Oct 16, 2007, 19:10 GMT

Hyderabad, Oct 16 (IANS) Camelia Alina Potec of Romania swam a well judged race to claim the gold in the women's 400 metres freestyle at the G.M.C. Balayogi Aquatic Complex here Tuesday, denying China a sweep of the women's titles.

Potec was trailing China's Xue Li till the final 100 metres but showed some fine kick as she snatched the lead on the final turn and swam away with the title in four minutes 12.84 seconds.

Xue Li clocked 4:13.96 for the silver and Russia's Darya, who had set a new meet record Monday in the women's 100 metres individual medley, settled for the bronze in 4:16.35

China's Li Yang easily won the women's gold in 100 metres backstroke with a time of 1:01.34, just ahead of compatriot Tian Longzi Xu who claimed silver in 1:01.54. Russia's Anastasia Zueva took home the bronze in 1:02.04

Russians were on the podium in all three men's finals, claiming two more golds and silver to take their tally to a whopping seven gold, three silver and six bronze from the swimming pool.

China lies a distant second with three gold, five silver and two bronze medals.

The Russian men were denied the gold medal by Krizko Lubos of Slovakia who claimed the 100 metres backstroke gold with a time of 56.08 seconds, a full body length ahead of second placed Russian Evgeny Aleshin, who took silver in 57.09 seconds. Chinese Tao Zhao pocketed the bronze in 57.23 seconds.

In other men's finals, Russians Nikolay Skvortsov won the 200 metres butterfly and Yury Prilukov claimed the 400 metre freestyle titles.

The results:

Men:

100m freetsyle:

1. Krizko Lubos (Svk) 56.08 seconds

2. Evgeny Aleshin (Rus) 57.09

3. Tao Zhao (Chn) 57.23

400m freestyle:

1. Yury Prilukov (Rus) 3:50.96

2. Spyridon Gianniotis (Gre) 3:52.89

3. Cristian Coman Dragos (Rou) 3:53.58

200m butterfly:

1. Nikolay Skvortsov (Rus) 1:57.43

2. Serhiy Advena (Ukr) 2:00.62

3. Paolo Villa (Ita) 2:02.64

Women:

400m freestyle:

1. Camelia Alina Potec (Rou) 4:12.84

2. Xue Li (Chn) 4:13.96

3. Darya (Rus) 4:16.35

100m backstroke:

1. Li Yang (Chn) 1:01.34

2. Tian Longzi Xu (Chn) 1:01.54

3. Anastasia Zueva (Rus) 1:02.04

© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service