All 12 Beijing-Bound Athletes Choose the LZR Racer

30.06.2008

To date, 12 swimmers have qualified for a spot on the Beijing bound Olympic team and all have earned their berth here in Omaha while wearing the Speedo LZR Racer®.

The day began with an impressive two more World Records. Within 20 minutes of the start of morning prelims, Hayley McGregory of Longhorn Aquatics, suited up in the LZR Racer®, smashed Natalie Coughlin's World Record with a time of 59.15 in the 100m backstroke. Not willing to settle for anything less than world's best, Coughlin, also in a LZR Racer®, jumped in the pool in the next heat and took the glory back, breaking the World Record again with a time of 59.03.

Katie Hoff continued her dominance in the water by securing her second spot on the US Olympic team with a time of 4:02.32. Hoff had already qualified for Beijing in the 400m IM. Coming in at a close second was Team Speedo's Kate Ziegler who, with a time of 4:03.92, officially made her first Olympic team.

Team Speedo's Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps continued their friendly rivalry in the 200m free semifinals, securing the top two seeds respectively in tomorrow night’s finals. Klete Keller and Peter Vanderkaay, also Speedo-sponsored athletes, will be swimming in the final of the men’s 200m free tomorrow night as well.

In other action, Team Speedo continued to dominate as Megan Jendrick, Tara Kirk, Jessica Hardy and Amanda Beard swam their way into tomorrow night’s 100m breaststroke final, while Randall Bal and Ryan Lochte secured spots in the 100m backstroke final. All will vie for a position on the Olympic team tomorrow night.

While World Records have been the talk in the pool, the LZR Racer® continues to be the spotlight in the media. ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson featured the LZR Racer® on the program Monday night in a piece about the incredible swims at these Trials. Nippon TV of Japan filmed a lengthy story on the LZR Racer® today as well.

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