31/7/2011
Alshammar-Kromowidjojo win gold-silver, Miley snags silver, Efimova-Soni take silver-bronze
Shanghai, 31st July, 2011. Arena’s Therese Alshammar of Sweden and Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands picked up the women’s 50m title and runner-up medal at the final session of the World Championships in Shanghai this evening. The oldest swimmer in the field, perennially smiling Alshammar posted the fastest time of the season (24.14), while Kromowidjojo, the youngest of the finalists, swam her fastest race of 2011, finishing in 24.27. Despite swimming her personal best of the year (24.60), Elite Team member Francesca Halsall of the UK narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth. “It’s very important for me as a person that I can still learn,” said Alshammar, “I swam faster than I thought I would. Yesterday (in the semi-finals) I made some technical mistakes, and today I thought only about the mistakes, not about my time.”
British Elite Team swimmer Hannah Miley produced a strong second-half swim to pip Australia’s Stephanie Rice to the women’s 400m IM silver medal behind winner Elizabeth Beisel of the US. Miley’s time of 4:34.22 was her best of 2011, and enough to edge out Rice by one-hundredth of a second to win her first world LC championship medal.
Arena breaststrokers Yuliya Efimova of Russia and the USA’s Rebecca Soni once again found themselves on the podium, this time as silver and bronze medallists in the 50m event. Defending champion Efimova added to her 200m silver medal with a time of 30.49, 0.3 seconds behind winner Jessica Hardy of the US. Soni produced her best textile time of 30.58 to take third place. “I’m very happy with my championships,” said Soni, the 2011 100m and 200m champion. “This was my best 50m time in a textile suit, and faster than yesterday. I’m happy to get on the podium. It’s been a great week and a great year, and gives me confidence heading into next year.”