March 31, 2007
AUBURN, Ala. - Former Auburn All-American swimmer Margaret Hoelzer won the gold medal in the women's 200-meter backstroke, edging another former Tiger, Kirsty Coventry, during the seventh of eight days of competition at the FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia.
Hoelzer posted a World Championships record time of 2:07.16 to win the title, while Coventry was close behind in 2:07.54. The duo had also posted the top two times during Friday's semifinals, with Hoelzer finishing in 2:07.70 and Coventry in 2:07.99.
Hayley Peirsol was the third former Auburn swimmer to win a medal Saturday, earning the bronze in the 800m free. Peirsol, who had finished fifth in the 1500m free on Tuesday, posted a time of 8:26.41 to finish third. The 2006 and 2007 NCAA champion in the 1650-yard free had ranked seventh in the prelims with a time of 8:29.82.
In the final of the men's 50m free, rising junior Cesar Cielo finished in sixth place with a time of 22.12. Cielo, who finished fourth in the 100m free final on Thursday, was not quite as fast in the final of the 50m free as he was in Friday's semifinals. Cielo had clocked a time of 22.09 in the semifinals, which was the third-best time entering the final.
Competition at the FINA World Championships concludes Sunday.