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OMAHA, Nebraska : Lara Jackson notched a national record in the women's 50m free heats at the US Olympic swimming trials Saturday, as Erik Vendt was content to move safely into the final of the 1,500m free.
Jackson, 21, clocked 24.50sec to lead Jessica Hardy (24.63) and surprise 100m free winner Dara Torres (24.72) into the semi-finals.
"I'm shocked," admitted Jackson, whose only international experience to date was at last year's Japan Invitational. "Dara says it's all about racing - she's right on with that."
Torres, 41, secured a berth in an astonishing fifth Olympics with her unexpected triumph in the 100m on Friday. She has said she might forego the 100m individual event, however, if she can line up a shot at her preferred 50m free in China.
Vendt, the first American to swim under 15 minutes in the 1,500m free, paced the heats in the arduous event with a time of 14:50.24.
On American record pace through 800m, he backed off in the closing stages but said the time was something of a miscalculation.
"I didn't expect to go that fast," said Vendt, who hopes to challenge Australian great Grant Hackett in the event in Beijing. "I didn't want to go that fast. But I did want to put in a good swim."
Chad La Tourette (15:02.78) was second-quickest, followed by Peter Vanderkaay (15:06.24) and Larsen Jensen (15:11.99).
Saturday night's finals were highlighted by Michael Phelps's bid to book his fifth individual event in Beijing, in a 100m butterfly duel with world record-holder Ian Crocker.
Gary Hall, 50m free gold medallist at the last two Olympics, was gunning for a chance to make it three in a row when he took on reigning world champion Ben Wildman-Tobriner as well as Garrett Weber-Gale, the 100m free winner here, in the 50m final.
Kate Ziegler and Katie Hoff go head-to-head in the 800m free, Hoff seeking a fifth individual Olympic berth. The women's 200m backstroke final sees Hayley McGregory seek the Olympic berth that eluded her in the 100m back, despite the fact that she set a world record in the heats.
- AFP /ls
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