Short Course World Champs, Day One: Hansen Dominates the 100 Breast Semifinals -- October 7, 2004

INDIANAPOLIS, October 7. BRENDAN Hansen made a statement tonight, leading all qualifiers in the semifinals of the men’s 100-meter breaststroke by more than a full second.

Splitting 27.62 at the 50 – the fastest first 50 in the field -- the 2004 Olympic gold, silver and bronze medallist came home in 30.84, also the fastest in the field, to touch in 58.46. Mihail Alexandrov, representing Bulgaria, was second in a national record 59.57, while Brazil’s Eduardo Fischer set a South American mark in qualifying third in 59.66.

Hansen appears poised to take the gold tomorrow, but with less than eight-tenths of a second separating second from eighth place, the silver and bronze spots are up for grabs/

--P. Whitten