Peirsol ends U.S. trials on spectacular note

Aaron Peirsol closed the U.S. Nationals in spectacular style, demolishing the 200 metres backstroke world record on Saturday, as the American team for the upcoming Rome world championships was completed.

The U.S. trials produced sizzling times including three world records, Peirsol collecting two in the 100m and 200m back and Michael Phelps setting another in the 100m butterfly.

Peirsol was timed at one minute, 53.08 seconds in the 200m, slicing .86 seconds off the 1:53.94 mark set by compatriot Ryan Lochte on his way to gold at the Beijing Olympics.

Lochte took the race out in world-record pace but finished a well-beaten second in 1:54.21, as Peirsol reclaimed the mark he had once held for nearly five years.

Peirsol first snatched the record in March 2002 and lowered it three times until Lochte wrested it from him at the 2007 world championships.

Peirsol equalled Lochte's mark at the 2008 U.S. Olympic trials but then watched his team mate reclaim it and the gold medal in Beijing. "I knew to win the event someone would have to come close to the world record or beat it," Peirsol told reporters. "We've been going back and forth for a few years now."

"But this is all just a stepping stone.

"He'll get his shot again in a couple of weeks (at the world championships)."

Eric Shanteau, who competed at the Beijing Olympics despite being diagnosed with testicular cancer, showed he was back in top form after beating the disease, touching first in the 200 breaststroke in an American record time 2:08.01.

Shanteau has qualified for three events in Rome, including the 100m breast and 200m individual medley.

INDIANAPOLIS, Reuters