Peirsols celebrate with a pair of medals

Aaron Peirsol will celebrate his 20th birthday today in Barcelona,

Spain. He’ll do so with a new gold medal around his neck and his

sister by his side. But he wasn’t the only one in the family to be

presented with a gift Tuesday.

Peirsol’s younger sister, Hayley, a 2003 Newport Harbor High

graduate, won a silver medal in the 1500 meter freestyle at the 2003

World Championships and Aaron followed that with a gold-medal

performance in the 100 meter backstroke.

Aaron set a meet record for the second consecutive day with a

53.61 and just missed a world record, which was set at 53.60 by Lenny

Krayzelburg in 1999.

“I wasn’t expecting to break the world record, I was going more

for the win,” Peirsol said in a U.S. Swimming release. “The time came

as a result of how fast everyone was going. I had to go that fast to

win. This is the fastest field I’ve ever seen, and so this win means

a lot more.”

Peirsol was the fastest qualifier, swimming a 54.28 Monday in the

semifinals, a meet record until he broke that mark Tuesday. He

trailed Australia’s Matthew Welsh at the 50-meter mark in the final

by more than two-tenths of a second, but Welsh (53.92) ended the race

tied for second with Russia’s Arkady Vyatchanin (53.92).

The gold medal came after Hayley had picked up her silver medal in

the 1500 meter freestyle, finishing behind Germany’s Hannah

Stockbauer.

It was the second international medal for the 17-year-old, who won

a bronze in the 800 meter freestyle at the 2002 Pan Pacific

Championships. Her older brother’s gold medal was his tenth top three

finish in international competition, including a silver medal at the

2000 Olympic Games in the 200 meter backstroke.

Hayley was in third for much of the first-half of the race before

taking over second from U.S. teammate Diana Munz at the 800-meter

mark. Peirsol remained in second throughout the remainder of the

race.

“I just felt like I was in second for too long of the race not to

take second with a strong finish,” Peirsol said in a U.S. Swimming

release.

Peirsol will attempt to add to her medal total in the 800 meter

freestyle later this week. Aaron, who recently completed his freshman

year at the University of Texas, will also be competing in the 50

meter and 200 meter backstroke.

Both swimmers have today off before returning to the pool on

Thursday. They can use it to celebrate Aaron’s birthday and a pair of

outstanding performances.