Peirsol produces in ‘Duel’

It is fairly safe to say that Aaron Peirsol has had a good year.

The former Newport Harbor High standout won three Olympic gold

medals at the Athens Games last summer, set a world record in the

100- and 200-meter backstroke races, finished first in three events

last week at the world championships in Montreal and finished off his

torrid run with three victories in three events Tuesday at the Duel

in the Pool at the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine.

Peirsol’s victories in the 100 and 200 back, as well as leading

off the 400 medley relay, helped the United States defeat the

Australia Telstra Dolphins, 190-102.

“Coming off the Olympics and breaking the world record, it’s been

pretty spectacular,” Peirsol said. “I’m happy with my season.”

Peirsol will not participate in the national championships, which

start today at the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine, opting,

instead, to take some much-deserved rest before heading back to the

University of Texas for the fall semester.

Peirsol dominated his individual events Tuesday.

He won the 100 back in 54.04 seconds, beating his nearest

competitor, American Ryan Lochte, by .51 seconds.

Peirsol set the world record in the 100 back in April, when he

finished in 53.17 at the U.S. world championship trials in

Indianapolis.

He blew past the competition in the 200 back, finishing in

1:57.31, never trailing in the event. American Jayme Cramer was

second, finishing in 1:59.81.

Peirsol set the world record in the 200 back last week at the

world championships in Montreal, finishing in 1:54.66.

Peirsol led off the 400 medley relay with a 100 backstroke time of

55.10, giving the Americans a 0.66 lead over the Aussies. Brendan

Hansen followed with a 100 breaststroke time of 59.82, widening the

lead to 3.62 seconds. Ian Croker swam the 100 butterfly in 51.67

seconds, extending the lead to 4.2 seconds. Michael Phelps finished

off the race with a 100 freestyle swim in 49.80, totaling the

American time to 3:36.39, a 5.93-second win over the Australians.

The American men won 13 of the 14 events, with Grant Hackett’s

3:45.31 victory in the 400 free the only Australian win. The American

men outscored their Australian counterparts, 120-26.

“I think if [the score] was closer, you would have seen faster

times,” said Hansen, who won the 100 and 200 breaststroke Tuesday.

“Our men’s team is so strong. I think it has to do with leadership.

Michael, Aaron, Ian and I all got on the scene about the same time

and we try to help out the younger guys. We’re young, but you’re

going to see some younger guys coming up. The U.S. is going to

continue to dominate. You’ll start to see a dynasty.”

Peirsol, 22, said the biggest lesson for rookies swimming on a big

stage is the mental aspect.

“I try to teach them that it’s the same race they have always

swam,” he said. “It isn’t 210 meters. It’s still 200 meters. Plus,

they’ve got to realize that they aren’t swimming for themselves

anymore. It’s bigger than just them. They’re representing their

country.”

The Duel by the Pool will be televised on NBC Saturday at 4 p.m.

and Sunday at 1 p.m. The made-for-TV event offered $25,000 for any

world record swims, but no one was able to cash in on the

opportunity.

Australian Leisel Jones did finish the 100 breaststroke in

1:06.21, shy of the world record of 1:06.20 set by American Jessica

Hardy.

One reason why times may not have been as fast as expected was

most of the athletes arrived in Southern California Monday after the

six-day meet in Montreal.

“You get through [the exhaustion] by saying [the Duel in the Pool]

is just an extension of the world championships,” American Natalie

Coughlin said. “Everyone’s exhausted -- the United States, the

Australians, the coaches, everybody.”

While the Duel in the Pool was for bragging rights to see which

program is the best, the swimmers realized it was a friendly

competition geared to raise the appreciation of the sport of

swimming.

“This is fun,” Peirsol said. “This rejuvenates you. It keeps you

young.”

The 2,600-seat stadium was filled to capacity with vociferous

fans.

“You could’ve put more stands out there and they would have been

sold out, too,” Peirsol said. “That crowd was loud. You could hear

them when you swam.”

Even though there were Australian fans in the stands, the audience

was decidedly pro-American. Eight of the 44 American swimmers hail

from Los Angeles or Orange counties, making it a homecoming for many

of the athletes.

“It’s relaxing to swim in front of your family and friends,”

Peirsol said. “You couldn’t ask for a better meet as far as

competition goes and the crowd.”

While the American men dominated, the Aussie women outscored the

Americans, 76-70, winning nine of the 14 events, including the last

five races.

“It was really close, but we did the best we could,” said

Coughlin. “It feels good that the whole team won, though.”

Hardy, who graduated from Long Beach Wilson two months ago, said

she enjoyed the whole meet dispite the Aussies’ success.