Sport
Leisel Jones wins 100m breaststroke
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW Metropolitan, 27 July 2005)
Australia's Leisel Jones broke through for an overdue first major international title in the 100 metres breaststroke at the world swimming championships in Montreal.
Jones won in a time of 1m06.25s ahead of American world record holder Jessica Hardy (1:06.62) with Tara Kirk (USA) third in 1:07.43.
It was the five-time Olympic medallist's first individual gold medal at a major meet following a succession of podium finishes in the event.
Jones was second in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2001 world championships in Japan, and third at the 2003 Barcelona world championships and 2004 Athens Olympics in the 100m breaststroke.
Hardy broke Jones's world record in the previous night's semi-finals and the Queenslander's winning time in the final was 0.05 seconds short of Hardy's new mark of 1:06.20.
Hardy went out fastest and led by 0.24s at the turn before Jones charged home for the long-sought win.
Under overcast skies at Jean-Drapeau pool an emotional Jones looked stunned for a moment before welling up with tears.
"I'm a bit overwhelmed at the moment," said Jones later. "I'm a little shocked."
"I had a pretty bad sleep last night. I had a good chat with my roommate Libby Lenton about what she had been through and she couldn't sleep either because she had won the silver in the 100 `fly." | End |
