Norway’s Alexander Dale Oen posted the fastest qualifying time in the 100-meter breaststroke at the world swimming championships on Sunday, then became teary-eyed talking about the twin tragedies in his country that killed at least 89 people.
Dale Oen led the way in 59.71 seconds, then pointed to the Norwegian flag on his cap as the camera caught him checking his time on the scoreboard. He was the silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The Norwegian team has been watching television at its hotel to keep up with developments since Friday’s bombing in Oslo and shootings on a nearby island.
“It’s unbelievable,” Dale Oen said. “We need to stay together now in Norway and we here just need to try to do the best we can.”
Dale Oen’s face reddened and he was on the verge of tears as he walked away from reporters.
Glenn Snyders of New Zealand qualified second in 59.94. Two-time Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan was third in 59.96. They were the only three men under 1 minute.
No one broke any records during the opening morning of qualifying in the indoor pool at the Oriental Sports Center, extending the drought since the high-tech bodysuits were banned 1½ years ago.
Two years ago in Rome, 43 world records were set during the height of the high-tech suit frenzy.
“I think there’ll be a couple,” said Eamon Sullivan, who swam on Australia’s 400 free relay. “The women are probably at more of an advantage with the upper body being covered but I don’t think it’s impossible.”
World champion Cesar Cielo raced for the first time since being cleared to compete by the Court of Arbitration for Sport two days ago.
He qualified first in the 50 butterfly with a time of 23.26 seconds. Geoff Huegill, the 32-year-old Australian, was second to Cielo in 23.27.
“It’s a little weird, to be honest,” Cielo said. “I’ve had many, many emotions over the past month so it’s kind of hard to just try to get everything together and just focus on swimming, but I have a new page in my life.”
CAS upheld a decision by the Brazilian swimming federation to give Cielo only a warning after he tested positive for furosemide, a banned diuretic and masking agent, at a meet in Rio de Janeiro in May. Cielo said he consumed the drug in a contaminated batch of a food supplement he regularly used.
Also among the top 16 advancing to the semifinals were Roland Schoeman of South African, who was one of those not happy about the CAS ruling; Milorad Cavic of Serbia; and Fred Bousquet of France. American Cullen Jones finished 23rd, and didn’t advance.
U.S. sprinter Jason Lezak echoed Schoeman a day earlier when he said that several swimmers weren’t pleased about the ruling.
“I have nothing to say about that,” Cielo said. “I don’t know what else they want from me. My main goal here is just to swim fast. I don’t have to make anybody else happy.”
France qualified fastest in the men’s 400 freestyle relay, putting them in position to take back the title won by the United States in Rome two years ago and at the 2008 Olympics.
Dale Oen led the way in 59.71 seconds, then pointed to the Norwegian flag on his cap as the camera caught him checking his time on the scoreboard. He was the silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The Norwegian team has been watching television at its hotel to keep up with developments since Friday’s bombing in Oslo and shootings on a nearby island.
“It’s unbelievable,” Dale Oen said. “We need to stay together now in Norway and we here just need to try to do the best we can.”
Dale Oen’s face reddened and he was on the verge of tears as he walked away from reporters.
Glenn Snyders of New Zealand qualified second in 59.94. Two-time Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan was third in 59.96. They were the only three men under 1 minute.
No one broke any records during the opening morning of qualifying in the indoor pool at the Oriental Sports Center, extending the drought since the high-tech bodysuits were banned 1½ years ago.
Two years ago in Rome, 43 world records were set during the height of the high-tech suit frenzy.
“I think there’ll be a couple,” said Eamon Sullivan, who swam on Australia’s 400 free relay. “The women are probably at more of an advantage with the upper body being covered but I don’t think it’s impossible.”
World champion Cesar Cielo raced for the first time since being cleared to compete by the Court of Arbitration for Sport two days ago.
He qualified first in the 50 butterfly with a time of 23.26 seconds. Geoff Huegill, the 32-year-old Australian, was second to Cielo in 23.27.
CAS upheld a decision by the Brazilian swimming federation to give Cielo only a warning after he tested positive for furosemide, a banned diuretic and masking agent, at a meet in Rio de Janeiro in May. Cielo said he consumed the drug in a contaminated batch of a food supplement he regularly used.
Also among the top 16 advancing to the semifinals were Roland Schoeman of South African, who was one of those not happy about the CAS ruling; Milorad Cavic of Serbia; and Fred Bousquet of France. American Cullen Jones finished 23rd, and didn’t advance.
U.S. sprinter Jason Lezak echoed Schoeman a day earlier when he said that several swimmers weren’t pleased about the ruling.
“I have nothing to say about that,” Cielo said. “I don’t know what else they want from me. My main goal here is just to swim fast. I don’t have to make anybody else happy.”
France qualified fastest in the men’s 400 freestyle relay, putting them in position to take back the title won by the United States in Rome two years ago and at the 2008 Olympics.
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