Christine Magnuson, Katie Hoff win titles at US swimming nationals

Magnuson, Hoff win titles at US nationals

IRVINE, Calif. — Christine Magnuson won the 100-meter butterfly at the U.S. championships on Tuesday night with the fastest time in the world this year.

Katie Hoff won the 400 freestyle, her first national title in two years. During that chaotic time, she she changed coaches three times and moved her training base across the country.

Magnuson, the Olympic silver medalist, was 0.12 seconds under world-record pace at the turn and touched in 57.32 seconds Tuesday night to earn a spot on the American team for the Pan Pacific championships later this month.

She beat out Dana Vollmer, who finished second in 57.45. Vollmer previously had the world’s fastest time of 57.39.

“I saw Dana coming back and she’s a good finisher. It just motivated me,” Magnuson said. “I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about a big rivalry with Dana, but we always keep it friendly. I think me and Dana could really do some damage at Pan Pacs and worlds next year.”

Vollmer, a 2004 Olympian, didn’t make the U.S. team for Beijing, a failure that has motivated her ever since.

“The 2008 trials was the hardest, emotional meet I had,” she said. “I had lost sight of why I love this sport. It’s fun, it’s a game and I love racing.”

Natalie Coughlin, an 11-time Olympic medalist, was fourth as she continues the comeback she began earlier this year, having taken two years off after the Beijing Games.

“It’s really odd to be back at a big meet. I’m so calm it’s almost eerie,” she said. “I need to be a little bit more nervous than I am now.”

Michael Phelps took opening night off, but will swim five events over the next four days. At stake in the meet are spots on the U.S. team for the Pan Pacs — the year’s only major international meet — and for the world championships next year.

World champion Ariana Kukors won the 200 individual medley, edging out Caitlin Leverenz. Kukors finished in 2 minutes, 10.54 seconds — a whopping 4.39 seconds slower than the world-record time she set at last year’s world championships in Rome wearing a polyurethane suit.

“I got so much criticism for that time and it took it down for me,” Kukors said about winning her first world title with a time of 2:06.15. “People said I was a suit swimmer.”

In January, new rules took effect on how much skin could be covered and what fabrics could be used. The neck-to-ankle suits made of rubber that triggered a world-record frenzy the last two years were banned.

Now women are only allowed to wear shoulder-to-knee suits, while men must wear waist-to-knee “jammers” and only textile materials may be used.

“I took all my best times back to what they were pre-suit days. I consider my best time 2:10.34 that I did in March,” Kukors said. “I think the world record is 2:09.71.”

That was Hoff’s time from the 2008 U.S. Olympic trials. Hoff skipped the event Tuesday.

Hoff won the 400 free in 4:05.50 — tied for fourth-fastest in the world this year — well off her American record of 4:02.20 set during the rubber suit craze in 2008.

“I’m happy to have a good swim and kick off nationals right,” she said. “There’s people in the world who’ve been faster, but I think I’m getting there.”

Hoff’s former North Baltimore Aquatic Club teammate Allison Schmitt was second. Former Olympian Kate Ziegler was fifth.

The night’s only surprise came in the 100 breaststroke, where Michael Alexandrov defeated Olympians Mark Gangloff and Eric Shanteau.

Alexandrov, a two-time Olympian for Bulgaria, won in 1:00.26, his best time while in a “jammer.” Gangloff was second in 1:00.42 and Shanteau third in 1:00.75.

“This is huge and it gives me a lot of excitement. I knew I was going to take it. My training has been great,” said Alexandrov, who became a U.S. citizen in 2006 and switched his sports allegiance to the U.S. after the Beijing Games.

“In order to take my swimming to the next level, this is something I had to do.”

Two-time Olympian Peter Vanderkaay won the 400 freestyle for the fifth time in seven years. He finished in 3:46.88, two seconds faster than his season-best. Michael Klueh was second.