Sullivan safely through to semis
15/08/2008 12:26 AM
After going down to Alain Bernard in Thursday morning's final of the 100m freestyle, Australian sprinter Eamon Sullivan returned to the Water Cube in Beijing to face his nemesis in the evening's heats of the 50m 'free'.
Both were upstaged, however, by Bernard's compatriot Armaury Leveaux who set an Olympic record time of 21.46s to be the fastest qualifier for Friday's semis.
Sullivan (21.79) and Bernard (21.78) both qualified safely as did Australia's second entrant, Ashley Callus whose 22.11 got him through in 13th place.
In the heats of the Women's 800m Freestyle, 400m gold medallist Rebecca Adlington set a new Olympic record - eight minutes 18.06s - to be the fastest qualifier for Saturday's final where Australia will be represented by Kylie Palmer (8:22.81).
Michael Phelps had to get himself up for the heats of the Men's 100m Butterfly where he qualified second for the semis behind new Olympic record-holder Milorad Cavic of Serbia.
Cavic (50.76) edged Phelps (50.87) in heat nine, while Australia's Andrew Lauterstein qualified with the sixth-best time, 51.37.
Australia will be represented in the semi-finals of the women's 200m backstroke by Meagen Nay and Belinda Hocking.
Nay was the third-fastest qualifier from Thursday night's heats with a time of 2:08.79 and Hocking (2:09.54), 11th- fastest.
Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe set a new Olympic record - 2:06.76.