Aaron Peirsol

ROME (Reuters) - Backstroke ace Aaron Peirsol expects another world record to fall in the 100 meters final later this week after being pushed hard by Spanish and Japanese rivals in Monday's world championship heats. Spain's Aschwin Wildeboer set a championship record of 52.93 seconds to top the time sheets with Japan's Ryosuke Irie clocking 53 and American Peirsol, Junya Koga and Briton Liam Tancock swimming 53.08. An arms race has been hotting up in backstroke for months with the world record being smashed almost at will after the introduction of hi-tech suits, which will be banned from 2010. World and Olympic champion Peirsol ... Read Full Story

Aaron Peirsol broke the 200m backstroke world record Saturday, clocking 1min 53.08sec to win the title at the US Swimming Championships. Peirsol broke the previous world record of 1:53.94 set by Ryan Lochte in winning gold at the Beijing Olympics last August. Lochte finished second in 1:54.21 and like Peirsol booked a berth in the event at the World Championships in Rome later this month. Tyler Clary was third in 1:54.53. Peirsol was delighted with the swim and with regaining the world record he held from March 2002 until Lochte seized it at the 2007 World Championships. Peirsol had equalled Lochte's mark at the ... Read Full Story

Aaron Peirsol's bid for a fourth straight 100m backstroke world title ended Monday as the American failed to reach the final at the 2009 swimming World Championships. Peirsol, who set a world record of 51.94sec in the event at the US trials earlier this month, finished fourth in his semi-final in 53.22 and out of the running for Tuesday's final with the ninth-fastest overall time. Peirsol, 25, had won the title at the 2003, 2005 and 2007 world championships, as well as claiming Olympic gold in 2004 and 2008. Overall, he owns seven Olympic medals, five of them gold, and eight world championship medals, ... Read Full Story

Matthew Grevers (L) and Aaron Peirsol compete in the 100 Meter Backstroke preliminary heats during day two of the 2009 ConocoPhillips National Championships & World Championship Trials on July 8, 2009 at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Getty Images) more pics » Swimmer Aaron Peirsol reclaimed his world record in the 100-meter backstroke this week at the U.S. swimming championships in Indianapolis. He won in 51.94 seconds, taking the world record and becoming the first person to swim under 52 seconds in the event. Watch out Michael Phelps... Read Full Story

Woods storms into contention at Buick Open GRAND BLANC, Mich., July 31 (UPI) -- John Senden took the lead at the Buick Open Friday and Tiger Woods rushed into contention by shooting his lowest round in two years. Senden posted a 6-under 66 at the Warwick Hills Country Club for a 36-hole total of 14-under 130. Michael Letzig was alone in second at 132 after shooting a 65. Vaughn Taylor and Bill Lunde shared third place at 133. Woods appeared to be in danger of missing a second straight 36-hole cut, something he has never done in his record-setting career. He said after his ... Read Full Story