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Women's 200 IM Semi-final

Jul 30, 2012

Olympic Games, London, Day 3 semi-finals

Women's 200 IM

Katinka Hosszu of Hungary took this one out to turn first at the 50 - followed by Israel's Amit Ivry.  Double Olympic backstroke champion Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) moved in on her specialty leg to split fastest at the 100 (1:01.67).

Britain's Hannah Miley moved up at the 150 - eliciting a roar from the home crowd - but Hosszu was able to bring it home to touch in 2:10.74. Miley was second in 2:10.89, Coventry third in 2:10.93

In the second semi, world silver medallist in Shanghai Alicia Coutts (AUS) found herself next to her Shanghai nemesis, the reigning world champion and Chinese phenom Ye Shiwen who posted the greatest anomale in swimming history on Day 1 in the 400 IM when she equalled Ryan Lochte's gold medal freestyle split in the same event.

Coutts was out first at the 50 and held on for about 95 metres - when Ye took over to do her now typical takeover to the 150, and turbo finishing leg. She was more than a body length ahead of the fieldd with 40 metres to go and kept a clear eye on Coutts and Caitlin Leverenz (USA). She touched in Olympic record time - 2:08.38 - followed by Coutts in 2:09.83, and Leverenz in 2:10.06.

The final lines up as follows: Ye, Coutts, and Leverenz, with world record-holder Ariana Kukors (USA) securing fourth spot in 2:10.08.

Defending Olympic champion Stephanie Rice holds on to her chance in 6th (2:10.80) - and Coventry sealed the final in 8th on 2:10.93.