Swimming: McLean finishes fifth in 100m backstroke

Hannah McLean

New Zealand swimmer Hannah McLean has finished in fifth place in the women's 100m backstroke at the world championships in Montreal today (NZ time).

McLean, 24, clocked a provisional time of one minute 01.16 seconds. She qualified for the final with a New Zealand record 1min 01.14secs.

The North Shore swimmer had qualified third-fastest for a race that included five of the eight finalists from the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

She was the first New Zealander to reach a world championship final since dual Olympic gold medallist Danyon Loader completed the feat in 1998.

Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry, who qualified sixth for the final, won in 1min 00.24secs.

Germany's Antje Buschschulte took second place with 1min 00.84secs with pre-race favourite American Natalie Coughlin clocking 1min 00.88secs for third.

New Zealand swimming coach Jan Cameron told Radio Sport McLean had swum a great race.

"It was so close. They all hit the wall together and there was only 9/10ths of a second between third and fifth place."

Coventry raced home in the last 50m after being third at the turn, adding gold to her silver in the 200m individual medley on Monday.

Coventry became the first Zimbabwean to win an Olympic swimming gold when she took the 200m backstroke title in Athens last year.

She is now the first competitor from her country to win a world title.

"I wanted to go out harder in the first 50 metres, but came in slightly slower, but I'm still happy with the race," McLean said.

"I knew I was up there, but in those last few strokes you're just trying to keep it together."

Result:
1. Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe) 1:00.24
2. Antje Buschschulte (Germany) 1:00.84
3. Natalie Coughlin (United States) 1:00.88
4. Reiko Nakamura (Japan) 1:01.00
5. Hannah McLean (New Zealand) 1:01.16
6. Hanae Ito (Japan) 1:01.25
7. Louise Ornstedt (Denmark) 1:01.36
8. Sophie Edington (Australia) 1:01.97

- NZPA