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Open Water World Champions Crowned In Honolulu

Nov 1, 2000

HONOLULU - Fifteen-year-old Kalyn Keller (Phoenix, Ariz.) became the first U.S. medalist at the inaugural FINA World Open Water Championships in Honolulu, claiming a silver medal in the women's 5K competition today. She'll be bringing home her own silver medal to add to the family's collection after her brother Klete won two silvers at the Olympic Games last month. The women's race was won by seasoned veteran Peggy Bucshe of Germany in one hour, two minutes and 36 seconds, just four seconds ahead of Keller (1:02.40). The men's 5K race was claimed by Russia's Evgueni Bezroutchenko in 59 minutes, 18 seconds. American Annie Stein (Boulder, Colo.) was eighth in the women's race (1:02.46), while John Flanagan (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Steven McLeod (Mission Viejo) were eighth (59:40) and 13th (59:51), respectively, in the men's race.

"It wasn't as rough as I thought it would be," Keller said. "We were in a big pack for a long way and I thought it would split up sooner. About halfway through, I was leading the second pack and the lead pack was about 25 meters ahead, which was hard because I didn't expect to have to make up that much distance. It was hard to hold back and not make a move early, but I knew I had to wait. When I saw the splitter buoy, I thought I'd better get going. We had practiced swimming through the channel so I knew I had to stay on the side to have the advantage even though it looks like the middle would be better. I really wanted to do well. I knew I could be top three and I'm really happy with how I did."

"The pack split and ended up in straight line and I find myself in the back of it," Flanagan said. "We had a strong current with us on the way back so the yellow buoy came up quicker than I thought it would and I waited too long to make my move. I wanted to cut in to the right more, but I had two guys blocking me, so I got stuck in the middle of the channel where I didn't want to be."

The FINA World Open Water Championships continue on Thursday in Honolulu with competition in the men's and women's 10K distance. Dawn Heckman and Megan Ryther will represent the U.S. women, while Ben Hanley and Matt Martin are on the men's side.

RESULTS - FINA WORLD OPEN WATER CHAMPIONSHIPS - 5K
HONOLULU, HAWAII -- OCT. 31, 2000
WOMEN
1. Peggy Bucshe, GER, 1:02:36
2. Kalyn Keller, USA (Phoenix, Ariz.), 1:02:40
3. Viola Valli, ITA, 1:02:41
4. Edith van Dyk, NED, 1:02:42
5. Valeria Casprini, ITA, 1:02:43
6. Britta Kamrau, GER, 1:02:44
7. Irena Abyssova, RUS, 1:02:45
8. Annie Stein, USA (Boulder, Colo.), 1:02:46
9. Olga Gousseva, RUS, 1:02:47
10. Brooke Townsend, AUS, 1:02:48
11. Hayley Lewis, AUS, 1:02:48
12. Karley Stutzel, CAN, 1:03:15
13. Etta van der Weijden, NED, 1:03:30
14. Jana Pechanova, CZE, 1:04:33
15. Audry Boitte, FRA, 1:04:34
16. Paula Wood, GBR, 1:04:35
17. Marieka Theunissen, RSA, 1:04:36
18. Viviane Motti, BRA, 1:04:37
19. Cindy Persoons, BEL, 1:04:38.
20. Celeste Punet, ARG, 1:04:50
21. Jenny Fuentes, VEN, 1:05:03
22. Pilar Geijo, ARG, 1:07:10
23. Jennifer Coombs, CAN, 1:14:00
24. Kaitlyn Elphinstone, CAY, 1:16:46


MEN
1. Evgueni Bezroutchenko, RUS, 59:18
2. David Meca, ESP, 59:19
3. Luca Baldini, ITA, 59.19
4. Fabio Venturini, ITA, 59:20
5. Cristof Wandratsch, GER, 59:22
6. Alexi Akatiev, RUS, 59:29
7. Ky Hurst, AUS, 59:30
8. John Flanagan, USA (Honolulu, Hawaii), 59:40
9. Stephane Lecat, FRA, 59:41
10. Marrten van der Wiejden, NED, 59:46
11. Ben Hoffman, GER, 59:47
12. Petar Stoychev, BUL, 59:50
13. Steven McLeod, USA (Mission Viejo, Calif.), 59:51
14. Emmanuel Poissier, FRA, 59:52
15. Stephen Penfold, AUS, 59:53
16. Carl Gordon, NZL, 59:54
17. Adrian Andermatt, SUI, 59:55
18. Miodrag Vasic, YUG, 1:00:18
19. Pavel Srb, CZE, 1:00:19
20. Kurt Niehaus, CRC, 1:00:20.
21. Gonzalo Diaz Miret, ARG, 1:00:31
22. Hiroki Hikida, JPN, 1:00:52
23. Tim Cowan, CAN, 1:01:12
24. Greg Orphanides, GBR, 1:01:13
25. Scott Sheperd, NZL, 1:01:14
26. Mathew Kaiser, GBR, 1:01:49
27. Carl Probert, FIJ, 1:01:57
28. Akos Gyorffy, HUN, 1:01:58
29. Shaune Fraser, CAY, 1:03.43
30. Adolfo Rivadeniera, ECU, 1:04:23
31. Seung Gin Lee, NMA, 1:13.06