Triple Olympic champion Inge de Bruijn made a low-key entrance at the World Swimming Championships today, qualifying down the field for the semifinals of the 100 metres freestyle. The Dutch swimming star, who set three new world records at the Sydney Olympics, saw no need to exert herself at this early stage and finished in third place in her heat and sixth overall with a time of 55.65 seconds, a long way off her world record of 53.77.
"It's only a morning race, so I didn't expect a world record. Obviously I'll try to pick up the speed in the semifinals," she explained afterwards. Ireland's Julie Douglas bowed out of the event after finishing second in her heat in 58.02 seconds for the 39th quickest time of the 59 entrants.
Meanwhile, double Olympic silver medallist Therese Alshammar from Sweden was forced to withdraw from the 100m freestyle event because of illness. The European 50m and 100m champion has been suffering from a urinary tract infection and although the problem itself has cleared up after a course of antibiotics, the swimmer is not yet back to full fitness, and has decided to sacrifice her involvement in the 100m event in order to concentrate on her performance in the 50m.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
