Saudi Arabia and India agree to study feasibility of establishing power grid    Saudi Awwal Bank records SR5.9 billion net profit after Zakat and Income Tax for YTD Q3    Economy minister emphasizes global partnerships to address pressing challenges Private investments in non-oil sector soar 70%    Saudi Arabia's GDP grows 2.8% in Q3, driven by non-oil sectors    PIF, HKMA sign MoU to establish $1 billion investment fund    Israeli soldiers forced Palestinian men to take off clothes as they evacuated war-torn Jabalya    North Korea fires suspected intercontinental missile    India celebrates Diwali, the festival of lights    'It was like a tsunami': Spaniards recount horror of deadly floods    Bahrain Crown Prince receives Saudi Interior Minister    In-person classes will remain suspended in Jeddah, Rabigh and Khulais schools on Thursday    HR Ministry takes penal action against 568 violators of Domestic Workers' Regulation    Derby Week makes its debut in the Roshn Saudi League    Al Nassr eliminated from King's Cup after a defeat to Al Taawoun    Teri Garr, Young Frankenstein and Tootsie star, dies at 79    Othman Al Omeir receives Legacy of Change Medal at the UK Parliament for advocacy in media    Neymar joins Saudi fashion trend, donning traditional attire at Al Hilal match    Indonesia Days event celebrates cultural diversity at Al Suwaidi Park    Saudi Football Federation reappoints Hervé Renard to lead national team    Tarzan star Ron Ely dies aged 86    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







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Phelps regains sparkle
By Mark Meadows
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 30 - 07 - 2009

Michael Phelps retained his 200 meters butterfly world title and smashed his own world record on Wednesday to reassert his authority after a tough 24 hours.
The American lost his world record in Tuesday's 200 freestyle final when he was beaten by Germany's Paul Biedermann but he burst back to form with an awesome display of power.
“I guess you'd call it my bread and butter event,” Phelps told reporters after swimming one minute 51.51, bettering the world record he has held since 2001 for the eighth time.
His achievement was all the more remarkable given he did it wearing long pants rather than one of the soon-to-be banned bodysuits which have contributed to a deluge of world records at the Rome championships.
The performance-enhancing polyurethane swimsuits may be causing controversy but they are also helping to thrill the crowds. China's Zhang Lin prompted utter astonishment when he knocked more than six seconds off the previous world record to win the men's 800m freestyle final. Zhang, China's first male world champion in long-course swimming, beamed: “I felt a lot of pressure, I didn't know how to swim at this level but my coach told me you just have to do your best.”
The fans at the Foro Italico were less surprised when home favorite Federica Pellegrini stormed to victory in the 200m freestyle final, shattering the world record she had already broken in Tuesday's semifinals.
She clocked 1:52:98 to chalk up a freestyle double having triumphed in the 400 on Sunday. Asked if she was Italy's greatest athlete, she replied: “I think so.”
Despite 15 world records falling in the first three days of competition, Wednesday's action in the open-air pool was even more mesmerizing.
American Mary Descenza was stunned to break the world record in the women's 200m butterfly heats.
German Daniela Samulski then set a world best time in the 50m backstroke semis only for Russia's Anastasia Zueva to better it immediately in the second semi. Zueva, now favorite for Thursday's final, had also smashed the 100m backstroke world record earlier in the week before that mark was beaten.
Records were flying left, right and center with swimmers who failed to tax the timekeepers beginning to look ordinary.
South African Cameron van der Burgh made sure he did not miss out on the party by battering his own world record to take gold in the men's 50m breaststroke, having set the previous best mark in Tuesday's semifinals.
Defending champion Filippo Magnini was dumped out in the 100m freestyle semis and will watch Thursday's final from the sidelines when France's Olympic champion Alain Bernard, quickest in qualifying, will go off as favorite.


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