The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports

Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

TWO finals for Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace but she missed out on cashing in on a trip to the podium at the 16th FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.

Closing out competition for the Bahamas’ five-member team yesterday, Vanderpool-Wallace touched the wall in 24.44 seconds for sixth place in the final of the women’s 50 metres freestyle.

Australian Bronte Campbell picked up the gold in 24.12, while Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands got the silver in 24.22 and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom won the bronze in 24.31.

Vanderpool-Wallace, 25, went into the event with the fifth fastest qualifying time in the semi-finals on Saturday when she swum 24.36 for second in her heat behind Kromonwidjojo, who did 24.23.

In the preliminary rounds, also on Saturday, Vanderpool-Wallace advanced with the second fastest time of 24.43. Cate Campbell, who got fourth in the final and missed the opportunity to join her sister Bronte on the podium, had the fastest time of 24.40.

All of Vanderpool-Wallace’s times were off her national record of 24.31 that she set at the Pan Am Games with her gold medal and Pan Am record in Toronto, Canada, a couple weeks ago.

Also on Saturday, Vanderpool-Wallace contested the final of the women’s 50m butterfly where she was seventh in 25.93. Sjostrom won the gold in 24.96 in a new championship record. Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark took the silver in 25.34 and the bronze went to Ying Lu of China in 25.37 for an Asian record.

Vanderpool-Wallace holds the national record at 25.53 set last year at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

The other four members of the team, managed by John Bradley and coached by Bert Bell, were Joanna Evans, Ariel Weech, Dustin Tynes and Elvis Burrows. Neither of the competitors advanced for a second swim in their respective events.