WR: Rice 2:08.45 200IM; Coventry 0.14sec Back
2008-08-13
Craig Lord
The Australian claims Olympic medley double

Stephanie Rice (AUS) set the fifth world record of the morning here at the Water Cube as she claimed the 200m medley crown in 2:08.45, 0.14sec ahead of Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), the bronze going to Natalie Coughlin (USA) in 2:10.34. 

Coventry raced inside world-record pace at the 100m (1:00.16) and 150m (1:38.27) marks and with 230m to go was still leading by a stroke. But Rice had the edge in the closing metres, her momentum critical to carrying her hand to the wall just ahead of Coventry's.