Joyce reaches final in 100 freestyle

By ELLIOTT DENMAN

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece — Rochester’s Kara Lynn Joyce, already owner of a silver medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle, remained on track to bring back four medals Wednesday by qualifying for Thursday night’s final in the 100 freestyle.

After the 100, she’ll move on to the 50 freestyle on Friday and Saturday and, most likely, the 4x100-meter medley relay Saturday.

All’s looking hugely promising for the 18-year-old University of Georgia freshman.

She breezed into the 100-meter final with a 54.61-second semifinal triumph Wednesday night and joins teammate Natalie Coughlin in the eight-woman race.

They can’t be called favorites — certainly not after Jodie Henry of Australia set a world record of 53.52 in Coughlin’s semi — but they surely are medal candidates.

"I was pretty relaxed out there," said Joyce. "It set me up pretty well for tomorrow; that was the plan.

"I think the schedule here works in my favor, having two of my best events still coming up. I usually get better as a meet goes on."

The semifinal pace was so hot that Lisbeth Lenton of Australia, who’d clocked a world-record 53.66 winning at the Australian Trials in March, was just one more non-qualifier. Her 55.17 relegated her to an unhappy fifth in Joyce’s semifinal.