5:40pm Update

100 Meter Breaststroke

Tacoma's Megan Jendrick made a statement in her semifinal heat, blowing away American record holder Jessica Hardy in the second 50 meters of the race. Jendrick won easily, advancing to tomorrow's final. In the first semifinal heat, Bremerton native Tara Kirk finished right behind top seed Rebecca Soni. Jendrick and Kirk go into tomorrow's final as the second and third seeds. in this event four years ago, Kirk out-touched Jendrick at the wall to earn a spot on the Athens Olympic team. Jendrick won the 100 meter gold medal at the Sydney games in 2000.

5pm Update

100 Meter Backstroke Semifinals

Margaret Hoelzer of king Co. Aquatic has advanced to the tomorrow's finals in the 100 meter backstroke, finishing third overall in the semis. Hoelzer was one of three women who swam the race in less than a minute. She posted a time of 59.79, just behind the 59.48 of Hayley McGregory and the 59.74 of world record holder Natalie Coughlin. Teenager Leona Jennings, who also swims for King Co. Aquatic, finished 12th overall and did not make the finals.

11am Update

100 Meter Breaststroke

Three Seattle area women advanced to tonight's semifinals. Tacoma's Megan Jendrick qualified with the third fastest time, a 1:07.06, followed closely by Bremerton's Tara Kirk in fourth at 1:07.86. Ariana Kukors of Auburn finished 16th, grabbing the final spot in the semis. Kukors posted a 1:09.75.

9:30am Update

Women's 100 Meter Backstroke

Margaret Hoelzer, the Alabama Olympian who moved to this area to train at King Co. Aquatic, has easily qualified for tonight's semifinals in the 100 meter backstroke. Hoelzer was the third fastest qualifier with a time of 1:00.86, trailing only Natalie Coughlin and Hayley McGregory. McGregory set a new world record in her heat, a record that only lasted a few minutes before being broken again by Coughlin. Hoelzer finished fifth in the 200 meter backstroke in Athens four years ago and she set an American record at that distance in winning gold at the world championships last year.

Two former Olympians hit the pool later this morning in the women's 100 meter breaststroke. Tara Kirk of Bremerton and Megan Jendrick of Tacoma are among the favorites to earn spots on the Olympic team. Kirk edged Jendrick four years ago by a tenth of second to earn a spot on the Athens Olympic team. Kirk made the breaststoke final and came home with a silver medal in the medley relay. Jendrick won two golds as teenage school girl Megan Quann in the 2000 Sydney games.

For complete updates on our local athletes, go to the Olympic Zone

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