SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Erik Vendt defeated Klete Keller to win the 800 meters in a race between Sydney Olympians, and Kate Ziegler swam to a 12-second victory in the 1,500 meters Thursday in the Santa Clara International.
Lauren Costella of the Carson Tigersharks, who just finished her freshman year at Stanford, took sixth in the 1,500 free in 16 minutes, 20.45 seconds.
Vendt won in 7 minutes, 57.53 seconds, breaking the record of 8:04.30 set by Keller last year. Keller swam in the lane next to Vendt and finished second in 8:01.52.
"We did a lot of trash talking over the last couple of weeks in Colorado Springs," Vendt said about his old friend. "I didn't expect to go that fast because I've been training really hard. I thought I'd be broken down."
Keller said he and Vendt had wagered money on the race.
"I guess I'll have to buy him a burger," Keller said.
Ziegler, a 15-year-old swimmer from Great Falls, Va., defeated Sydney Olympian Diana Munz in the mile, which women don't swim in the Olympics. Ziegler won in 16:20.45. Munz finished in 16:32.43.
"I was feeling absolutely terrible this morning," Ziegler said. "My stroke felt off. I wasn't going very fast."
So she took a nap and then transformed herself in sunny, windy conditions at the outdoor pool. The meet is a tuneup for next month's U.S. Olympic trials in Long Beach, where an aboveground pool is being built outdoors.
"It's a little windy, which makes the water a little choppy," Ziegler said.
A majority of Americans from the 2000 Olympic team are competing in the four-day meet.
Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin, expected to be major stars in the Athens Games, will be in action beginning Friday.
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