Lezak Getting Up to Speed

Jason Lezak won’t easily forget his disappointing performance at the U.S. spring national championships in April. Those memories motivate him to swim a lot faster than he did that week.

He was very fast Friday at the TYR Meet of Champions, defeating a world-class field in the 100-meter freestyle and breaking his two-year-old meet record at Marguerite Recreation Center in Mission Viejo.

Lezak, 27, won the race in 49.58 seconds, more than a second ahead of Irvine Novaquatics teammate Scott Tucker (50.60), who finished first at spring nationals and is ranked No. 2 in the world in the event. Lezak also beat Ryk Neethling of Tuscon Ford (50.81), ranked No. 3 in the event, and Polish world champion Bart Kizierowski of the University of California (50.86).

Lezak, tied for 13th in the event’s world rankings, was surprised to break 50 seconds, but said he expects to swim even faster once he’s shaved and rested for the FINA world championships in Barcelona in four weeks.

“That’s not even close to what I’m capable of doing,” said Lezak, an Irvine native who finished third in the 50 and 100 freestyles at the spring nationals.

Lezak, ranked No. 1 in the world last year in the 50 freestyle and No. 4 in the 100 freestyle, said he was slowed at spring nationals after swimming several World Cup events. That caused him to put in less training and, ultimately, run low on energy near the end of his races.

Two other Novaquatic swimmers set records Friday.

Aaron Peirsol won the 200 backstroke in 1:58.11, breaking Lenny Krayzelburg’s three-year-old meet and pool record of 1:58.95. And Gabrielle Rose broke her two-year-old meet record in the 100 freestyle. Rose, 25, won in 56.27, nearly a half second faster than her old mark.