NAPOLEON AND FULLERTON HEAD QUALIFIERS IN 400M FREESTYLE

GUAM, January 10, 2009: The Telstra Dolphins Australian swim team will go chasing more gold on night three of the Junior Pan Pacific Championships at the Leo Palace Resort Aquatic Centre here tonight. Ian Hanson Reports.....

Night two saw the Dolphins claim three gold to boost their medal tally to three gold, nine silver and three bronze.

Leading the charge will be Queensland pair Ryan Napoleon and Ellen Fullerton the fastest qualifiers for tonight's respective men's and women's 400 metres freestyle finals.

They will then spearhead the Australian 4x100m freestyle relay teams against the might of the USA as the world's two top swimming nations go head-to-head for bragging rights at this meet.

After two days, the US lead Australia by just seven points on the pointscore.

Napoleon, who anchored the Australia men to a stunning meet record in the 4x200m freestyle last night, looked very impressive today and is determined to claim his first individual gold medal, after clocking a heat time of 3:54.14, just outside his best time.

He will be joined in the final by fellow Queenslander Ned McKendry, who is the seventh fastest qualifier on 3:38.59.

Daniel Smith, winner of the silver medal in last night's 100m freestyle won the race into the B final, clocking 3:59.34, edging out Thomas Fraser-Holmes (3:59.45) and a fast finishing 1500m silver medallist Christopher Ashwood (3:59.46).

Fullerton, who broke Hayley Lewis 16 years 400m individual medley record last night looked comfortable in winning her 400m heat in a personal best time of 4:13.39, but she can again expect some stiff competition from her ever-present US rivals.

The pocket-rocket from the Gold Coast will be joined in the final by Victoria's Belinda Bennett, who clocked a three second personal best of 4:18.64 to be the fourth fastest qualifier.

Other finalists tonight are:

AMY Smith (1:00.62) and Jessica Ash (1:01.20)second and fourth into the women's 100m butterfly final.

LACHLAN Staples (53.75) and Jayden Hadler (54.45) third and fourth into the men's 100m butterfly final.

BRIDGETTE-ROSE Taylor (2:16.48) and Jenni O'Neil (2:18.39) fifth and seventh in the women's 200m backstroke and;

JARED Goldthorpe (2:03.18) second into the 200 metres backstroke final.