MCKENDRY POSTS SMART TIME IN 800 METRES FREESTYLE

GUAM, January 11. Brisbane schoolboy Ned McKendry has laid down the gauntlet for his team mates in tonight's 800 metres freestyle after posting a sizzling swim in this morning's heats of the men's 800 metres freestyle at the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships here. IAN HANSON reports.....

McKendry, 16, clocked a time of 8:07.90 in the opening heat of the day to post the fastest time while 1500m freestyle silver medallist Christopher Ashwood clocked a personal best of 8:09.60 to post the second fast time.

They both face an anxious wait watching the fastest heat to be swum on the finals program.

For McKendry, it's the first "serious" long course 800 metres from the Michael Bohl coached freestyler, whoclaimed a stirring silver medal in last night's 400 metres final behind training partner Ryan Napoleon.

And it will be his room mate Napoleon who could well steal a medal off McKendry when he and team mate Declan Potts take on Tyler Sell from the USA and Jumpei Higashi in what will be an enthralling 16 laps tonight.

Napoleon's win in the 400 metres will put him in a strong position to challenge his mate mate for a podium position as the Australian and US teams chase vital points.

Going into the final night, the US hold a four point lead over the fast-finishing Telstra Dolphins.

In other events:

ELLEN Fullerton is the second fastest qualifier in tonight's 200m individual medley final after her personal best time this morning of 2:14.61 and will be joined in the final by Tiffany Papaemanouil (2:18.29).

JAYDEN Hadler (2:06.63) and Thomas Fraser-Holmes (2:06.64pb) qualified sixth and seventh for the men's 200 IM final.

BRITTANY Elmslie (26.24) and Ellese Zalewski (26.60) are fifth and sixth respectively for the 50m freestyle final.

100 METRES freestyle winner Tommaso D'Orsogna is the fastest qualifier for the 50m freestyle in 23.14 and will be joined in the final by Daniel Smith, fifth fastest in 23.33.

TESSA Wallace (2:30.49) and 100m winner Samantha Marshall (2:32.12) are the third and sixth fastest qualifiers into the women's 200m breaststroke final, while;

JEREMY MEYER (2:17.74pb) is the third fastest qualifier into the men's 200m breaststroke final and will be joined by Fraser-Holmes (2:29.3