Hansen denied berth in 200m breaststroke

OMAHA, Nebraska: Former world record-holder Brendan Hansen was denied a 200m breaststroke berth on the US team for the Beijing Games on Thursday by training partners Scott Spann and Eric Shanteau.

Hansen, already qualified in the 100m breaststroke, finished fourth in the event at the US Olympic swimming trials.

The shock defeat means the American won't get a 200m showdown with Japanese rival Kosuke Kitajima, who shattered Hansen's word record with a swim of 2min 07.51 in Tokyo on June 8.