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Potec At The Pace Of Evans In French 800m Free

Apr 22, 2009  - Craig Lord

The evergreen Camelia Potec (ROM), Olympic 200m free champion in 2004 and 27 this year, swam within half a second of the fastest pace of Janet Evans over 800m freestyle to clock the third-best time ever, 8:16.70 at French nationals in Montpellier. Second went to Coralie Balmy, of Dauphins Toulouse, in 8:25.32, on a day that saw 13 French records fall.

Potec is coached by Philippe Lucas in whichever pool they can find a home these days after the mentor to Laure Manaudou fell out with Canet and took his squad of nomads on the road. Potec's best was an 8:19.70, set in Olympic heats before she finished fourth in a final won by Rebecca Adlington (GBR) in a world record of 8:14.10. The Romanian is the first swimmer that Lucas has coached to a speed beyond the best of Manaudou.

The new all-time top 10:

  • 8:14.10    Adlington GBR
  • 8:16.22    Evans USA 1989
  • 8:16.70    Potec  ROM
  • 8:18.52    Ziegler USA
  • 8:18.80    Manaudou FRA
  • 8:19.53    Mohring GDR 1987 after a best of 8:36.48 in 1986
  • 8:19.67    Bennett USA
  • 8:19.70    Hoff USA
  • 8:20.23    Filippi ITA Olympic silver medallist 2008
  • 8:21.74    Friis DEN Olympic bronze medallist 2008

Having raced with Adlington to almost to the 300m mark in Beijing, Potec swam the first 400m a touch outside world-record pace in Montpellier, before fading gradually throughout the last eight lengths. The splits compared:

  • Adlington:   59.37; 2:01.32; 3:03.58; 4:05.72; 5:07.62; 6:10.30; 7:13.24; 8:14.10
  • Potec:          59.74; 2:01.73; 3:03.80; 4:06.15; 5:08.43; 6:11.27; 7:14.46; 8:16.70
  • Evans:      1:00.20; 2:02.53; 3:05.12; 4:07.92; 5:10.27; 6:12.82; 7:15.44; 8:16.22   

In 1989. And not a bodysuit in sight. Fabulous.