More fast-suit madness at the Mediterranean Games in Pescara: the club of sub 2:10 200m breaststroke men - three-strong in January 2008 - now has 22 members. The latest to join was Melquiades Alvarez, 21. Coming in to the Games, the Spaniard was ranked 42nd best ever, after a pb by 1.5sec that took him to 2:11.18 in April. Now, his best time is 2:09.69, 19th best ever.
The silver went to Edoardo Giorgetti (ITA), in 2:10.11, a best by 0.43sec with Romanos Alyfantis (GRE) third in 2:11.54, not a bad gain for a 23-year-old who arrived in Pescara with a best time of 2:14.57. The race saw American Mike Barrowman's former world record, an ahead-of-its time 2:10.16 in briefs back in 1992, slide to 25th all-time. In January 2008, it stood at 4th best ever. Still 15th best performance (multiple entries) ever 17 months ago on the eve of the techno-tipping-point, Barrowman's best is now outside the best 65 efforts.
Alain Bernard (FRA), Olympic champion, kept the world champion Filippo Magnini at bay by 0.4sec to win the 100m freestyle in 47.83. Magnini's 48.27 is the best he has clocked since retaining the world crown in a joint victory with Brent Hayden (CAN) in Melbourne in 2007. The bronze went to Nabil Kebbab (ALG) in 48.89.
Olympic 1,500m free champion Oussama (TUN) added the Med Games 400m medley title to his growing treasure trove, with a 4:10.53 win over Luca Marin (ITA), on 4:13.58.
The women's 100m free saw Serbia's Miroslava Najdanovski claim victory in 55.09. France's Coralie Dobral triumphed in the 200m breaststroke in 2:26.41 and Slovenia's Anja Klinar clocked 4:39.48 to win the 400m medley.
