example-image
Connect with Us:  

100 Breast: Soni Slices Past Jones's Standard

Jul 27, 2009  - Craig Lord

Rebecca Soni (USA), Olympic 200m champion, led the way in the 100m breaststroke heats at world titles in Rome with a 1:05.66 championship record a fingernail inside the Melbourne 2007 best of absent Leisel Jones (AUS), Olympic champion. Yulia Efimova (RUS) was next through in 1:06.42 with Mirna Jukic (AUT) on 1:06.58 and Rikke Moller-Pedersen (DEN), 1:06.61, and Annamay Pierse (CAN) on 1:06.68, and Tarnee White (AUS) on 1:06.91, and Sarah Katsoulis (AUS) on 1:06.98. Seven women inside 1:07 in heats. Eat your heart out Silke Hoerner. Eighteen women under 1:08.

So, this is how things compare, as if comparison of chalk with cheese were possible, to Melbourne 2007, where Tara Kirk's 1st place in heats would have placed her 8th in Rome. Only the top 3 in Melbourne heats would have made the Rome semis. Here's the hideous nature of fast-suited performance-enhancement at work:

Melbourne 2007 heats:

  • Into semis: 1:07.23 - 1:09.87
  • Inside 1:06: 0
  • Inside 1:07: 0
  • Inside 1:08: 3
  • Inside 1:09: 7 
  • Inside 1:10: 17

Rome 2009 heats:

  • Into semis: 1:05.66 - 1:07.80
  • Inside 1:06: 1
  • Inside 1:07: 7
  • Inside 1:08: 18
  • Inside 1:09: 28
  • Inside 1:10: 37