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WR: Zhao Zips To A 27.06 50 Back Win

Jul 30, 2009  - Craig Lord

Rome 2009, Day 5:

Women's 50m backstroke final

They may have just signed a new contract with Speedo but China's swimmers are wearing Jaked and winning medals and setting world records. Zhao Jing whacked out a 27.06 in lane 2, to wipe 0.32sec off a one-length standard that had stood a day. Her teammate Gao Chang, also in Jaked, took bronze behind Daniela Samulski (GER) and her Hydrofoil.

We now stand on the brink of history: 28 world records so far. One more and bang goes the bomb that went off at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal when a cocktail of GDR women and US men in goggles for the first time in Olympic waters saw their way to a tally that has never been matched since at Olympic or world levels. Three days to go after this evening.

The 28.16sec in which Leila Vaziri (USA) claimed the world crown in 2007 would have placed her, well, nowhere. The entire final raced inside 28sec. A world record two years ago, and now 19th best time ever. That's normal. Not.

Rome 2009:

  • Final: 27.06 - 27.88
  • Inside 27.5: 4
  • Inside 27.9: 8

Melbourne 2007:

  • Final: 28.16wr - 28.87
  • Inside 28: 0
  • Inside 28.5: 2
  • Inside 29: 8