In the semi-finals of the 100m 'fly at Euro s/c championships in Istanbul, Diane Bui Duyet (FRA) glided to a 55.05 (25.49 split) world record that wiped out the 55.46 set by Felicity Galvez (AUS) last month. That was the 240th world record of the shiny suits era that began in February 2008.
The 241st world record of the shiny suits era fell in the women's 50m backstroke final to Sanja Jovanovic (CRO), on 25.70, inside the 25.82 of Zhao Jing (CHN) set last month. Two other shiny suit world marks had already fallen in semis: The 50.95 WR of Sergey Fesikov (RUS) is no more: Peter Mankoc (SLO) has the mark at 50.76. And the 49.32 of Stanislav Donets (RUS) in the 100m back is no more. It now stand to compatriot Arkady Vyatchanin at 49.17. That's 241 world marks in 22 months. Ho hum.
If the 23-year-old Croatian has gone from a textile 27.70 best to progress of 26.37 to 26.23 and now 25.70, the gulf between Bui Duyet aged 30 and Bui Duyet aged 22-28 is as gaping. Here is her annual progress on 100 'fly:
- 2009: 55.05
- 2008: 56.83
- 2007: 57.80
- 2006: missed the season
- 2005: 58.45
- 2004: 1:00.28
- 2003: 59.31
- 2002: 58.78
Moving swiftly along to a Frenchwoman who excelled in a time of textile, Laure Manaudou's sizzling 3:56.09 champs record from 2006 - a sensational effort that had the crowd on its feet in Helsinki - stood firm in the 400m free on day three of finals at the Euro s/c championships in Istanbul. Her former teammate from France, Coralie Balmy took the crown in 3:56.55, a clog up on 800m world l/c champ, Lotte Friis (DEN), on 3:59.06, and a second podium place for France in the shape of Ophelie Cyrielle Etienne, also below 4mins, on 3:59.94.
In the 200m butterfly, Nikolay Skvortsov (RUS) set a European record of 1:49.46, the first shiny suit swim below 1:50 by a European.
Jan Wolfgarten is 27. Before the shiny suits era, his best s/c 1,500m free time was 14:57.80. He got that down to 14:34.24 by last month, and now he boasts a best of 14:20.44 and the European s/c crown. Silver went to Federico Colbertaldo, on 14:25.68, with Mads Glaesner (DEN) on 14:26.74.
The session closed with a world best time, with LEN confirming that the 4x50m relays do not constitute world records, in the 4x50m medley. The Dutch claimed the mark in 1:42.69: Schreuder (26.32); Nijhuis (29.16); Dekker (24.51); Kromowidjojo (22.70). That also took to 157 the number of European records set since the start of the shiny suits era in February 2008. From January 1, 2010, non-textile fabrics and bodysuits that have enhanced performance and skewed results form the past two years will be banned from the race pool.
A glance of the main action from finals in Istanbul, host of the last European champs in shiny suits:
- Men 1,500m free
- 1. Jan Wolfgarten (GER) 14:20.44
- 2. Federico Colbertaldo (ITA) 14:25.68
- 3. Mads Glaesner (DEN) 14:26.74
- Women 400m free
- 1. Coralie Balmy (FRA) 3:56.55
- 2. Lotte Friis (DEN) 3:59.06
- 3. Ophelie Cyrielle Etienne (FRA) 3:59.94
- Women 100m medley
- 1. Hinkelien Schreuder (NED) 57.85cr
- 2. Evelyn Verraszto (HUN) 58.21
- 3. Hanna Maria Seppala (FIN) 58.86
- Men 200m butterfly
- 1. Nikolay Skvortsov 1:49.46er
- 2. Pawel Korzeniowshi (POL) 1:50.13
- 3. Dinko Jukic (AUT) 1:50.32
- Men 100 free
- 1. Amaury Leveaux (FRA) 45.56
- 2. Daniil Izotov (RUS) 45.70
- 3. Evgeny Lagunov (RUS) 46.06
- Women 50m backstroke
- 1. Sanja Jovanovic (CRO) 25.70wr
- 2. Aleksandra Herasimenia (BLR) 26.12
- 3. Ksenia Moskvina (RUS) 26.38
- Men 50m breaststroke
- 1. Alexander Hetland (NOR) 26.19
- 2. Alessandro Terrin (ITA) 26.24
- 3. Caba Siladji (SRB) 26.31
- Women 4x50m medley
- 1. NED 1:42.69wb
- 2. SWE 1:45.13
- 3. RUS 1:46.10
