There have now been 245 world records (a handful never ratified) since the advent of non-textile fabrics in suits in February 2008, and 166 European records in 2009 alone. Bodysuits and non-textiles that enhanced performance, changed swimming from a technique-based to equipment-based sport, overshadowed every almost every performance, dominated headlines around the world and made a mockery of one of the biggest of Olympic sports will be banned from the race pool on January 1, 2010.
The European s/c championships ended with the Netherlands, 9 golds, three silver and one bronze medals, Russia and France at the helm: the vast majority wore silly shiny boosters in keeping with the times but heartening to note that the top three nations all had and have head coaches who were fundamentally opposed to the use of shiny suits and are now looking forward to a time soon when their work and that of their charges can be celebrated without a shadow once more.
In Istanbul this evening, Daniel Gyurta (HUN) made the most of the last shiny suits Euro champs to take down the world 200m breaststroke record. It had stood to Aussie Christian Sprenger at 2:01.98. Now the mark stands at 2:00.67 to a man who led from start to finish on his way to the kind of time Mark Spitz used to go on 'fly (albeit l/c and without a booster suit).
The splits compared:
- Sprenger: 28.08; 59.14; 1:30.58; 2:01.98
- Gyurta: 27.74; 58.46; 1:29.33; 2:00.67
Silver went to Grigory Falko in 2:02.50 and bronze to Maxim Shcherbakov (RUS), on 2:03.76.
Federica Pellegrini, who excelled long before shiny suits rose their ugly head and who played a central role in the non-textile bodysuits era (her coach Alberto Castagnetti, who died in October, called the LZR racer "technological doping", and his charge won the 200m free Olympic crown while wearing two suits, a practice subsequently banned), had one last big blast in the apparel that aids performance: in 1:51.17 she broke her own world mark. Almost all the gain was on the first 100m of the race.
Pellegrini had held the standard for the past year at 1:51.85. The splits compared:
- Pellegrini 09: 26.58; 54.84; 1:23.09; 1:51.17
- Pellegrini 09: 26.73; 55.40; 1:23.86; 1:51.85
The last 50m was practically a match in 2008 and 2009. "I blew a kiss to heaven to my late coach Alberto Castagnetti after my win. He was like a second father to me. It was a very hard time for me because shortly after he died my grandmother also passed away," said Pellegrini.
As if the world of swimming needed more world records, two were set in one race as the 100m backstroke crown was shared by Arkady Vyatchanin and Stanislav Donets (both RUS) on 48.97, the first sub-49sec efforts in shiny suits. Bronze went to Ashwin Wildeboer (ESP) on 49.05, also inside previous shiny suit WR pace.
The standard had stood to Vyatchanin at 49.17 since ... let's see ... ah, yes ... yesterday. The shared mark marked the 244th and 245th world records (it would count as two if they had swum in separate races and one had equalled the other) since February 2008 and brought to a close the latest bull run on records: the tally in Istanbul was 10 world and 26 European records and four world bests (4x50m relays), a trifling amount in the shadow of those 43 mega-bombs back in Rome 2009. There were also 55 championship records, 31 of those among men, 24 among women (gosh, certainly get your money's worth ... if you like big tops and neon lights that look a little, well, plastic but not so fantastic, in the full light of day).
Beyond the record-breaking at continental and world level, many more nationals records were broken and the world rankings mauled once more. The women's 400m medley saw Hannah Miley (GBR) take her first major international crown, on 4:25.66 ahead of former world record holder Mireia Belmonte (ESP) and Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN), on 4:27.60 and 4:28.46 respectively.
The fascinating thing about the race was how it compared to the shocker of a world-record setting performance of Kathryn Meaklim (RSA) last month.
Look at the splits and keep in mind that Miley is as fit as a fiddle and comes home as well as almost any other swimmer in elite waters:
- Meaklim Nov 09: 28.84 1:01.68 1:36.73 2:10.57 2:46.62 3:22.75 3:53.48 4:22.88
- Miley Dec 09: 29.55; 1:02.44; 1:36.57; 2:10.03; 2:46.44; 3:23.79; 3:55.42; 4:25.66.
Meaklim clocked 1:00.13 on that last 100m freestyle, compared to Miley's split of 1:01.87. Why is that somewhat surprising? Well, because there are the best times on freestyle of the two women:
- Miley: 200m - 1:58.87 s/c and 1:58.54 long-course.
- Meaklim: 200m - 2:01.56 short-course; no long-course time within 2:02
- Miley: 400m - 4:10.43 long-course; 4:07.87 s/c
- Meaklim: 400m - 4:16.72 long-course; 4:09.74 s/c
It was clearly the race of Meaklim's life, one that compares to no other in her career so far.
The men's 200m free crown went to world-record holder Paul Biedermann (GER) in 1:39.81, a champs record, with Daniil Isotov (RUS) providing the scare on 1:40.08. In third was Nikita Lobintsev (RUS), on 1:41.52 - and look at who was fourth: medley ace Laszlo Cseh (HUN), on 1:41.64.
The most interesting thing about the race was the last 50m splits: since donning 100% polyurethane for the first time in July to win the world 200m and 400m crowns in shiny suit world-record times in Rome, Biedermann has astounded the world ever will death-defying home-coming splits that wipe out anything Phelps and Thorpe were ever capable of.
But Isotov, in shiny pants, not even a body, was faster on his way home, at 24.83, than Biedermann has ever been - the German clocked 25.65 on the way to the world s/c record in berlin last month and 25.07 when pressed by Isotov in Istanbul this evening. There will be some fascinating outcomes to observe in 2010 and beyond.
If Duje Draganja (CRO) on 51.20 in the 100m medley, with Sergey Fesikov (RUS) second on 51.29, denied Peter Mankoc (SLO), 51.52, a tenth straight crown in event, then Inge Dekker (NED), on 55.74, denied Diane Bui Duyet (FRA)the 100m 'fly crown after the Frenchwoman, on 55.93, could not replicate that astonishing 55.05 world mark she set yesterday in semis.
Just as remarkable has been the progress of German 25-year-old Caroline Ruhnau, on a championship record of 1:04.84 to win the 100m breaststroke crown today after a best time last season of ....1:07.34. That latter time was established at German nationals November 2008 and improved on a 1:10.78 best from the 2007 season. Since October, Ruhnau has gone past her 2008 best time no fewer than 11 times, her world cup effort from last month a best time of 1:04.78.
The podium placers on the last day of action in Istanbul as the curtain closed on the championship era of shiny suits:
- Women 400m medley
- 1. Hannah Miley (GBR) 4:25.66
- 2. Mireia Belmonte (ESP) 4:27.60
- 3. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN) 4:28.46
- Men 200m breaststroke
- 1. Daniel Gyurta (HUN) 2:00.67wr
- 2. Grigory Falko (RUS) 2:02.50
- 3. Maxim Shcherbakov (RUS) 2:03.76
- Women 200m free
- 1. Federica pellegrini (ITA) 1:51.17wr
- 2. Evelyn Verraszto (HUN) 1:52.61
- 3. Femke Heemskerk (NED) 1:54.20
- Men 200m freestyle
- 1. Paul Biedermann (GER) 1:39.81cr
- 2. Daniil Izotov (RUS) 1:40.08
- 3. Nikita Lobintsev (RUS) 1:41.52
- Men 100m medley
- 1. Duje Draganja (CR)) 51.20
- 2. Sergey Fesikov (RUS) 51.29
- 3. Peter Mankoc (SLO) 51.52
- Women 100m 'fly
- 1. Inge Dekker (NED) 55.74
- 2. Diane Bui Duyet (FRA) 55.93
- 3. Jeannette Ottesen (DEN) 56.02
- Women 100m breaststroke
- 1. Caroline Ruhnau (GER) 1:04.84cr
- 2. Moniek Nijhui (NED) 1:04.96
- 3. Jennie Johansson (SWE) 1:05.19
- Men 100m back
- 1. Arkady Vyatchanin and Stanislav Donets (RUS) 48.97wr
- 3. Aschwin Wildeboer (ESP) 49.05
- Women 200m back
- 1. Alexianne Castel (FRA) 2:02.67
- 2. Jenny Mensing (GER) 2:03.31
- 3. Pernille Larsen (DEN) 2:03.50
- Men 50m 'fly
- 1. Johannes Dietrich (GER) 22.07cr
- 2. Frederick Bousquet (FRA) 22.17
- 3. Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS) 22.34
- Women 50m freestyle
- 1. Hinkelien Schreuder (NED) 23.32cr
- 2. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) 23.58
- 3. Dorothea Brandt (GER) 23.74
- Men 4x50m free
- 1. FRA 1:22.96
- 2. CRO 1:23.18
- 3. ITA 1:23.64
