Emily Seebohm stole the limelight on the second day of action at the NSW Championships in Australia, clocking a 59.25 win over 100m backstroke that represents the fastest time ever clocked in a textile suit.
The world record stood to Natalie Coughlin (USA) at 59.44 on the eve of the shiny suits era. Seebohm turned in 29.23 and came home in 30.02, which without a start almost represents a negative split.
Seebohm's shiny best was a 58.88, so not much difference there. Some swimmers got less out of the shiny suits than others, and will now feel the strain of 2010 rules a little less than some of their rivals. Seebohm was the only swimmer who approached the kind of speed seen last year, which was to be expected at this stage: Australian trials are about a month away.
The NSW meet is allowing the use of suits that are not listed on the FINA approved list and therefore carry no "approved label". No international records set would therefore count. The move has been made in recognition of the fact that many swimmers have FS-Pro models and other such suits that meet 2010 "textile" and profile requirements but may not be named specifically on FINA's approved suits list.
Many in the world swimming community are angered by the fact that they have perfectly good suits that comply with 2010 rules but were not submitted for approval by suit makers on the basis that new models were required in order for FINA and suit makers to be able to label suits for official checking. Older suits, some which have prints no longer permitted, would, of course, not carry an approved label.
Elsewhere at the champs Down Under, Tae-hwan Park (KOR) showed strong early season strength with a 1:46.98 win in the 200m freestyle, while Geoff Huegill, Olympic medallist in 2000, continues to make progress in his campaign to make the Aussie Commonwealth Games team for Delhi, with the only sub 24sec in the 50m 'fly, a 23.83, a stroke ahead of Andrew Lauterstein.
Results at a glance:
Men
- 200m free: Tae-hwan Park (KOR) 1:46.98; Nick Ffrost, 1:49.00; Kendrick Monk, 1:49.80.
- 200m backstroke: Daniel Arnamnart 2:01.75; Bradley Lewis, 2:02.32l; Robert Hurley, 2:02.46
- 100m breaststroke: Brenton Rickard, 1:02.01; Craig Calder, 1:02.67
- 50m butterfly: Geoff Huegill, 23.83
- 200m medley: Leith Brodie, 2:03.20; Thomas Fraser-Holmes, 2:04.47
Women
- 50m free: Therese Alshammar (SWE), 24.98; Sally Foster, 25.47
- 400m free: Bronte Barratt, 4:09.28; Kylie Palmer, 4:10.43
- 100m back: Emily Seebohm, 59.25; Belinda Hocking, 1:00.47
- 200m breast: Leisel Jones, 2:26.14; Sarah Katsoulis, 2:29.27
- 100m butterfly: Felicity Galvez, 58.73; Alshammar, 58.92; Stephanie Rice, 59.39
