European Championships, Budapest, day 6 finals:
Men 4x200m freestyle
Russia - 7:06.71; Germany - 7:08.13; France - 7:09.70
Paul Biedermann will head home to Germany on Monday with no doubts hanging over his head when it comes to his 200m European crown won in the absence of Yannick Agnel, his French nemesis over 400m here in Budapest.
The 4x200m free gods granted us the spectacle of a race between the two men off the gun and it was the world champion who proved the stronger man, on 1:45.47 to 1:45.83, both faster than the German's winning solo effort. So was Nikita Lobintsev, on 1:45.93. Biedermann's blast is also the second-best ever relay lead-off split, behind 1:45.36 for Michael Phelps in 2007 (discounting silly season, of course).
The Frenchman, 18, takes home another prize beyond the Gaul's bronze: the national record, inside his 1:46.30 best, marking the third time he has improved on the mark in a matter of months. Agnel led by a touch until the last turn, when Biedermann fired as hard as he could, fuelled by team and personal pride.
Biedermann, after praising his teammates, noted another target achieved: "I also achieved my intention to regain the season's world best from Michael Phelps." The Olympic champion clocked 1:45.61 at US trials earlier this month.
More thrilling clashes between those three men ahead (not to mention the response we may now see over in Irvine next week...one that Biedermann told reporters here that he expected to see and welcomed the to and fro as being part of the fun of sport), though it was the Russian's effort that was most significant to the relay result as things would turn out. Russia took the crown in a championship record of 7:06.71, Germany the silver in 7:08.13 and France bronze in 7:09.70, leaving Britain's quartet knowing what it feels like not to take a full rest but to race on regardless, fourth in 7:11.00. The first two team were inside the 7:09.60 at which Italy held the European record between winning the 2006 European crown here in Budapest and the dawn of polyurethane.
Strip out silly season and you're left with this: the only major international victories in history faster than the Russian performance today were the 7:04.66 stunner of a Thorpe-and-Hackett stoked Australia at 2001 world titles and the 7:03.24 stars with stripes that cracked the world record and claimed the global crown for a US quartet including Michael Phelps in 2007, Phelps splitting a 1:45.36 opener on that occasion.
And that is the fastest relay opener ever seen (discounting silly season). The top three efforts in that relay opener compare extremely well:
- 1:45.36 Phelps 2007
- 1:45.47 Biedermann 2010
- 1:45.51 Phelps 2005
- 1:45.83 Agnel 2010
- 1:45.91 Phelps 2006
- 1:45.93 Lobintsev 2010
- 1:46.03 Thorpe 2000
(all opening leg splits)
The splits:
Russia - 7:06.71 - CR
- Nikita Lobintsev 25.39; 52.46; 1:19.44; 1:45.93 (3)
- Daniil Izotov 1:45.74 (1)
- Sergey Perunin 1:47.98 (1)
- Alex Sukhorukov 1:47.06 (1)
Germany - 7:08.13
- Paul Biedermann 25.53; 52.37; 1:19.14; 1:45.47 (1)
- Tim Wallburger 1:47.55 (2)
- Robin Bcakhaus 1:48.28 (2)
- Clemens Rapp 1:46.83 (2)
France - 7:09.70
- Yannick Agnel 25.27; 52.18; 1:19.11; 1:45.83 (2)
- Clement Lefert 1:48.63 (3)
- Antton Haramboure 1:49.80 (4)
- Jeremy Stravius 1:45.44 (3)
That last split is 3sec inside his best 2010 solo time.
History unfolding:
Effect on race on all-time top 10: 0
Euro podiums:
- 2010: 7:06.71cr - 7:09.70
- 2008: 7:09.94 - 7:13.99
- 2006: 7:09.60 - 7:16.67
Euro finals:
- 2010: 7:06.71cr - 7:22.71
- 2008: 7:09.94 - 7:34.98
- 2006: 7:09.60 - 7:24.10
- Most Euro wins: GER, 10
- Tightest Podium: 1947 - gold to bronze - 0.5sc
From the archive: Germans have the helm of the historic title count since 1926, on 10 crowns, the last of those won in 1999 when Italy was disqualified. On two of the winning occasions, West German quartets set the world record. Michael Gross, The Albatross, and Thomas Fahrner, played their part on both occasions. The first time, in Rome in 1983, Fahrner, Alexander Schowtka, Peter Schmidt and Gross clocked 3:20.40 to get inside a US standard; the second time Gross and Fahrner were joined by Peter Sitt and Rainer Henkel for a 7:13.10 effort that blasted 2.59sec off the American best from the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.
Records
Shiny suit era
- WR: 6:58.55 USA Jul 2009
- ER: 6:59.15 RUS Jul 2009
February 1 2008
- WR: 7:03.24 USA Mar 2007
- ER: 7:09.60 ITA Aug 2006
