Pan Pacific Championships, Irvine, California, day 3 finals:
Men's 400m Freestyle
Olympic champion Park Tae Hwan (KOR) took on the race from the start, a 55.02 leading the way at the 100m, Robert Hurley (AUS) closest, though the field was just about in a line.
Ryan Cochrane smelled blood. The 1,500m man made his move and hit the front on 1:53.13 as if to say 'come on, it's just eight laps' and he kept up that attitude throughout the rest of the race, Park the only man able to cope.
With 150m remaining, Cochrane had a 0.66sec lead over Park. Just 50m later, the gap was 0.02sec, the Canadian no longer in the lead by the time Park surged into his sprint down the next length, gold going nowhere else but to the fastest man in the world this year, on 3:44.73.
One wagging finger in the air and a slight smile (but not much of one) from a man sunk in 2009 said: "I'm back - watch out."
Cochrane's courage paid off: 3:46.78 for silver and holding off fast-finishing Zhang Lin (CHN), top of the world ranks going into the race, on 3:46.91 for bronze ahead of Americans Peter Vanderkaay, 3:47.11 and Charlie Houchin, 3:47.98.
The times compared to the top two in Budapest last week: Yannick Agnel (FRA) on 3:46.17 and world champion Paul Bidermann (GER) on 3:46.30.
All of which reminds us of the stature of giants of the 1990s, Mssrs Sadovyi and Perkins - take a look at their splits below for deeper understanding.
Trans-Atlantic splits
2010:
- Agnel: 54.58; 1:52.56; 2:50.76; 3:46.17
- Biedermann: 55.13; 1:53.39; 2:51.54; 3:46.30
- Park: 55.02; 1:53.81; 2:50.78; 3:44.73
- Cochrane: 55.34; 1:53.13; 2:50.76; 3:46.78
Pre-shiny bodysuit:
- Thorpe 2002: 53.02; 1:49.57; 2:45.43; 3:40.08 WR
Shiny:
- Biedermann 2009: 54.42; 1:51.02; 2:47.17; 3:40.07
Briefs:
- Perkins 1994: 53.96; 1:51.11; 2:48.15; 3:43.80
- Sadovyi 1992: 54.61; 1:52.74; 2:50.38; 3:45.00
Trans-Atlantic medals:
- Pan Pacs:
- Euro 1-3: 3:46.17; 3:46.30; 3:48.14
Records
Shiny suit era
- WR/ER: 3:40.07 Paul Biedermann (GER) Jul 2009
February 1 2008
- WR: 3:40.06 Ian Thorpe (AUS) Aug 2002
ER: 3:43.40 Massimiliano Rosolino Sept 2000
