Pan Pacific Championships, Irvine, California, day 4:
Men's 50m Freestyle
Just 0.02sec split gold and silver, Nathan Adrian (USA) announcing his entry to the realms of world sprint leaders with an upset win over Olympic and world champion Cesar Cielo (BRA) in a championship record of 21.55, to 21.57 for the world record holder. The bronze went to Brent Hayden (CAN) in 21.89, locking out Bruno Fratus (BRA), on 21.93, no others breaching 22sec.
Thus did Adrian, 100m winner in Irvine, establish himself as a serious threat to the world sprint order, becoming the third man this year in textile to crack Alex Popov's 21.64 from 2000, after Cielo was followed by part-time training partner, France's Fred Bousquet, who so far heads to Shanghai as world-tritle favourite, with that 21.36 semi and a 21.49 victory in Budapest.
Asked what the race meant in terms of his stature in international waters, Adrian took the Stars and Stripes with him when he said: "Hopefully, this establishes us as a [sprint] force to be reckoned with again." One of the exciting things about Adrian is the way he builds and rolls through his race in a way that is reminiscent of the Russian sprint tsar.
The championship record replaced the 21.64 clocked by Cielo in heats this morning. Off the blocks in the final, the Brazilian had a 0.01sec advantage over the American and emerged into his stroke with a slight edge. There was nothing in it, though, the whole way. A great sprint show.
"It's just a great confidence booster," Adrian told reporters. "There's maybe a little bit of a target on my back and I'll have to work that much harder."
"My freestyle is not going as well as I expected," said Cielo. "I probably haven't done well in practice. I've probably missed something during the season. My 100 free wasn't good and today wasn't good. I'm not as fit as I wanted to be here."
Trans-Atlantic medals:
- Pan Pacs: 21.55; 21.57; 21.89
- Euro 1-3: 21.49; 21.69; 21.76
Records
Shiny suit era
- WR 20.91 Cesar Cielo (BRA) Dec 2009
- ER 20.94 Frederick Bousquet (FRA) Apr 2009
February 1 2008
- WR/ER 21.64 Alex Popov (RUS) Jun 2000
