2009 Best Performers
200 METRES FREESTYLE
| # | Country | Time | Name | IPS | Meet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | GER | 1:44.71 | Biedermann, Paul | 1002 | GERLCJUN |
| 2 |  | CHN | 1:45.83 | Zhang, Lin | 987 | CHNLCAPR |
| 3 |  | USA | 1:46.02 | Phelps, Michael | 984 | CHARLMAY |
| 4 |  | RUS | 1:46.17 | Izotov, Danila | 982 | RUSLCAPR |
| 5 |  | ITA | 1:46.33 | Belotti, Marco | 980 | ITALCMAR |
Today will see Kirsty Kettles begin a new life - as the wife of David Kettles and as the former swimmer Kirsty Balfour (GBR), European champion and winner of World and Commonwealth silver medals.
At 24, the Edinburgh breaststroke specialist believes that the time is right to move on. "The time was right for me to leave the sport and with my wedding coming up it was time for a big change,” Balfour said. “I always planned to swim up to Beijing and see what happened there and when I came home I just knew I was ready for a change in my life. I have been swimming for 12 years and I have enjoyed it so much. I made my international debut in 2000 at the European Junior Championships and my career progressed from there. I had been given a talent by God and I wanted to make the most of it."
And so she did, even though her 2008 Olympic campaign did not go smoothly, a combination of injury and the advent of a fast-suited generation that sailed past standards that would previously have been considered likely to result in a place on the podium.
Typical of Balfour, she cites team not self when it comes down to citing the things that she will miss. “I am really going to miss the bond that you have when you are part of a team. The environment at events is completely different to anything you would ordinarily experience and being away with everyone in the same tracksuits and the same aims gives you a really special link to each other.”
A statement from British Swimming held that "Balfour’s dedication to the sport certainly paid dividends with a return of eight senior Commonwealth, European and World medals to add to the many British titles and records acquired over the years."
“I have so many moments that were really special for me," she said. "Winning silver in Melbourne in 2007 will always be a career highlight. Also I had a great 2006 - I won seven international medals that year. I swam against Leisel Jones for the first time at the Commonwealth Games and won my first major medal in that race which was a really proud moment for me.” At the time, Jones was teaching lessons to the world when it came to a technique so smooth that it was almost impossible to detect any interruption in the forward flow of her stroke, in contrast to the bobbing and weaving seen in so many breaststroke specialists. If anyone came close to what Jones was achieving technique-wise, it was, for a while, Balfour.
Later that year, Balfour became the first British woman to win the European 200m breaststroke crown in more than 40 years. Approaching the starting blocks in Budapest she recited Matthew 22:37: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." In such passion does Balfour found inner quiet, confidence and calm. "I've given my life to God," said Balfour. "Everything I do has a bearing. I believe things happen for a reason ... God has a plan for each of us."
After a honeymoon in Morocco, Mrs Kettles will, unsurprisingly, "be doing a lot of work for my church and some youth work in the coming months". Lucky them. She will be much missed in the pool.
