And another three bite the dust: shiny suit-era world records No212, 213 and 214 and 215. No212 fell from 22.75 to 22.73 in the 50m backstroke in the last session of finals at the Stockholm round of the world cup. The owner of the standard was and is Peter Marshall (USA). He finished ahead of world 100m champion, Japan's Junya Koga, on 22.98, with third place going to American Adam Mania, on 23.02.
Marshall set the standard at 22.75 at the Durban round of the world cup last month. His new mark is the 104th world record of the year, a handful of those efforts not ratified by FINA because the breaker wore a suit that had not been ratified - as if in the end that mattered in the midst of a circus fit to render swimming the laughing stock of world sport. Not sure about some of those other sports but cannot imagine there are many who could rival a rate of 212 world standards in a 22-month period.
Next race brought a record that came as no surprise, given that Liu Zige had cracked the 200m 'fly long-course standard wide open in China last month with a 2:01.81. In Stockholm she took an axe to the 2:03.12 of Yuko Nakanishi (JPN) from February 2008, with 2:02.50. Perhaps she needs to improve her turns, though I was told that she is perfection personified at start, turn and in stroke when last I covered Liu Zige's leaps and bounds. With a good turn or two, she could doubtless crack that 2-minute mark - and some would not wish anyone to raise an eyebrow, never mind a question. But such is the way in the era of silly, shiny, sad suits. Next in after Liu Zige, Felcity Galvez (AUS) on 2:03.91 and Petra Granlund (SWE) an ocean back on 2:06.01.
Next in was backstroke ace from China, Zhao Jing, with a 58.40 100m medley record that got 0.11sec beyond Therese Alshammare's October 2008 mark. Hinkelien Schreuder (NED) took second, on 58.65, and Fran Halsall (GBR), winner of the 100m free at the start of the session, third in 58.81. Then came a 24.46 for Therese Alshammar, of Sweden, in the 50m 'fly at the end of the session. A report file is never closed until the fast lady swims in her suit in the last race of the meet these days.
It is now all but certain that the WR tally of 2009 will exceed the daft tally of 108 in 2008: 107 so far this year (some later not ratified as listed in our bull run) ... and counting.
Michael Phelps (USA) continues to impress in his jammer textile-disadvantage suit. He clocked 1:53.93 in the 200m medley to finish second to Darian Townsend (RSA), on 1:51.79, with Vytautus Janusaitis (LTU) third in 1:54.34. That's the best time ever for Phelps: 1:54.85 was his previous best, dating back to 2004. Interesting times ahead.
Elsewhere, Federico Colbertaldo (ITA) won the 1,500m free in 14:28.35, ahead of Pal Joensen, of the Faroes, on 14:32.59, with Mads Glaesner, of Denmark, third in 14:39.88.
Silver medallist over 100m free in super-suited Rome, Halsall whacked out a 51.61 world cup best (too many of those to count any more - or even care about counting) to touch ahead of Dane Jeannette Ottesen, on 52.08, third going to 100m 'fly world champion, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) in 52.60. Halsall's effort was a European record too, the latest in yet alongside another wave of continental bests and tidal wave of national bests and mega-tidal wave of personal bests, but each has a 10-a-penny feel to it, which is all the more tragic given the work that's being put it.
Canada's Brent Hayden stepped up to win the 200m free in 1:41.65, ahead of South African Darian Townsend, on 1:41.99, and Nicolas Oliveira (BRA), on 1:42.37. Coralie Balmy (FRA) took the 400m free in 3:57.75.
No repeat of the morning world record set by Jessica Hardy (USA), though her 29.29 win, 0.33sec off her earlier mark, was still the second-fastest ever, by a clog. It also left her well up on Leisel Jones (AUS), on 29.93 in a 2008 LZR cut off at the knee, with Norwegian Katharina Stiberg third in 30.31. Fascinating to see how that all pans out in textile 2010.
Dad-to-be, alongside mum-to-be Laure Manaudou, Fred Bousquet won the 50m free in 20.64, while the 200m breaststroke saw Leisel Jones and her 2010 suit reduced to fourth place on 2:19.48. The winner was the most surprising of world champions from Rome, Nadja Higl, of Serbia, on 2:18.54. In Durban, she clocked 2:20.41, which marked an annual gain for the 22-year-old of just shy of 7secs. Her Rome effort was even more astonishing.
Other winners included: Cameron Van Der Burgh (RSA) in 56.17 over 100m breaststroke; Mireia Belmonte (ESP) in 4:26.40 in the 400m medley; Kaio Almeida (BRA), in 49.44 in the 100m fly. Shiho Sakai (JPN) clocked 56.42 to win the 100m backstroke ahead of Britain's Lizzie Simmonds, on 56.92, and a second Japan team member, Aya Terakawa, on 56.92, all those times reflecting the suit being worn.
