2021 ISL Playoffs Match 5, Day 1: Shymanovich & Murphy Crush the 50s of Stroke

2021 INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING LEAGUE – SEASON 3, MATCH 16 – PLAYOFFS MATCH 5

Day 1 of the penultimate match of the 2021 ISL playoffs was a battle between heavyweights Energy Standard and London Roar, who often traded the lead with one another. The LA Current occasionally held the lead, though as the match drew on–especially after the men’s 50 breaststroke–LA slipped back into 3rd. However, with both skins races being backstroke, the LA Current is not out of it yet. It would be a major upset for them to beat Energy Standard, though they have beaten the London Roar in the past. Regardless, the LA Current is almost guaranteed to move on to the league final next weekend.

The London Roar earned the right to choose the discipline of the 50 skins on the women’s side while Energy Standard chose the stroke for the men’s skins. In both cases, backstroke was selected.

TEAM SCORES – DAY 1:

  1. London Roar – 280 points
  2. Energy Standard – 264 points
  3. LA Current – 221.5 points
  4. DC Trident – 141.5 points

Ryan Murphy Lowers American, ISL Records in 50 Backstroke

Ryan Murphy began the men’s 50 backstroke with a lightening quick 0.47 reaction time and kept the momentum rolling from there. Murphy dominated the field to win the men’s 50 backstroke in 22.53 seconds, precisely 0.01 under his former American Record and ISL Record, set at the 2020 ISL Grand Final. This mark stands as the 3rd-fastest all-time in the race and the fastest so far this season in the ISL. Prior to this performance, the fastest time achieved in the ISL during the 2021 season was by London’s Guilherme Guido who blasted a 22.60 in both Match 3 and Match 6.

Murphy was a major absence for the Current during the regular season and only made his post-Olympic debut in Eindhoven two weeks ago. Since returning, Murphy’s contributions to the Current have been noteworthy, and as of the end of day 1 of this match, Murphy leads the LA Current’s roster in MVP points with 37.5, putting him 3rd overall behind Ilya Shymanovich (1st, 46 points) and Sarah Sjostrom (2nd, 40 points).

All-Time Performances, Men’s 50 Backstroke (SCM)

  1. Florent Manaudou (FRA), 22.22 – 2014
  2. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 22.47 – 2021
  3. Ryan Murphy (USA), 22.53 – 2021
  4. Ryan Murphy (USA), 22.54 – 2020
  5. Guilherme Guido (BRA), 22.55 – 2019
  6. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 22.57 – 2021
  7. Evgeny Rylov (RUS) / Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) 22.58 – 2018 / 2021
  8. Guilherme Guido (BRA) / Guilherme Guido (BRA), 22.60 – 2021 / 2021

Ilya Shymanovich & Felipe Lima Claim all 37 Points in 50 Breaststroke; Shymanovich Posts 55.00 Relay Split

Energy Standard is known for its strength in breaststroke, particularly in regards to World Record holder Ilya Shymanovich. On Thursday in Eindhoven, Shymanovich won the 200 breaststroke (2:02.66, 10 points) as well as the 50 breaststroke (25.47, 30 points), and produced a 55.00 breaststroke split on the men’s 4 x 100 medley relay. While all of these are impressive, it was the 50 breaststroke that had the greatest impact on Energy’s club standings as he and teammate Felipe Lima went 1-2 in the race and Shymanovich jackpotted the other 6 swimmers.

In total, Energy Standard pulled in 37 points alone in the men’s 50 breaststroke. This is the 2nd-largest jackpot of the 2021 ISL season. The only jackpot swim that was larger came from Coleman Stewart‘s World Record 48.33 swim in the 2nd match of the regular season in Naples when Stewart claimed all other swimmers’ points for a 37-point haul.

As for Shymanovich’s relay split, 55.00 ranks as the 2nd-fastest all-time behind none other than Adam Peaty. It is also notable that Shymanovich hit the 50-meter turn of the race in 25.27 seconds, which itself would rank as the 3rd-fastest 50 breaststroke split of all time, behind his own 25.20 from the 2018 World Championships and Russian Kirill Prigoda‘s 25.26 from the 2017 European Championships.

Siobhan Haughey Produces 50.70 Split on 4 x 100 Freestyle Relay

Early in the session, Energy Standard’s Siobhan Haughey blasted a 50.70 on the women’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay, which ranks as the 9th-fastest of all time. Haughey has been one of Energy Standard’s greatest assets this season–and certainly the “one that got away” for the DC Trident. Haughey is capable of winning a 50 freestyle skins and of winning the 400 freestyle, the latter of which she did today in 3:58.44, earning a total of 17 points for Energy Standard. Furthermore, Haughey posted a 30.00 in the women’s 50 breaststroke to earn Energy Standard 5 points there–if not for her, they would have earned 0 points in that race.

Haughey is the Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist in the 100 and 200 freestyles and looks poised to capture the World Record in the 200 SCM freestyle, which currently belongs to Sarah Sjostrom in 1:50.43. In playoffs Match 3, Haughey posted a 1:50.66 in the 200 freestyle, missing Sjostrom’s mark by just 0.23.

  1. Cate Campbell (AUS), 50.38
  2. Freya Anderson (GBR), 50.44
  3. Cate Campbell (AUS), 50.56
  4. Femke Heemskerk (NED), 50.58
  5. Emma McKeon (AUS), 50.60
  6. Femke Heemskerk (NED), 50.62
  7. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE)/Emma McKeon (AUS), 50.67
  8. Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 50.70*
  9. Freya Anderson (GBR), 50.74

Women’s Skins Selection

  • LA Current eliminates butterfly
  • Energy Standard eliminates breaststroke
  • London Roar chooses backstroke

Men’s Skins Selection

  • London Roar eliminates breaststroke
  • LA Current eliminates freestyle
  • Energy Standard chooses backstroke

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CC2004
2 years ago

Peaty on Instagram yesterday put I’m ready to become the best version of myself. Don’t get too comfortable … Does this mean Peaty could be back for the final

Sub13
Reply to  CC2004
2 years ago

I have been following Peaty for the last few weeks looking for hints about whether he would be in Eindhoven. He posts so much rubbish on social media with quotes and platitudes and nonsense and yet he continues to act like ISL doesn’t exist and he’s never met anyone in the Roar (except he did post a book to Kyle for a shoutout lol).

As soon as he confirms it either way I’m going to unfollow him faster than Michael Andrew’s first half of a 200IM.

Part of me thinks “if he wasn’t going to show up, there’s no way that he would be so selfish and unaware to lead fans along believing there’s a chance and then throw it… Read more »

swimapologist
Reply to  CC2004
2 years ago

No. It’s just spin and hype for his book.

These elite swimmers all have managed personalities. Some (Caeleb) are better at it than others. But it’s all about personal branding. People buy into this “best version of myself” stuff because they think they can do the same.

Sub13
Reply to  swimapologist
2 years ago

Ah yes, “The Gladiator Mindset”. Apparently gladiators used to dance around for a few weeks and then just not show up to the Colosseum.

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Sub13
2 years ago

And can’t manage a decent 200.

Swim fan
2 years ago

About the fastest splits in relay 50m breaststroke SHYMANOVICH Ilya was 24.72 at euro SC in final 4x50m medley relay mixed.

Sub13
Reply to  Swim fan
2 years ago

Mixed relay splits generally don’t count for records. Also the 4×50 medley isn’t swum at ISL (except in the case of a points tie which is very unlikely) so I can’t imagine that’s relevant to a post about ISL

Swim fan
Reply to  Sub13
2 years ago

It’s relevant for this part article:

It is also notable that Shymanovich hit the 50-meter turn of the race in 25.27 seconds, which itself would rank as the 3rd-fastest 50 breaststroke split of all time, behind his own 25.20 from the 2018 World Championships and Russian Kirill Prigoda‘s 25.26 from the 2017 European Championships.

Troyy
2 years ago

Top 10 splits is all Roar and Energy swimmers.

jamesjabc
2 years ago

Emma swam a 50.67 free split on the women’s medley relay last week (Match 15) that’s not on your list. That makes Emma tied for 7th with Sjostrom and pushes Haughey to 9th, not 8th.

About Reid Carlson

Reid Carlson

Reid Carlson originally hails from Clay Center, Kansas, where he began swimming at age six.  At age 14 he began swimming club year-round and later with his high school team, making state all four years.  He was fortunate enough to draw the attention of Kalamazoo College where he went on to …

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