The world has its new targets after the European Championships, as most of the World Records (the official kind) are now at least in a state of respectability.
After FINA first allowed new World Records in many events earlier this fall, there was a huge scramble to be the “first” to get these records, even though those record-breaking swims wouldn’t stand as the world’s best. But now, after these European Short Course Championships, at least most of the official World Records are getting close to the all-time bests.
On Sunday, was finished off in finals with two more World Records. In the men’s 200 meter free relay final, it was the Russians, led by a 20.87 lead-off leg from Vlad Morozov, who will take home the new mark in 1:23.36.
The contributors:
- Morozov – 20.87
- Sergey Fesikov – 20.57
- Evgeny Lagunov – 21.03
- Nikita Konovalov – 20.89
After every one of the 16 prelims relays were under the old World Record, set by an American relay from Indiana University, Belgium emerged with the record after the morning heats. Here again in finals, the top three relays were under that mark, including the silver-medalist Italians (1:24.37) and Belgium again (1:24.86).
In the final women’s event of the night, the 200 meter medley relay, it was again the Russians who claimed the mark, in what was, frankly, a bit of a surprise victory. The Danes had the better split on two legs, and the Russians had the better splits on two legs, but it was the breaststrokers, where Yulia Efimova shockingly blew away Rikke Moeller-Pedersen by 1.4 seconds: a surprising margin from two of the three best breaststrokers in the world right now.
And so it was the Russian relay of:
- Daria Ustinova – 27.57
- Efimova – 28.30
- Svetlana Chimrova – 25.15
- Rozaliya Nasretdinova – 23.65
Denmark’s 1:44.81 was also under their morning World Record swim.
Video of both relays.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g9V0sXWuCw
The sudden rise of Russian female sprinters is very very surprising.
I should stop here.
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