As if the Australian women weren’t already favorites enough in the 4×100 free relay in Rio, Cate Campbell broke the 100 freestyle world record in the finals of the Australian Grand Prix today.
Campbell, a month out from Rio and presumably at least not-fully-tapered, eclipsed the mark formerly held by Germany’s Britta Steffen by .01, swimming a new all-time best of 52.06. Campbell had swam 52.97 in prelims. By comparison, no U.S. woman broke 53 in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Trials last night in Omaha.
Steffen’s record was set at the 2009 in Rome at the FINA World Championships, one of many world records at that meet that ultimately led to FINA banning the so-called “supersuits.”
Today, Campbell went out in 24.89 and came home in 27.17, compared to Steffen’s 25.46/26.51.
Campbell already had the top time in the world this year, a 52.38 from the Australian Champs in April. Her sister Bronte Campbell has the second fast time in the world this year, from that same meet. Add in Emma McKeon, who’s ranked fourth in the world with a 52.80, and the Australians have three women faster this year than any woman besides Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, who sits in third with a 52.78.
2015-2016 LCM Women 100 Free
CAMPBELL
52.06*WR
| 2 | Bronte CAMPBELL | AUS | 52.58 | 04/11 |
| 3 | Penny OLEKSIAK | CAN | 52.70*OR*WJR | 08/11 |
| 4 | Simone MANUEL | USA | 52.70*OR | 08/11 |
| 5 | Sarah SJOSTROM | SWE | 52.78 | 04/01 |
| 6 | Emma McKEON | AUS | 52.80 | 04/11 |
| 7 | Ranomi KROMOWIDJOJO | NED | 53.08 | 08/11 |
| 8 | Federica PELLEGRINI | ITA | 53.18 | 06/25 |
| 9 | Abbey WEITZEIL | USA | 53.28 | 07/01 |
| 10 | Jeanette OTTESEN | DEN | 53.35 | 08/10 |
wpDiscuz
Un-tapered practice meet. Absolutely insane.
Her 50m time quick as well.
Untapered? Not fully tapered? I would be way too surprised with a full taper 52.06. I think untapered is off the edge.
Why would Cate be fully tapered at all when it’s still 51/2 weeks to Rio?
It’s not like she has to swim trials or anything?
You need to check the rest of Australian swimmers’ results to see that they are not tapered at all.
I don’t know why she would be rested at this point, but it doesn’t matter. She’s the best there’s ever been in this event and will probably go faster in a couple months and break 52.
Shes a sprinter…they tend to swim fast all the time. I was the same way in highschool. Just let me take a day or two off from practice and ill crank out end of the year taper times in season
Come on… Last not compare a random high schooler with the fastest women ever… Any 16 year old can drop times several times a year, It’s much harder to drip times when you’re in a higher level
Fine then how about nathan adrian then? Dude goes fast all season long and does drop time at the end of the year just usually not much. Just saying alot of sprinters swim fast in season its not unusual nor should you be expecting a 51 low in rio…
a lot of sprinters go fast in season, including Cate Campbell.
But this doesn’t negate the fact that Cate has not yet started taper.
Yes okay its not the best comparison but i was mainly trying to speak in regards to speed of recovery versus just dropping time. I would go the same times witha just a few days rest as I would with like a 2 week taper.Dont agree thats fine guess we will see if she drops a 51.5 in rio
I guess Mcevoy, elmslie, chalmers, bronte, mckeon, roberts etc didn’t get the memo then.
Their times are more than 1 second slower than their olympics trials times.
And I didnt mean every single swimmer in existent is like this. I just mean its not uncommon for sprinter to be randomly really fast without a real taper….no need to be jerks geez
WOW
Ooooooohhhh… I’ m scared. She will break the 52 barrier by Rio (90%)