RACE VIDEO – Watch Chad Le Clos Win 200 Free at SC World Championships, 1:41.45

Swimming Video / Race Video is courtesy of Universal Sports Network, a SwimSwam partner.

As reported by SwimSwam / Braden Keith

MEN’S 200 Freestyle – FINALS

2012 World Champ: 1:41.92 – Ryan Lochte – Poland
2010 World Champ: 1:41.08 – Ryan Lochte – United States
Meet Record: 1:41.08 – Ryan Lochte – United States – 2010
World Record: 1:39.37 – Paul Biedermann – Germany – 2009

The first gold medal of the 2014 World Short Course Championships went to the FINA World Swimmer of the Year: Chad le Clos. Le Clos sat in 2nd for most of this race as he let the hard-charging Serb Velimir Stjepanovic take a half-second lead early.

Surprisingly, though, Stjepanovic, who is a great 400 swimmer, ran out of gas in a big way on the last 50 meters – splitting just 26.84 (second slowest of the field).

As he faded, le Clos took up the baton and charged to the front, eventually winning in 1:41.45.

Russian Danila Izotov took 2nd in 1:41.67, using a big last 50 kick (by contrast, his 25.43 was the fastest) to hold off the two-time defending champion Ryan Lochte (1:42.09).

Dominik Kozma, the top seed in prelims, was a little faster in finals with a 1:42.25, and though a great finishing kick almost caught Lochte for him, the 23-year old wound up in 4th.

Hungary’s Peter Bernek was 5th in 1:42.44, and Cristian Quintero, after breaking a Venezuelan Record in prelims, slid to 8th in 1:43.45.

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bobthebuilderrocks
9 years ago

The hate for Chad Le Clos is insane….

sid
Reply to  bobthebuilderrocks
9 years ago

Lol well I think the Americans are still bitter that he beat their king in his very first olympic games.

Bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  sid
9 years ago

Probably and The funny part is I’m American too.

easyspeed
Reply to  bobthebuilderrocks
9 years ago

I don’t hate Le Clos, just think he is over-rated and under accomplished.

easyspeed
9 years ago

Chad who? Oh, that’s the guy who got lucky in London and won the 200 fly after Phelps blew the turn and finish. Yeah I remember him now.

aswimfan
Reply to  easyspeed
9 years ago

Using the same logic, Phelps was very lucky to win 100 fly in Beijing as Cavic fudgep up his finish.

easyspeed
Reply to  aswimfan
9 years ago

Yeah, but then they had the rematch in 2009 and Phelps stomped him. And Cavic was in a cheat suit and Phelps was only in a partial cheat suit. Think Le Clos will be able to do that to Phelps? When pigs fly.

easyspeed
Reply to  easyspeed
9 years ago

not to mention, in Beijing Phelps had just swum a million other times while Cavic was fresh.

Billabong
9 years ago

Hey Mike, relax. By the end of the meet we’ll even have you on side, paying homage to the King, and the Emperor. :-))

Darth
9 years ago

LE CLOWN

Billabong
9 years ago

And he hasn’t even shaved down……

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Billabong
9 years ago

who cares ….

Billabong
9 years ago

He blew them away. As for it being a weak field, I don’t buy it. Tom F-H missed the cut, Hagino is swimming a more sensible program, Phelps is growing a beard, Angel is not good enough this year and Lochte was blown away. The King rules. Long live the King!

BKP
Reply to  Billabong
9 years ago

Now you’re just trolling

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Billabong
9 years ago

hey hey hey , he is a very good swimmer and versatile as well but not among the greatest yet at all . When he will have as many medals around his neck ( and WR’s in LC ) as Lochte or Phelps has or Ledecky has , we willl talk about one of the greatest . before that , it’s a bit going too far .

sid
9 years ago

Give credit to the king , he has never swam 200 free in championships and he beat people who are specialist in free and who have been swimming it. Hi is truly great.

BKP
Reply to  sid
9 years ago

Clearly he has also improved his underwaters the last couple years…on par with Lochte and Shields!

BKP
Reply to  sid
9 years ago

Also, there are others before him that didn’t start as free specialists and later developed into great 200 free’ers. Phelps, Lochte, Hagino are examples of current swimmers, I’m sure they have been others. This is nothing new…just a good swim!

sid
Reply to  BKP
9 years ago

But I dont think they ever won at their very first try in a championship.

BKP
Reply to  sid
9 years ago

Yes they have…Lochte 2010, with a faster time and Champ record

Justin Thompson
Reply to  sid
9 years ago

Pump the brakes as they say:) He’s a great SCM and he’ll have the best overall performance of the SCM WC, but he’ll still just be a 100/200 LCM fly guy this summer.

aswimfan
9 years ago

Very slow race for world’s title.
1:41.45 for the win?
Men’s 200 free has become a joke in the past 2 years.

No disrespect to the King, though. It’s not his fault men’s 200 free has been among the men’s weakest events in the past 2 years

sid
Reply to  aswimfan
9 years ago

Give credit to the king winning the 200 free when swimming it for the first time in championships. That an amazing stuff.

BKP
Reply to  aswimfan
9 years ago

1.41x is a pretty solid time…considering that no one has been under 1.41 in textile except Agnel. (someone can fact check that for me :))

aswimfan
Reply to  BKP
9 years ago

1:41.45 is SLOW when you had a kid swimming 1:41.1 for fun almost 15 years ago.

Wouldn’t you have thought the same thing if 4:10 would have won an olympics men 400 IM hold had it been held this year?

SLOW.

And again, credit to Le Clos.

lane 0
Reply to  aswimfan
9 years ago

2010 was the only year it was faster. winning times by year:
2012: 1:41.92
2010: 1:41.08
2008: 1:43.46
2006: 1:43.51

Philip Johnson
Reply to  aswimfan
9 years ago

That’s because the “real” 200 swimmers aren’t swimming it.

Justin Thompson
Reply to  aswimfan
9 years ago

The Prince had a good race and it’s by no means his event. He won’t be a factor in LCM since he relies too much on his turns in the freestyle.

About Gold Medal Mel Stewart

Gold Medal Mel Stewart

MEL STEWART Jr., aka Gold Medal Mel, won three Olympic medals at the 1992 Olympic Games. Mel's best event was the 200 butterfly. He is a former World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, Mel has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, …

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