This is complete race footage of the men’s 400 freestyle championship final at the 2013 FINA World Championships courtesy of swimswam partner Universal Sports Network.
See 400 free race coverage as reported by swimswam editor-in-chief, Braden Keith:
Sun Yang might have shown a bit of vulnerability early in this meet. He went out right on top of World Record pace through 200 meters, but sliding a bit at the back end of this 400 meter freestyle.
Still, with nobody in the world even in his zip code as far as quality in the 400 free (at least among those swimming it at this meet), he cruised to a win in 3:41.59: over a three second margin of victory.
Japan’s Kosuke Hagino has held his pacing well from the Japanese National Championships, swimming a 3:44.82 for silver. That broke the Japanese National Record held by Takeshi Matsuda at 3:44.99 (done twice: once in 2008, and once in 2009).
American Connor Jaeger continued his meteoric rise on the middle-to-distance swimming scene, where the Americans have badly needed a young up-and-comer; he was in silver-medal position for the majority of this race, and though he gave up a full second to Hagino to give that up in the last 50, he was still able to hold of Canada’s Ryan Cochrane, who placed 4th in 3:45.02.
For Cochrane, that’s just off of his best time, the second-fastest of his career, and best he’s been since 2008. When this meet rolls into his better events, the 800 and 1500 freestyles, he will have confidence going against Sun.
James Guy from Great Britain was 5th in 3:47.96, followed by Devon Brown of South Africa, Jordan Harrison of Australia in 3:48.40, and Hao Yun of China in 3:48.88. Harrison held huge promise coming into this meet, but the young 18-year old Australian couldn’t hold his quality from their Trials. This will be a vital learning experience for him, though, as he tries to lead the Australian distance revitalization toward Rio.
moon yang