World Record Watch: WRs Fall In First 4 Women’s Finals

2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Swimming: August 6-13
• Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Barra Olympic Park, Rio de Janeiro
• Prelims – 9:00 a.m/12:00 p.m PST/EST (1:00 p.m local), Finals – 6:00 p.m/9:00 p.m PST/EST (10:00 p.m local)
• SwimSwam previews 
• Schedule & Results
• Live Stream (NBC)

The Rio Olympics have featured new world records in 5 events over just 2 days – more than half the number we saw in all of the 2012 Games.

In London in 2012, 8 events were marked with new world records, but by this point (two days in), only 2 had fallen, putting the Rio Games well ahead of pace to outstrip London in world records.

So far, world records have fallen in basically every event that had an outside chance heading into the meet. Here’s a look at the events with world records in the first two days:

Day 1 – Saturday, August 6

• Women’s 400 IM – Kaitnka Hosszu (4:26.36)
• Men’s 100 breast – Adam Peaty (57.55)
• Women’s 4×100 free relay – Australia (3:30.65)

Day 2 – Sunday, August 7

• Women’s 100 fly – Sarah Sjöström (55.48)
• Men’s 100 breast – Adam Peaty (57.15)
• Women’s 400 free – Katie Ledecky (3:56.46)

That’s 6 records broken over 5 events, with Peaty breaking the 100 breast once in heats and once in finals.

It’s been a torrid pace – in fact, right now, events with new world records outnumber events without new world records when it comes to races that have already had their medal finals. The only events fully wrapped up without world records so far are the men’s 400 free, 400 IM and 4×100 free relay.

That also means the women’s races are currently 4-for-4 in terms of new world records. That streak could conceivably keep going tomorrow, although it would probably require a huge 100 back from Emily Seebohm or someone else and a return to 2013 form for Ruta Meilutyte or a big drop from another swimmer in the 100 breast.

We’ll keep a loose eye on some of the “potential” world records that could fall this week, and check back as the pace slows or quickens from here. Obviously, drawing the line between “potential” world records and records that would be a major surprise is a pretty arbitrary exercise, but there are some records (women’s 200 fly or men’s 200 free, for example) that are so far ahead of the field that it would be shocking to see them fall in Rio.

We’ll define a “potential” record as one where a swimmer has been within striking distance (0.20 seconds per 50) of the record since the beginning of last August.

Here’s a look at some of the upcoming “potential” world records:

(Note: we’ve listed the events on the day when the medal final takes place. Records could, of course, happen during heats and/or semifinals for these events as well.)

Day 3 – Monday, August 8

• Women’s 100 back (58.12)
• Men’s 100 back (51.94)

Day 4 – Tuesday, August 9

• Women’s 200 IM (2:06.12)

Day 5 – Wednesday, August 10

• Men’s 100 free (46.91)
• Men’s 200 breast (2:07.01)
• Women’s 4×200 free relay (7:42.08)

Day 6 – Thursday, August 11

• Men’s 200 IM (1:54.00)
• Women’s 100 free (52.06)
• Women’s 200 breast (2:19.11)

Day 7 – Friday, August 12

• Women’s 800 free (8:06.68)

Day 8 – Saturday, August 13

• Women’s 50 free (23.73)
• Women’s 4×100 medley relay (3:52.05)
• Men’s 4×100 medley relay (3:27.28)