Hosszu High On 'Fly: Lochte Leads Cseh
Jul 29, 2009 - Craig Lord
Rome 2009, Day 4
Women's 200m butterfly semi-finals
Katinka Hosszu (HUN) was obviously inspired by watching Mary Descenza (USA) knock 3sec off her best to set a world record of 2:04.14 in the heats of the 200m butterfly. The Hungarian X-glided her way into lane 4 in 2:04.27, that's a European record and third best ever, behind Decsenza and Olympic champion Liu Zige, back on sixth but through safely on 2:05.29. Hosszu's best in 2008: 2:14.56.
That was good enough for 204th in the world. No point in looking where than ranked all-time: wouldn't want the database to die searching.The winning time in Melbourne 2007 would have finished 13th but defending champ Jess Schipper (AUS) also had a Hydrofoil this time round, so no surprise to see a very sharp edge to all that work that's gone in: 2:04.87, just 0.04sec shy of the Commonwealth record set by Ellen Gandy back at Brit trials in March. Gandy was back in 15th and out on 2:08.85 this time round.
Rome 2009:
The difference in two years is stunning.
Men's 200m medley semi-final
Olympic podium rivals Ryan Lochte (USA) and Laszlo Cseh (HUN) led the way into the final of the 200m medley ahead of another 3-second 200m improver, Leith Brodie, who came here the slower side of Ian Thorpe's Aussie record of 1:59 plus, took a stick to that in heats and beat it to death in the semi with a 1:56.75 Commonwealth record. Next through on a Brit record, James Goddard, on 1:57.12. Two others challenged the 1:57 mark. The race saw Cseh in an X-Glide improve 1.3sec on his Olympic silver medal winning effort within a week of having to be rehydrated at a Rome hospital after a stomach bug laid him low on the way from Budapest. Brodie and Goddard also made fresh impacts on the all-time top 10.
Rome 2009:
Melbourne 2009: