CANET, France, June 14. HUNGARY's Laszlo Cseh improved upon his status as the second-best swimmer in the men's 400 IM in history during the first day of the Canet stop of the Mare Nostrum series.
Cseh crushed his previous personal-best time of 4:09.59 from the European Championships earlier this year when he stopped the clock in 4:07.96, giving Michael Phelps a much stronger competitor in the event.
Previously, Phelps had a full three seconds on the world with his global standard of 4:06.22, but Cseh definitely closed the gap with the 4:07.96.
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Brazil's Thiago Pereira wound up second in 4:15.31, while Gergo Kis took third in 4:16.73.
Australian Eamon Sullivan grabbed another sprint victory in the series when he hit the wall in 48.60 for the men's 100 free title. Sweden's Stefan Nystrand (49.12) and France's Nabil Kebbab (49.20) took second and third, while Brazil's Cesar Cielo touched fourth in 49.22.
In the women's sprint free event, France's Alena Popchanka won in 54.79 during the 100-meter swim. Germany's Petra Dallman took second in 55.37, while Hungary's Evelyn Verraszto placed third in 55.46.
In a close contest, Great Britain's Kristopher Gilchrist grabbed the men's 200 breast title in 2:12.92, while France's Hugues Duboscq placed second in 2:13.09 and Hungary's Daniel Gyurta took third in 2:13.60.
With Leisel Jones not competing in the event, Austria's Mirna Jukic took the opening for a win in 2:25.03 in the women's 200 breast. Norway's Sara Nordenstam took second in 2:27.13, while Great Britain's Kirsty Balfour rounded out the top three in 2:29.53.
Romania's Dragos Coman pocketed the men's 400 free title in 3:51.74, while Denmark's Mads Glaesner (3:52.04) and France's Nicolas Rostoucher (3:53.42) finished second and third.
Poland's Pawel Korzeniowski held off Austria's Dinko Jukic, 1:55.81 to 1:56.13, in the men's 200 fly, while Kaio Almeida of Brazil placed third in 1:57.12.
Otylia Jedrzejczak of Poland clocked a meet-record time of 2:07.63 in the women's 200 fly, just off her top time of the year that was a 2:07.12 from the Sette Colli meet earlier this month. Hungary went 2-3 in the event with Eszter Dara (2:09.91) and Beatrix Boulsevicz (2:11.07) comprising the rest of the podium.
Great Britain's Gregor Tait surfaced from a close battle in the men's 100 back with a winning time of 55.38. Germany's Helge Meeuw (55.66), Spain's Aschwin Wildeboer (55.71) and Brazil's Guilherme Guido (55.79) all finished close together as well.
Another meet record fell, this time when Australia's Sophie Edington checked in with a 1:00.84 in the women's 100 back. She downed Spain's Nina Zhivanevskaya, who took second in 1:01.57, while Croatia's Sanja Jovanovic placed third in 1:02.24.
While not as fast as her best time this year of an 8:26.88 from the Barcelona stop of the Mare Nostrum, South Africa's Wendy Trott still set a meet record with a time of 8:28.83 in the women's 800 free. Denmark's Lotte Friis finished second in 8:30.90, while France's Camelia Potec took third in 8:35.58.
After Cseh's incredible swim, Denmark's Julie Hjorth-Hansen busted a meet record in the women's 400 IM with a time of 4:40.34. Hungary's Zsuzsanna Jakabos finished second in 4:41.96, while South Africa's Jessica Pengelly wound up third in 4:42.68.
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Reaction Time Comments
June 14, 2008 phelps' chances of a run at 7 or 8 gold medals is beginning to decrease more and more. lets hope he can put up a good 400 IM at the trials cause he hasn't really put one up since last summer. Submitted by: WUswimmer
June 14, 2008 Cseh has been in Phelps' shadow since the 2003 Barcelona world championships. Does anyone know what Cseh's conditioning was when he swam the 4:07? Was this done while in heavy training? Was he beginning to come down in yardage? Was he wearing the LZR? Too many variables I would like to know about.
Also, Phelps' 100 meter sprints (strokes and freestyle) are frighteningly good this far out from trials. Throw in his legendary conditioning, and his current WR of 4:06.22 is history by Omaha or Beijing. I smell a 4:04 (or faster). His talent definitely hints at this and I can't wait to see him put together a 400 I.M. that no one will be able to compete with. (Sorry Ryan and Laszlo.) Submitted by: paddles
June 14, 2008 increased speed in the 100 events doesn't necessarily mean decrease time in an event like the 400 IM. I mean yes I wouldn't put it past phelps to do better than is WR, but 4:04 is a bit too much, maybe a 4:05 mid but with Cseh going that time, you would have to think he isn't tapered or shaved. he probably had the LZR on, but along with a taper and shave can possibly be there with phelps. Submitted by: WUswimmer
June 14, 2008 A bit too much? If Cseh can drop more than a second and a half in the 400IM then I see no reason why Phelps cannot do the same. Michael is actually younger than Laszlo.
Cseh has been close to Michael in the rankings in this event before. But so far in the big meets where they've gone head to head in this race Phelps seems to bring out his best and Cseh rarely does. Maybe that will change this year. We'll have to wait and see.
Submitted by: ShortChange
June 14, 2008 I think Michael will get at least a 4:05 sometime this year, and Laszlo and Ryan will be very close for silver. (I REALLY want the US 1-2 streak to continue. Maybe Cseh will break his foot again - jk, jk!) Submitted by: SwimDER94
June 14, 2008 i saw the race on the french tv, he was wearing a long john from arena, the comentators were saying that he was in a work period and that he wasn't rested for the meet. he made the difference with the breastroke and the free with thiago pereira. Submitted by: maly
June 14, 2008 I think one factor to keep in mind is that Phelps' 4:06 came on the final day of world champs and he was out a full 2 seconds slower in the 1st 200 than his previous record from Athens, so if the 400im at trials is earlier in the program then he could absolutely drop a 4:04 or better Submitted by: jubl
June 14, 2008 I agree with jubl. Submitted by: Park528
June 19, 2008 Just a few comments to the reactions.
Phelps and Cseh were born in the same year, 1985.
Till now, none of the hungarian swimmers has an speedo lzr.
And yes, Laszlo is under heavy training. The hungarian olympic trials will be in two weeks, one month before the start of the olympic games, so this heavy training continues.
It will be a close race, and i'm waiting for it. Maybe he won't beat Michael, but it will be close.
Submitted by: tazman
June 19, 2008 Interesting to look at Cseh's splits in comparison to his previous best:
Canet: 57.65, 2:00.27, 3:10.82, 4:07.96 Euro08: 56.59, 1:58.76, 3:10.72, 4:09.59
Phelps: 55.05, 1:58.18, 3:09.33, 4:06.22
Much improved back half for Cseh by taking it out a bit easier.
Submitted by: FatDrew
June 19, 2008 Man to man, Phelps has the genetics. But, Laszlo has the hunger that can cause someone to push beyond any limitations or barriers. Phelps is one huge barrier...maybe Laszlo will be a barrier breaker in Beijing? Either way, these two guys are not going to let the other just have the gold medal. Bring it on! :o) Submitted by: paddles
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