MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada, June 20. MICHAEL Phelps nearly shot down Ian Crocker's world record in the men's 100 fly at the Quebec Cup this evening.
Phelps ripped off a time of 50.48 to just miss Crocker's global mark of 50.40. Maybe that much ballyhooed moustache cost Phelps a chance at the world record this evening?
Phelps went out in 24.14 and came home in 26.34. Crocker went out faster with a 23.51, but came home slower with a 26.89.
Special thanks to Swimming Canada for the following press release regarding the rest of the meet this evening:
It was a memorable night for more than 3,000 spectators at the Olympic Park Pool on Saturday at the Canada Cup swimming competition.
First American Michael Phelps, the meet's star attraction, came within 0.08 seconds of the world record in his 100-metre butterfly victory. Then a few minutes later, hometown swimmer Victoria Poon notched her second Canadian record in two days, this time lowering her mark in the women's 50 freestyle.
Poon, an Olympic team member in 2008, clocked 25.35 seconds to eclipse her previous mark of 25.42 set last month at the U.S., Grand Prix in Charlotte, North Carolina. She lowered the 50 butterfly national record on Friday.
Marie-Pier Ratelle of Quebec City was second in 25.90 and Emily Wong of Nepean, Ont., third in 25.91.
"The difference between my performance here and in Charlotte was that I was much more rested for this event," said Poon, who is coached by Benoit Lebrun of the Club de natation piscine du parc olympique (CNPPO) which is hosting this weekend's event at the Olympic Park Pool.
"Today however I didn't have a great preliminary. That put the pressure on because I really wanted to go fast here. It's great for the confidence to go a best time at every meet."
Phelps, who won a record eight gold at the Beijing Olympic Games last year, clocked a personal best 50.48 seconds and just missed the world mark of 50.40 set by compatriot Ian Crocker at the 2005 world championships in Montreal.
"I'm pleased with my time," said Phelps. "I told myself anything under 51 seconds would be satisfying."
Christopher Brady of the U.S., was second in 52.48 and Joe Bartoch of London, Ont., was third in 53.58. Bartoch, an Olympic team member last year, soaked up the atmosphere.
"It was awesome," said Bartoch, coached by Paul Midgley. "The crowd went wild during the race and I realized he (Phelps) was doing something pretty impressive. It was fun. I tried to keep focused on my lane and I'm happy to keep my times consistent at this point in the season."
Other winners in men's competition included Mathieu Bois of Montreal in the 200 breaststroke.
In the women's 200 breaststroke, Annamay Pierse of Vancouver produced a strong performance clocking 2:24.85 for the gold. An Olympic finalist last year, Pierse hasn't missed a beat in 2009 and broke the world short course record in the 200 breaststroke this past March.
"It was faster than my time at Olympic trials so that is very promising," said Pierse, coached by Josef Nagy. "My goal was to have a really good first half of the race and show some endurance the rest of the way. I felt I was almost there."
Other winners in women's competition included Audrey Lacroix of Montreal in the 100 butterfly, Barbara Jardin of Montreal in the 200 backstroke and Stephanie Horner of Montreal in the 400 freestyle.
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June 20, 2009 Was this in the same pool in which Crocker set the record Phelps just missed? Submitted by: dunc1952
June 20, 2009 WOW. Phelps is going to be the first man under 50 in the 100 fly by Worlds. Submitted by: WUswimmer
June 20, 2009 No, the pool where Crocker went 50.4 in 2005 was outside; this was the Olympic pool from '76. Earlier today, I said Andrew Lauterstein may be his biggest competition in Rome. Right now, the only competition is 50-flat! Submitted by: SwimDER94
June 21, 2009 And he hasn't even SHAVED!!! Submitted by: I swim with Nose Plugs!
June 21, 2009 And he hasn't even SHAVED!!! Submitted by: I swim with Nose Plugs!
June 21, 2009 Amazing swim by Michael. He will be the first man under 50 seconds in that event. Submitted by: philipmj24
June 21, 2009 I don't know....let's not put TOO much pressure on him.... 0.48 seconds is a LOT to shave off a 50-second event (1%) over the next month. Let's not expect it, and be pleasantly surprised if it happens.
I'd like to see him collect a few more World Records this year, because then he can have "The World Record for the Most World Records". However, Ian Croker did NOT have the Speedo LZR to race in when he made that mark in 2005. Phelps usually swims in the leggings-only suit (bare-chested, which I prefer to look at). This last race he was wearing a full-body suit, and he said he noticed the difference. Submitted by: I swim with Nose Plugs!
June 21, 2009 A video is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-znSu0E-e34 Submitted by: Rókur
June 21, 2009 Thanks for the video Rókur. I think he can do it. That record in the 100m butterly was one of the two goals he didn't get in Beijing. He wanted to go 49.5 in the 100m butterly, which I think is insane. And he wanted to go 1:51.1 in the 200m butterly, which I think he will get eventually. I find it interesting he switched with the full body suit in the 100m butterly. It made a really big difference as we can see. I wonder if he will do it for the 200m butterly. Submitted by: philipmj24
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