Flash! World Champs, Day 5 Evening Session: Jedrzejczak Lowers World Record in Claiming Gold in Controversial 200 Butterfly

By John Lohn
Photos by Peter H. Bick

MONTREAL, Canada, July 28. TO this point, it has to be considered the finest race of the World Championships. Both swimmers going under the former world record, Poland’s Otylia Jedrzejczak clipped Australia’s Jessicah Schipper at the wall in the final of the women’s 200-meter butterfly on Thursday night. The Olympic champion, Jedrzejczak posted a time of 2:05.61, under her old mark of 2:05.78.

Schipper finished in 2:05.65, the second-fastest time in history and her silver medal complemented the gold she won earlier in the competition in the 100 fly. Jedrzejczak was the bronze medalist in the 100 distance. Schipper held a lead over the Polish star through the 150-meter mark, but Jedrzejczak showed tremendous closing speed down the stretch and emerged victorious by a fingernail. The 18-year-old Queenslander has in just one week become the fastest Aussie butterflyer over the two Olympic distances, moving past former fly greats Susie O’Neill and Petria Thomas.

The race was not without controversy, as video footage showed Jedrzejczak apparently touch the wall with just one hand, rather than the two required by the rules. If Jedrzejczak indeed touched with one hand, it certainly provided the margin for victory.

"Under the current rules of swimming you can put a protest in, but unfortunately video evidence can't be used as evidence," said Aussie coach Alan Thompson. "But I think if the referees had seen an infraction I believe they would have reported that and that would have been the case. They don't have the benefit of video evidence but I think that is probably something in this sport we should be looking at. Most sports in the world now have gone to video evidence to look at rule infractions or to double check decisions."

"I knew it was close but I am very happy with silver,” said an excited Schipper after her race. "I just wanted to do a personal best, so to do that by two and a half seconds is fantastic. I knew she (Jedrzejczak) had a great third fifty and I just tried to stay in front of her but she got me. I’m not disappointed at all though."

Japan’s Yuko Nakanishi picked up the bronze medal in 2:09.40, but was well off the staggering pace set by the dynamic duo. Italy’s Caterina Giacchetti was fourth with a swim of 2:10.03 and Australia’s Felicity Galvez was fifth in 2:10.35. The remainder of the top eight featured the United States’ Mary DeScenza (2:10.44), Germany’s Annika Mehlhorn (2:10.61) and Japan’s Yurie Yano (2:10.89).

Otylia Jedrzejczak medal ceremony at 2005 worlds

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