Katinka Hosszu Kicks Off 2013 Swimming World Cup With 200 IM Short Course WR

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands, August 7. JUST three days after wrapping up a successful world championships in Barcelona, Spain, Katinka Hosszu of Hungary has started the defense of her World Cup title with a world record in the 200 short course meters individual medley in this morning’s heats.

“I broke the World Record on the 200IM!!! During Prelims… What is going on?!” tweeted an obviously thrilled Hosszu.

Hosszu posted a 2:04.39 to take down Julia Smit’s world record of 2:04.60 that was posted at the Duel in the Pool in Manchester, England, in December 2009. Though Smit’s time was legally recognized as a world record by FINA, USA Swimming did not count it as an American record, banning the polyurethane technical suits worn by many of the Americans at the Duel in the Pool, including Smit.

Naturally, Hosszu’s time is a Hungarian national record, beating the 2:04.64 posted by Evelyn Verraszto at the 2009 European championships just a couple of weeks before the Duel in the Pool. Verraszto’s time had stood as the world record before Smit’s swim, and was the European record until this morning.

Comparative splits:
Smit: 27.22, 58.60, 1:34.54, 2:04.60
Hosszu: 27.09, 58.37, 1:34.87, 2:04.09

Verraszto will compete in tonight’s 200 IM final with Hosszu. Verraszto put up a 2:08.01 in this morning’s prelims.

The 200 IM was the third of four swims for Hosszu this morning. She qualified second in the 200 free behind Spain’s Melanie Costa Schmid, then posted the third-fastest 50 backstroke. After breaking the world record, she stepped up for the women’s 200 backstroke and qualified third. Hosszu only scratched the 50 backstroke final.

Hosszu collected $169,250 over the eight stops in last year’s World Cup circuit. She is set to win that much, or more, this season, and told Swimming World that she is competing in all eight meets this year. Today’s world record swim netted Hosszu $10,000. With Eindhoven and Berlin the only stops on the European circuit. Hosszu has already gained a 20-point lead in the cluster money pool, as world record swims get 20 points added to a swimmer’s total.

Other top swimmers racing tonight include James Magnussen, the world champion in the 100 freestyle; Ranomi Kromowidjojo, now reigning Olympic and world champion in the 50 freestyle; Aya Terakawa, Olympic and world championship backstroke bronze medalist; and Vladimir Morozov, silver medalist in the 50 freestyle last week in Barcelona.

Kenneth To, the 2012 male World Cup winner, is also racing in Eindhoven in defense of his title.

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