ISL Budapest Day 1: Pride Of Roar Minna Atherton Rattles WR In 200 Back As Lion King Peaty’s London Cracks Whip In Iron Den

Adam Peaty of London Roar - Photo Courtesy: Arena

International Swimming League, Match 4, Budapest, Day 1 Live

Enter Adam Peaty and Mireia Belmonte as multi-medalled, Olympic-champion captains for London Roar as the Pride enters the Iron den led by Katinka Hosszu at home in the Danu Arena in Budapest.

Into the second half of action on the first day in the Hungarian capital and a world record has been rattled for Roar:

Minna Atherton stunned Olympic silver medallist Hosszu with a world-record rattler: 1:59.48, just 0.2 shy of the world record but 0.01sec inside the Commonwealth and Australian record.

Sadly, the ISL is organised in a way that

Atherton’s efforts, including a win in the 50m backstroke, contributed to a dominant day 1 for London Roar. The points by the end of play and business:

London Roar: 251.5
LA Current: 212.5
Team Iron: 203.5
NY Breakers: 142.5

Roar’s head Lioness in sneakers Mel Marshall had much to be cheerful about but after a cheer and plaudits for her Pride, she notes:

“We’ve got it all to do tomorrow. There’s no room for complacency. We’ve had a good day and we’ll be looking to capitalise on that on day 2.”

Asked if she had any tactics and strategy to help deliver the Match win, she replied with a giggle: “Yes, but we’re not telling you!”

Hosszu leads the Most Valuable Player (MPV) race on 22 points, with Artherton and Roar mate and fellow Aussie Emma McKeon, winner of the 100m ‘fly and 200m free, on 21.5.

Peaty excelled too, on his debut: a roar of a 25.85 win in the 50m breaststroke kept Vlad Morozov, of Iron, at bay, and then the Brit Olympic 100m champion took third in what for him is a long-haul 200m, with a big personal best of 2:05. All about Pride said the Roar captain.

Match 4 – A Decisive Stage

Match 4, after which the lines will be drawn and all eight League teams will have experienced two matches each win the way to the two decisive rounds that will take the four best squads to Las Vegas for the first ISL Final Match in Las Vegas on December 20-21.

Hosszu raise the matter of boredom when it comes to endless racing that ends mostly in her winning. The League had put a new spring in her step, brought the thrill back, revamped motivation.

Peaty felt the same on the cusp of racing at his first ISL event, telling Swimming World:

“I don’t want to sound complacent. I don’t want to sound arrogant. But I go into a meeting now and I expect, not expect to win, but it’s almost, it’s not boring … but … it’s boring at the same time. It’s the same thing I’ve been doing for the last five, six years. And for me, I needed something new, I needed new motivation. I need something that is going to drive me. And I believe it is this.

“With the British team you get to South Korea, you get to Tokyo, it’s the same people you’ve known for the last five, six years. Now we have this team, people I’ve never even spoke to, and you become mates with them. And that’s what sport is about, it is about bringing people together. And it’s kind of using that as an advantage for strategy as well. It is all about cohesion in the team and making everyone feeling included as well.”

For Hosszu it was all of that plus this: “I’m really excited to race tomorrow. Yesterday evening, we were talking with the coaches and the team captains to get the lineup ready. And for me, that’s very exciting to to figure out who is swimming what. I am definitely a lot more excited for Budapest because I know how it was in Dallas. And I think it’s going to be better.

“I think we are we are ready to do to try to beat London now. The Hungarian crowd can get ready for a pretty cool show that they haven’t seen here, even in duna arena. We had world champs year with 25.000 seats, but I think now with the ISL show it’s going to be even better atmosphere and cooler. …. I’m going to swim whatever the team needs and whatever points I can get better than anyone else.”

Well, Iron brought the challenge, for sure – but it the Roar came from the Racing Green.

Adam Peaty celebrates his win in the 50 breaststroke with manager Rob Woodhouse at the ISL stop in Budapest.

How the Live panned out:

As events unfold, latest news at the top:

Part 3 – the decider on day 1:

Day 1 Final points:

London Roar: 251.5
LA Current: 212.5
Team Iron: 203.5
NY Breakers: 142.5

Men’s 4x100m Freestyle

Iron take the win a hand ahead of LA Current, with Roar third. Pieter Timmers, Kristof Milak, Sebastian Szabo and, on a sizzling 45.20 (the sole 45 in the race), Vladimir Morozov take an iron bar to the rest in 3:06.50, LA Current on 3:07.35 and Roar on 3:07.91.

Men’s 200m breaststroke

Marco Koch, for the Breakers, takes the win in 2:04.27, Roar taking the next two spots and therefore the top points, on 13. World record holder Kiriil Prigoda takes second ion 2:05.02 – and in third a man boasting a 2sec personal best: Adam Peaty, pride pulsing with the lion dripping off big-cat shoulders, on 2:05.14, Iron’s Erik Persson close on 2:05.40 and Olympic medallist Josh Prenot on 2:06.18 for LA Current.

Women’s 200m breaststroke

Something of an upset: Emily Escobedo, for the Breakers, clocks 2:18.73 to take down Annie Lazor, LA Current, and Breeja Larson, Breakers, on 2:19.81 and 2:20.35 respectively. Says Escobedo:

“It’s really exciting. I’ve been working a lot on finishing, which is my strong suit. I put that race together pretty well.”

Men’s 50m backstroke

Guilherme Guido, for Roar, does it again: last week in Dallas he felled two 100m Olympic champions, Current teammates Matt Grevers (2012) and Ryan Murphy (2016) and repeats the feat in 22.55, ahead of 23.16 and 23.34 respectively. Says Guido:

“I like this pool a lot. I was here in 2017. But I didn’t think it would be that good, 22.5. I think this city likes swimming. I’m happy the ISL is doing a good job with the crowd. I hope it has a long life.”

Women’s 50m backstroke

Minna Atherton on fire: 25.81. World-record rattler in the bag and coursing through veins but the young Australian roared on for Roar, teammate League and national, Holly Barratt a touch away on 25.99 for double top score, Beryl Gastaldello third for LA Current in 26.25.

Men’s 200m freestyle

Winner last week in Dallas and this week in Budapest, Alexander Graham gets top points for the Roar in 1:42.37, Aussie mate Clyde Lewis, 1:42.50, next home across the other side of the pool for the Breakers and Blake Pieroni third for the Current in 1:42.66. Fine racing. Says Graham on a rush back to the Roar bench:

“Always good to get the win. All about the points here. It’s always a tight field in the 200 free. It pushes me along.”

Women’s 200m freestyle

For her second win of the day, Emma McKeon takes top solo points for Roar in 1:53.18. The way the rest of the points pan out means NY Breakers and Iron tie on 11 at the helm. McKeon’s national mate Madison Wilson, for the Breakers, next home in 1:54.71, busy Hosszu, for Iron, third in 1:55.47.

Points at the end of Part 2 of 3:

Roar: 161.5
Iron: 141.5
Current: 138.5
Breakers: 74.5

Men’s 4x100m Medley

Roar. No stopping them. After Christian Diener on backstroke came dominance from Adam Peaty on breaststroke. Next in, James Guy vs Tom Shields for LA Current, those two handing over, respectively, to Yuri Kisil for Roar and Ryan held for Current. It looked as though Held might get to Kisil but down the last lap, breathing the right way, Kisil spotted the danger and rallied for the win in 3:21.64. The result sheet and the start list, not to mention the TV and pool commentaries, do not match: Vini Lanza and Kyle Chalmers are also said to have raced on ‘fly and free in the winning quartet. Poor show from the show making a difference. Accuracy counts – hugely.

Roar coach Fred Vergnoux looks back a week and notes the speed and fast pace of the challenge:

“Even though we spoke about what happened in Dallas, it is still a shock. You have to be on the go and on the board nonstop. That makes it challenging.”

Ranomi Kromowidjojo is all smiles after edging Cate Campbell in the 50 freestyle.

Women’s 50m freestyle

Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Skins champ for Iron of last week, gets the fast start and hangs on for the win in 23.29, Cate Campbell, for Roar, chasing her down but falling a fingernail shy, on 23.35, Beryl Gastaldello on 23.81 for LA Current. Says the Dutch sprint diva and double Olympic champion of 2012:

“Last week was a bit of a struggle and this Budapest is all about points. Three races down and one to go.”

Russia’s Vladimir Morozov topped a stacked field in the 50 freestyle.

Men’s 50m freestyle

Vladimir Morozov takes it in 20.63 for Iron. Kyle Chalmers, for Roar, and Nathan Adrian, for Current, also break 21, on 20.84 and 20.97 respectively, with Michael Andrew, of NY Breakers, on 21.13.

Women’s 200m backstroke

Minna Atherton, of Roar, takes down Olympic silver medallist Katinka Hosszu, of Iron, with an effort that rattled the world record: 1:59.48.

There Australian took the race on from go and delivered a performance that reminds us of her huge potential as she emerges from that tricky time in transition from junior to senior world-class waters.

Hosszu clocks 2:02.09 for second, Amy Bilquist, of LA Current, on 2:02.78.

Ryan Murphy in the ready room ahead of the 200 backstroke.

Men’s 200m backstroke

Olympic champion Ryan Murphy races for LA Current nor Roar but pride in him is just as strong. There was no way anyone was getting level or past: dominant all the way, he stops the clock in 1:49.40. Next home was Roar’s Christian Diener in 1:50.53, then Breakers’ Markus Thormeyer, 1:51.57.

Big smile from Murphy, whose take on the mission is:

“It’s a team effort that is on everyone. I can only score as many points as I’m swimming, but anything I can do to bring energy, I’ll do. But we have a lot of studs on this team.”

His Current manager is the double Olympic backstroke champion of 2000, Lenny Krayzelburg. Amazing to have Olympic champs from 2000, 2012 and 2016 on one team across generations now dry land and still in the swim. Says Krayzelburg of the new League:

“The whole team was excited to be part of the first meet in Dallas. Everyone has had a great week in Budapest and we can see we’re swimming better and into it. It would have been incredible to be part this. Our athletes deserve this. I wish, but better late than never.”

End of Part 1

By the first break, the lines were being drawn and Hosszu was right about bIron’s greater strength at home, as her team got the better of LA Current … but Roar was not ready to yield, a thumping 25.85 win for Peaty in the 50m breaststroke and a double-trouble 1-2 from Roar A and B teams in the 4x100m free for women contributing to this:

Roar: 92
Iron: 80
Current: 78
Breakers: 44

Women’s 4x100m freestyle

The Campbell sisters, Cate and Bronte, led the London Roar to a one-two finish in the 400 freestyle relay.

Decisive: supreme tactics – split the sisters, split other strengths and you get top points plus – and double at that. Roar A, in 3:28.11 and Roar B home ahead of the rest.

How that converts: 32 points for Roar, LA Current next on the board with … half the Roar score, at 16.

Roar B was ahead of Roar A as the sisters Campbell entered the fray in a familiar place – side by side racing over 100m. Both have been World champions in the event. This day, Cate had the edge by the close of play and business.

Roar A: Holly Barratt; Marie Wattel; Sydney Pickrem; Cate Campbell
Roar B: Jeanette Ottesen; Emma McKeon; Minna Atheron; Bronte Campbell

Andrew Seliskar of the L.A. Current topped the field in the 400 IM in ISL action in Budapest.

Men’s 400m medley

A fine win for Andrew Seliskar for Current, on 4:03.28, with Iron teammates David Verraszto, making his ISL debut, and Gunnar Benz next home, on 4:03.28 and 4:04.02 respectively, and ensuring that the home team got within 1 point of the top score of 14 points for LA Current. Seliskar emerges to say:

“The team battle is really close. We’ve been very strategic about where to place athletes. Just trying to do my part for the team.”

Clock Context: the only Asian man in the league, Daiya Seto, was racing elsewhere this day… and over in Tokyo the World champion rattled Ryan Lochte’s world record, falling just 0.03sec shy of the global standard in 3:55.53.

Women’s 400m medley

Team Iron’s Katinka Hosszu cruises away from the field in the 400 IM in ISL action in Budapest.

Katinka Hosszu emerged from a 4:27.27 win for Iron in front of a home crowd raising the roof to note:

“Obviously, it’s about having fun, but at the end of the day, you have to perform. I’m happy with the win. The crowd has been unbelievable for Team Iron.”

Job done, Hosszu chased home by Bailey Andison, of LA Current, on 4:29.52, and world record holder Mireia Belmonte, for Roar, on 4:30.11.

Men’s 50m breaststroke

So, Vlad Morozov embarrassed the specialists last week – not this week. Adam Peaty – what a debut, what a Roar: 25.85. Thumped it. Morozov next home for Iron, on a career best of 26.03, with Felipe Lima third for Current in 26.16.

Peaty’s personal coach, Mel Marshall, is head coach to Roar. Pride in Pride. After watching her charge take top points, she said:

“[It’s a] really exciting environment and team. We’ve had a good start, but a long way to go. I’m always proud of my boy, but proud of my team and how they are preparing themselves and maximizing performance through the two hours.”

King of the Pride Adam Peaty shows the way:

Women’s 50m breaststroke

Alia Atkinson, for Iron, dominates the dash: 29.27. Breeja Larson is next home for NY Breakers, on 29.65, and Jess Hansen, for Roar, takes third in 29.92.

Emma McKeon after winning the 100 butterfly during the ISL meet in Budapest.

Men’s 100m butterfly

No contest: Tom Shields, for LA Current, takes the win in 49.39 ahead of Iron’s Kristof Milak, 50.28, and Marius Kusch, 50.49, for NY Breakers.

Women’s 100m butterfly

Emma McKeon gave the Roar a great start with a swift 55.39 (25.99) victory, with mate Marie Wattel, 56.60, in third and Kendyl Stewart, LA Current, second in 56.45. 15 points to Roar, 12 for Current. Says McKeon:

“That was my goal, to get the meet off to a good start for the team. That was a better swim than last week. Couldn’t ask for much more.”

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Mark E Fellner

4 years ago

Great action – thanks CBC sport