The Week That Was: New World and American Records Set At Short Course World Championships

HAUGHEY Siobhan Bernadette HKG Gold Medal and New World Record Women’s 200m Freestyle Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates 16/12/21 Etihad Arena FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Photo Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

The Week That Was sponsored by Suitmate.

Read the five biggest stories of the past week in The Week That Was, sponsored by Suitmate. This week featured a new world record, multiple American records, Adam Peaty news, and more.

The Week That Was #1: Siobhan Haughey Takes Down Sarah Sjostrom’s 200 Free (SCM) World Record at Short Course Worlds

HAUGHEY Siobhan Bernadette HKG WR Gold Medal 200m Freestyle Women Final Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates 16/12/2021 Etihad Arena FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

by David Rieder

During the entire ISL season, Hong Kong star Siobhan Haughey had been chasing the world record in the women’s 200 freestyle. The world record had belonged to Sarah Sjostrom at 1:50.43 since 2017, but Haughey went undefeated in the event while representing Energy Standard during the ISL season and twice swam the second-fastest time in history, including a mark of 1:50.65 in late November. But finally, while racing at the Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi, she got the job done.

The Week That Was #2: Claire Curzan, Men’s 800 Freestyle Relay Set American Records at Short Course World Championships

Jul 24, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Claire Curzan (USA) during the women's 100m butterfly heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Network

Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher — USA Today Sports

by John Lohn

Early- and late-session American records highlighted the efforts of the United States on the fourth day of the FINA Short Course World Championships. The action in Abu Dhabi for Team USA was jumpstarted by Claire Curzan setting national and World Junior records in the 50-meter butterfly and was capped by the men’s 800 freestyle relay establishing an American mark en route to the gold medal.

The Week That Was #3: Adam Peaty Finishes Third in BBC Sports Personality Of The Year Award; Tom Daley Is Runner-Up

adam peaty, tokyo olympics, mixed 400 medley relay, mixed medley relay

Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro/USA Today Sports

by Liz Byrnes

Olympic 100m breaststroke champion Adam Peaty came third in the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award. Peaty became the first Briton to retain an Olympic swimming title when he added gold in Tokyo to his maiden crown in Rio five years earlier. He also won gold in the mixed medley relay and silver in the men’s medley which followed his historic four European titles in Budapest in May for the fourth straight championships as he completed the quadruple quadruple.

The Week That Was #4: Aussie Young Guns Isaac Cooper, Flynn Southam and Joshua Edwards-Smith Let The Good Times Roll At Record Breaking Queensland Champs

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by Ian Hanson

A trio of Australian swimming’s new faces Isaac Cooper, Flynn Southam and Joshua Edwards-Smith are leading the next generation of Australian men with record-breaking swims at the 2021 McDonalds Queensland Championships. Tokyo Olympic debutant, Cooper and Gold Coast-based former WA young gun Edwards-Smith have both broken records owned by Australia’s premier backstroker, triple Olympian Mitch Larkin.

The Week That Was #5: Without NCAA Action, the Effects of Lia Thomas Situation Are Akin to Doping

Lia Thomas

by John Lohn

The advantages afforded Kornelia Ender were transformational. The benefits reaped by Kristin Otto made her a global superstar. The boost enjoyed by Michelle Smith took her from also-ran status to Olympic champion. It’s simple: Performance-enhancing substances have – at various points in history – altered the dynamic of the sport.

If not for the systematic doping program of East Germany, Shirley Babashoff would be an individual Olympic gold medalist. Enith Brigitha would hold that title, too. So would Sharron Davies. And if not for the obvious doping of Smith, the Irish lass whose career arc is laughable, Marianne Limpert and Allison Wagner would be referred to as Olympic titlists.

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