{"id":143732,"date":"2015-07-15T14:15:38","date_gmt":"2015-07-15T21:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=143732"},"modified":"2015-07-15T10:14:45","modified_gmt":"2015-07-15T17:14:45","slug":"ian-crocker-100-fly-2005-worlds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ian-crocker-100-fly-2005-worlds\/","title":{"rendered":"Ian Crocker\u2019s 50.40 100 Fly At 2005 Worlds Remains Beamonesque"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pre-coverage of the World Championships is sponsored by Wylas Timing<\/a>. Each week until the start of the swimming competition at the world championships, Swimming World will look back at a previous performance at the world championships that still carries significance.<\/i><\/p>\n

By Jeff Commings, Swimming World Senior Writer<\/i><\/p>\n

When the best swimmers in the world get together to compete in a 100-meter race, rarely does the winner take the gold medal by more than a few tenths. But Ian Crocker<\/strong> defied that in the 2005 world championship final of the 100 butterfly, beating Michael Phelps<\/strong> by 1.2 seconds.<\/p>\n

Crocker had a series of unfortunate events at the 2004 Olympics, coming down with illness just before the meet started. Luckily, the 100 butterfly was the second-to-last day of the meet, allowing him time to recover, but he never got to the level he needed to take down Phelps. Crocker won bronze, but it was clear he was looking for revenge.<\/p>\n

While Phelps was backing off on training a bit in 2005, Crocker was turning up the heat in his first year as a postgraduate swimmer. With the pressures of collegiate swimming out of the way, Crocker could focus only on the world championships.<\/p>\n

\"Wylas<\/a>

Photo Courtesy: Wylas Timing<\/p><\/div>\n

Crocker got a bit of a warmup in the 2005 worlds in Montreal with a silver medal in the 50 butterfly behind a world record by Roland Schoeman<\/strong> on the second day of the meet. Crocker posted an American record in the event, which would last four years when USA Swimming finally recognized American records in the 50 fly when Bryan Lundquist<\/strong> posted a 22.91.<\/a><\/p>\n

The 100 butterfly final was three days later, and it was shaping up to be a rematch of the Olympic final. Crocker qualified first after the semifinals, with Phelps second. Lurking in fifth place was Ukraine\u2019s Andriy Serdinov, the Olympic bronze medalist. On the line were not only the world championship medals, but a sub-51 second swim, which hadn\u2019t been done since Crocker\u2019s world record of 50.76 at the 2004 Olympic Trials.<\/p>\n

Crocker took the lead by half a body length at the start over Phelps, not a surprise given Crocker\u2019s amazing speed. Crocker needed to build a big lead over Phelps in the first 50 meters to avoid Phelps\u2019 surge in the final 50, and at the halfway point, Crocker had a seven-tenths advantage over Phelps.<\/p>\n

But something amazing happened in the final 50 meters. Phelps started to kick into his extra gear, but Crocker showed that he had something left as well. Instead of reeling Crocker in, Phelps was losing ground to Crocker<\/i>. Though Crocker had won a few big races against Phelps, Crocker was always slower on the second 50 meters than Phelps. Not in Montreal.<\/p>\n

In the final 10 meters, Crocker looked like Secretariat finishing the final stretch at the Belmont Stakes horse race in 1973. He was untouchable, and was a full body length ahead of the field, winning with a 50.40. It broke his world record by more than three tenths of a second, and he remained the only swimmer to break the 51-second barrier. Phelps was timed in 51.65, while Serdinov captured bronze again with a 52.08.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re racing (Phelps), you have to always assume it\u2019s going to take a world record to win,\u201d Crocker said after the race. \u201cIt\u2019s faster than I thought I could go. You can\u2019t put limits on yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video: Ian Crocker wins 100 butterfly at 2005 world championships<\/strong>
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