Asian Report – Day 2 – Swan Sets Second Pakistani Record of Meet

Yesterday, we mentioned the topic of women’s swimming in Pakistan. Two years ago, when Lianna Catherine Swan was just fourteen years old, she addressed the lack of facilities and support in representing her country.

Swan two years ago had dreams of representing her country in more international competitions. While it may a harder battle for these women to rise to the top, they still continue to break down barriers and be revolutionaries in their sport.

Linanna Catherine Swan set her second Pakistani National record of the meet in the 100 breaststroke at 1:19.61, to finish 54^th overall.  Look for Swan in 2016 to join the names of Anum Bandey, Kiran Khan and Rubab Raza as the only three woman to ever represent Pakistan at the Olympic Games in swimming.

Amit Ivry is the sole women representative from Israel. Ivry competed in the 2012 London Games in the 100m butterfly and 200m IM, and in the 200 IM she became the first Israeli woman to advance to the semi-finals where she finished 13th.

While she did not repeat such performance here in Barcelona, she did swim the 100 breaststroke finishing 18^th and her time, 1:07.52, set a new Israeli National record.

China and Japan had a some up’s and down’s of night 2 here in Barcelona. Here are some quick notes to recap their performances:

JAPAN

• Kosuke Kitajima finished 6^th in the 100 breaststroke. His time did progressively get slower each session (59.88-59.92-59.98), but it would not have moved him up in placing when all is said and done.
• Kosuke Hagino is a closer. In the 100 backstroke, he was the 3rd slowest at the turn, 26.65, but the fastest coming home, 27.03.
• Kosuke Hagino pulled the same race strategy in the 200 freestyle later in the night. He was 13^th overall at the 150, but with the fastest last 50 by .5 (26.5) he moved all the way up to 3^rd overall. Look out for him if he can get out with the pack in the final tomorrow.

CHINA

• Yuanhui Fu is out like a rocket in the women’s 100 backstroke. She hit the first wall at 28.73, but was the slowest on the way home, 31.09 – the only 31+ split of the top 8. If she wants a chance at a medal, she has to have something on the way home with Franklin, Seehohm, Pelton and Terakawa chasing her down.
• The most disappointing headline for the Chinese was Ye Shiwen failing to medal in the 200IM. Pre-Barcelona she had only swum this race twice, and that inexperience and possibly post-Olympic “blues” may have shown their true colors here tonight. Turning at the 150 she was 8^th, and her 30.5 final split may have been what saved her from finishing last in the heat. Her time in the final was the slowest out of her three races (2:09.12-2:10.20-2:10.48) in the event.