Impressive Assault on the World Record Book
Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri and Hungarian Katinka Hosszu both recorded world records on the third day of the 2015 European Short Course Championships in Netanya. Paltrinieri set a new mark in the 1500 freestyle while Hosszu set her second world record of the competition in the 100 IM.
Although they both became the fastest ever to swim the individual events they were in very different circumstances.
Paltrinieri won this event at the 2014 World Short Course Championships in a European and championship record time of 14:16.10. He also took the event at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, but he has not been in a position to challenge either world record until today when he took the men’s 1500 freestyle in a time of 14:08.06.
Paltrinieri broke Australian Grant Hackett‘s 2001 world record of 14:10.10, which was the oldest world record standing. He has made significant improvement in the event over the past three seasons:
- 2013 – 14:27.58
- 2014 – 14:16.10
- 2015 – 14:08.06
With the way she has performed over the last three years Hosszu has almost made breaking a world record an expectation in certain events, the 100 IM being one of those. Today she won the event in a time of 56.67 breaking her own world record of 56.70 which she set at the World Championships last year.
Since first breaking the record for the first time in 2013 Hosszu has broken the mark six times. Although not a surprise breaking a record for the sixth time is impressive.
Laszlo Cseh Shows Off His Versatility and Longevity
It was 10 years ago, at the age of 20, that Laszlo Cseh won his first gold in the 200 IM at the European Short Course Championships. The Hungarian also won the event at the 2006, 2007 and 2011 European Short Course Championships.
In an interview after winning the 200 IM Laszlo Cseh stated that his focus is on the butterfly events. Despite that fact he showed his moxie in the individual medley this evening breaking both the European and Championship records.
Cseh took the event in a time of 1:51.36 breaking Austrian Markus Rogan‘s record of 1:51.72 which was set at the 2009 European Championships. He also improved on his lifetime best of 1:52.74 by over a second.
Radoslaw Kawecki Continues to Shine
Radoslaw Kawecki has won the 200 backstroke at every European Short Course Championships since 2011, but this is the first time he has stood atop of the podium in the 100 backstroke.
Kawecki posted a 49.64 to win the event this evening in Netanya. His lifetime time best of 49.69 was recorded at the 2009 European Short Course Championships while his textile best of 50.03 was put up at the 2014 Polish National Championships.