Great Britain’s 50 m breaststroke World record holder Adam Peaty was the star of the International Swim Meeting (ISM) in Berlin, Germany, held at the “SSE Europasportpark” pool from 2/27 to 3/1/2015. He set a new 2015 LC World best time with a 59,04 in the 100 breaststroke and also his winning time of 27,34 in the 50 breaststroke (morning heats: 27,32) was unbelievably fast at this time of the season. With Marco Koch not in the competition because of illness, Peaty didn’t have a real challenger. Several top German swimmers scratched the meet due to injury or disease, including Christian Diener and Yannick Lebherz. Fit and fast was Hungary’s multiple Olympic medalist Laszlo Cseh, with respectable swims at this early-season. Cseh showed his versatility with several World top 20 swims: 400 IM 4:21,30 (13th World ranking) , 53,19 on the 100 fly, 2:01,97 on 200 IM.
On women’s side too a British athlete showed world class swims: 18 year old Jessica Fullalove went a 1:00,82 in the 100 back (10th fastest time this year so far) and 28,71 in the 50 meter backstroke, which gives her a tie with the USA’s Kathleen Baker for 12th in the World rankings. Fullalove is a three time 2014 Youth Olympics silver medalist and obviously a swimmer to watch on the backstroke distances. Germany’s Alexandra Wenk had a good 100 fly swim and win with 59,29 – a time, she didn’t expect after several weeks of strong training.
The ISM also is a chance for young swimmers to compete internationally. Several European clubs participate with 10 or 11 year old swimmers – they are allowed to swim short distances at this meet, all 50 and 100 meters strokes. Several fast times came from 2003-born Sabina Kupcova of Slovakia, with remarkable swims like a 28,59 in the 50 free; a 50 fly in 29,67 (in prelims) or a 1:06,88 in the 100 fly.
The 2015 ISM awards for best female and male single performances went to Jessica Fullalove and Adam Peaty – two swimmers from Great Britain with a promising future.
I don’t know about Cordes. He hasn’t shown me yet he has what it takes. That relay split was a promising sign however. I hope he can pull it together and prove me wrong!
Cordes certainly has the talent to go far in both 100 and 200. Not sure about his skill/technical ability. Psychodad is more qualified to comment on that one.
It is his mental aspect that is more suspect. In domestic competition or when he’s ahead of everyone else, he seemed to be at ease and able to hold his technique, but when his competitors are very close or ahead, he rushed his technique. This mental fragility also manifested in him jumping in relay races, thus disqualified.
yeah i forgot to add daniel gyurta and ross murdoch. the 200 breast is insane.
i think at his best adam peaty is unbeatable at the 50 and 100 breastrokes.of all the events so far the most competitive are the men,s 4 by 100 relay and the men,s 200 breaststroke.in the men,s 4 by 100 relay we have australia,the usa,france and brazil. china and italy are outsiders looking in.in the men,s 200 breast we have marco koch,michael jamieson,kevin cordes,dmitry balandin and yasuhiro koseki.adam peaty is not too good in the 200 breast but he could improve.
did you forgot gyurta?
You forgot Russia on the relay,
I agree. Kevin Cordes will have a whole year to focus on long course after college before Rio. He will also be a threat in the 200. People forget that he swam a 207 last summer which was probably the best swim time wise of any male in the US. Kevin Cordes is a beast and will have it in him to win gold once Rio comes around, what comes out of him is another question. I really hope he can put it all together at the right time.
I believe Cordes will challenge him in rio. 58.6 split at pan pacs with a conservative start. But peaty is definitely the best and the wr will come this summer.
I am with u on that prediction .
Me too!
I think Cordes will need to drop well over a second to be competitive. If Adam Peaty has a similar taper as he has had in previous years – 58.3 at Nats and 57 high in Kazan is what I expect.
It is obvious that Kevin Cordes is hugely talented and has huge scope with his build and stroke. I think many people forget that there are three boys who are younger than him, faster than him and Improving at a more Impressive rate (Peaty, Murdoch & Balandin).
Remember though, Cordes is dropping these time focusing only on scy. those guys do lcm year round
I have faith in Christian Sprenger
Me too! Specially after he posted on instagram that his shoulder has recover faster. I’ve been believing if it wasn’t because of the shoulder injury he could’ve broken the world records on the 50/100 breaststroke.
Peaty looks unbeatable in the 100 breast until Rio.
Unless someone like Cordes drops more than one second. Why not?