Sarah Sjostrom was the big star on night 1 of the Swim Cup in Eindoven, winning a pair of events and unseating the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the 50 free. Sjostrom was back at it on day 2, albeit this time in a more middle-distance oriented race.
The 20-year-old Swede went 1:55.04 to win the women’s 200 free, improving her already-world leading time by a half second and taking another two tenths off her Swedish record in the race.
Second-place finisher Femke Heemskerk also moved into the world’s top 5 for the year, going 1:56.39 to now sit third on that list behind only Sjostrom and Aussie Emma McKeon.
2014 LCM Women 200 Free TYR World Ranking
SJOSTROM
1.55.04
| 2 | Katie LEDECKY | USA | 1.55.16 | 08/07 |
| 3 | Femke HEEMSKERK | NED | 1.55.35 | 12/12 |
| 4 | Emma McKEON | AUS | 1.55.57 | 07/24 |
| 5 | Federica PELLEGRINI | ITA | 1.55.69 | 04/11 |
The session kicked off with the women’s 800 free, which went to Sharon Rouwendaal in 8:34.17. The 20-year-old Dutch distance star won the event by over 15 seconds.
Velimir Stjepanovic took home the 200 fly. The Serb knocked off the field by a solid 2.5 seconds, going 1:56.70. That moves him into 4th place in our world ranks for 2014.
2014 LCM Men 200 Fly TYR World Ranking
SETO
1.54.08
| 2 | Chad LE CLOS | RSA | 1.54.56 | 04/07 |
| 3 | Tom SHIELDS | USA | 1.55.09 | 08/06 |
| 4 | Masato SAKAI | JPN | 1.55.15 | 06/21 |
| 5 | Kenta HIRAI | JPN | 1.55.27 | 04/12 |
Both genders competed in the 100 breast and 50 back on day 2.
Brazilian Raphael de Olveira Rodrigues won the men’s 100 breast, going 1:01.11 to top Bram Dekker. In the women’s race, Denmark’s Rikke Moller Pedersen rolled to a 1:06.42 win. Moller Pedersen already holds the world’s fastest time of the year in the event at 1:06.19, and with this swim she’s put up the two fastest swims of 2014.
In the men’s 50 back, Bastiaan Lijesen picked up the win, going 25.13. That puts the Dutchman in 4th on the world ranks for the year, and just .03 out of second place. Runner-up Jesse Puts went 25.34 to also crack the top 10, sitting in a tie for 10th.
2014 LCM Men 50 Back TYR World Ranking
KOGA
24.28
| 2 | Camille LACOURT | FRA | 24.37 | 04/10 |
| 3 | Vladimir MOROZOV | RUS | 24.52 | 05/15 |
| 4 | Benjamin TREFFERS | AUS | 24.54 | 04/03 |
| 5 | Jiayu Xu | CHN | 24.58 | 05/13 |
| 6 | Niccolo BONACCHI | ITA | 24.65 | 04/12 |
| 7 | David PLUMMER | USA | 24.74 | 08/08 |
| 8 | Jeremy STRAVIUS | FRA | 24.80 | 04/08 |
| 8 | Mitchell LARKIN | AUS | 24.80 | 07/26 |
| 10 | Ryosuke IRIE | JPN | 24.86 | 04/12 |
The women’s version of that race, Etiene Medeiros rose even higher in the world ranks, going 27.95. That puts the Brazilian into a tie for 3rd with Australia’s Emily Seebohm. In addition, second place Mie Nielsen of Denmark now sits 7th after going 28.01 and the third-place finisher Aliaksandra Herasimenia checks in at 8th overall for Belarus with a 28.23.
2014 LCM Women 50 Back TYR World Ranking
MEDEIROS
27.37
| 2 | Fu YUANHUI | CHN | 27.51 | 05/13 |
| 3 | Georgia DAVIES | GBR | 27.56 | 07/24 |
| 4 | Lauren QUIGLEY | GBR | 27.69 | 07/24 |
| 5 | Mie NIELSEN | DEN | 27.76 | 04/10 |
| 6 | Francesca HALSALL | GBR | 27.81 | 08/24 |
| 7 | Emily SEEBOHM | AUS | 27.89 | 07/24 |
| 8 | Mercedes PERIS MINGUET | ESP | 27.91 | 08/24 |
| 9 | Aliaksandra HERASIMENIA | BLR | 27.96 | 01/29 |
| 10 | Brooklyn SNODGRASS | CAN | 27.97 | 07/24 |
The men’s 200 IM went to Sebas van Lith in front of his home Dutch crowd. Van Lith went 2:01.33. The women swam the longer 400 IM race, with Germany’s Franziska Hentke taking the title at 4:45.94.
The final individual event of the night was the men’s 100 free, where Sebastiaan Verschuren went 49.19 to nip Velimir Stjepanovic for the title by .02. Stjepanovic was 49.21 in missing out on the double-win for the night. In addition, third-place Christos Kartantzis was right in the thick of things, going 49.28.
Competition will continue two more days in Eindoven, wrapping up on Sunday.
Sjostrom went 52.9 in the semis of the 100 free today.
Women’s 100 breast final. RMP wins in 1.06.42.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMAiXz4qNro
Women’s 200 free final. Sarah Sjöström wins in 1.55.04.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS2CChXm-t8
Women’s 50 back. 27.76 by Mie Nielsen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBvMiDGAa6Q
Womens 50 back – Mie Oestergaad Nielsen did 27.76. sek in Semi – but a bad start in the final just did 28.01 sek. – so todays fastest time is 27.76. sek by Mie.
Sådan… kæmpe stort tillykke herfra 🙂
When we talk about freestyle range, there’s someone we always forget:
Michael phelps, we already know his 100/200 abilities, but he was swimming 3:46s in season. What do you think he could’ve swam in Beijing? 342 at least, and probably would’ve had a pretty good crack at the 50.
Maybe on 400.. but do not agree on 50.. Phelps never showed front speed to be even sub-22
You also have to consider Katie Ledecky and Camille Mufat in terms of freestyle range. Ledecky went 55 in the 100, inseason at te Austin Grand Prix. Then she has 1:56 200, 3:59 400, 8:13 800, and 15:36 1500. I wouldn’t be surprised to see ledecky swim a 54 low in the 100 if she swims it at pan pacs. Muffat goes 53.8, 1:54, 4:01, and 8:23. But remember her 800 was one of those crazy splits she was doing so often in 2012 (I think 4:19/4:04).
Yes Ledecky and Muffat have great freestyle range, but I was talking specifically sprint – mid distance (50 to 400).
Agreed, I think 50 to 400 versatility is less common than 100 to 800 or 200 to 1500.
Parks 100FR PB is 48.4 dude.
You are right. Apparently I was thinking of his old PB.
Still nowhere near the quality of Sjoetrom 52.8, though.