SwimSwam Senior Writer Loretta Race contributed to this report.
Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu started things off at the 2015 Duel in the Pool with a new US Open record and a very impressive win in the women’s 400m IM. The short course 400m IM world record holder was under world record pace right from the get-go as she pushed herself way out in front of her closet competitor Caitlin Leverenz. Hosszu looked extremely smooth on the fly, going out in a 59.56. Her backstroke pushed her further and further ahead as she split a 2:04.40 at the halfway. Hosszu swam a 3:20.62 to touch at the 300 wall before coming home with a strong finishing kick to put the US Open record behind her.
HOSSZU’S SPLITS
- 100 Fly – 59.56
- 100 Back – 1:04. 84
- 100 Breast -1:16.22
- 100 Free – 58.84
Hosszu was just two seconds shy of her 4:19.46 world record that she set just last week in Natanya, Isreal at the European Short Course Championships. That time doubled as a US Open record, bettering the 4:24.37 Hosszu swam in the United States back in 2011. Hosszu won the race by over five seconds as Leverenz touched in at 4:26.74 to come second. The time for Hosszu also ranks as the eighth fastest performance ever in the event. Hosszu now owns four of the top 10 times ever recorded in the event.
Moving on to the women’s 200m backstroke, the #IronLady got it done once again, killing a time of 1:59.75 to register a win tonight for a monster double. Hosszu logged the only sub-2:00 mark of the evening, splitting 58.14/1:01.61 to conquer the likes of Americans Courtney Bartholomew, who wound up 2nd (2:01.33) and Missy Franklin, who earned 3rd place (2:01.53). With the win, Hosszu scored another U.S. Open Record.
Hosszu has logged sub-2:00 times in this event four times throughout her career, with tonight’s result marking her 2nd-fastest of all time. Hosszu’s 1:59.23 from Doha last year is still her speediest mark to date, which means her 1:59.75 was faster than what she produced to win the event at European SC Championships.
Hosszu’s 200m backstroke time of 1:59.75 tonight cleared the previous U.S. Open mark of 2:00.02 held by American Missy Franklin since 2011.