Video edit – Coleman Hodges
MEN’S 200 backstroke – FINALS – 2014 Arena Grand Prix in Charlotte – Reported by Braden Keith
A late-breaking candidate for swim of the meet, Arkady Vyatchanin of the New York Athletic Club (he trains with the Gator Swim Club) dominated the men’s 200 backstroke on his way to a 1:55.33. That is the fastest time in the career of the country-less former Russian international outside of a full-body polyurethane suit era in 2008 and 2009.
He tore his way to a 55.64 over the first 100 meters, which left him a second-and-a-half ahead of Colombian Omar Pinzon. One might guess at that point that he would start giving up ground, especially to the likes of the defending Olympic gold medalist in this event Tyler Clary. But in the third length, Vyatchanin built his lead even further, and he and Clary split nearly dead-on coming home to give Vyatchanin an impressive victory. That time leaves him 5th in the World Rankings this year.
Clary was 2nd in 1:58.03, and Pinzon was 3rd in 1:59.76. That’s the best swim we’ve seen yet in the comeback Pinzon, who is working his way back into shape with the Bolles School in Florida. He’s returning from a lengthy drug suspension after eventually winning his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport by proving that his doping sample was badly mishandled by a testing lab.
The top-finishing junior was Bluefish Swim Club 18-year old Connor Green in 2:00.41.
Oh Canada
Geopolitics folks . B R I C S .
I really doubt Brazil or SA will go against Russia ( if it annoys them ) .
South Africa can’t afford to import him; their federation has some serious financial challenges at this point, even with some help from Monaco. (Princess Charlene knows well how she got her Prince) IIRC, there have been times recently where anyone below likely medal status has been asked to self-fund in part trips to World Championships and such.
Arkady would fit like a glove in Brazil medley relay…
SA can’t knock out usa even with arkady. Grevers or Murphy will be better, Phelps is faster than Le Clos if he is focusing on sprint. VDB is the only advantage right now, but Cordes could possibly be the fastest in the world by 2016. Nobody in South Africa is matching adrian who is quite possibly the best relay freestyler in the world.
US medley relay is deep enough that is might probably be the only relay race on the world that if we put a World Against US, US might win… (The others I would bet on Worlds.. especially 4×200)
hm?
Xu-vdBurg-LeClos-Magnussen(McEvoy if you want to be safe, Agnel if you want some fortitude)
vs
Grevers-Cordes-Lochte(atm)-Adrian?
I’d give the world team an edge by at least 1.5seconds
Greevers, Cordes, Phelps, Adrian..
Cordes would probably lose to Sprenger and Vdb, Phelps will tie Le Clos probably, or maybe take some time, and I think Adrian can put some impressive splits.. that is why I would not put a 100% victory for Worlds..
On the other relays I would put Worlds hands down (Imagine Sun, Park, Agnel, Izotov/Mcevoy)
exactly ! Adrian clocked insane fast times on the anchor legs of the medley relays both in London and Barcelona .
Has he already looked into Germany? He’d easily be a walk-on there. Is England a country? Time’s a tickin’.
if he swims for South Africa. they could legitimately beat the US in the medley relay. Same with Australia and Brazil. He should have no problem.
The title of this article is deceptive, you make it sound as if he already found a country.
Maybe but who from SA could match Adrian? SA was a big disappointment last year. WR holder in the 100 breast and gold medalist in the 100 fly yet they couldn’t get past the prelims! That was baffling to me.
Mainly because they didn’t have a backstroker though
Don’t see him swimming for the US. Remember Vlad wanted to swim for the Stars and Stripes but because the path to citizenship is tedious, it wasn’t a viable option. Plus the US has so much talent and depth in the backstroke so it wouldn’t be easy just to make the team.