3 world records fall: Gotta be the suit?
MANCHESTER, England -- Three world records, nine swimmers and eight Speedo LZR Racer swimsuits.
The short-course world championships started with a bang Wednesday. The decision by swimming's world governing body, FINA, not to ban the new high-tech Speedo suits resulted in another heap of records in the pool.
Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe started things off by setting the world record in the 400-meter individual medley. Then the U.S. team of Ryan Lochte, Bryan Lundquist, Nathan Adrian and Doug Van Wie broke the record in the men's 400 freestyle relay.
And then the Dutch team of Inge Dekker, Fernke Heemskerk, Marleen Veldhuis and Ranomi Kromowidjojo established a new mark in the women's 800 freestyle relay.
The records were set in the final three races of the night, and eight of the nine swimmers involved wore the new Speedo suit. Only Van Wie, who used a TYR brand suit, did not wear a Speedo LZR.
The LZR now has been worn for 21 of the 22 world records set since it was introduced in February.
FINA announced last weekend that it would not ban the contentious suit because it has seen no scientific proof it gives swimmers an unfair advantage, despite critics who say it is overly buoyant. Italian national swim team coach Alberto Castagnetti has said wearing the suit is "technological doping."
In the medley, Coventry timed 4 minutes, 26.52 seconds. Yana Klochkova of Ukraine set the previous world mark of 4:27.83 in 2002. Briton Hannah Miley was second in 4:27.27 and Mireia Belmonte of Spain took bronze in 4:27.55, both also ahead of Klochkova's old mark.
The U.S. men's record in the 400 relay was set with a time of 3:08.44. Sweden set the previous mark of 3:09.57 in 2000. The Netherlands finished second in 3:09.18 -- also ahead of the previous mark -- and Sweden was third in 3:10.04.
The Dutch women finished in 7:38.90 in the 800 free relay. China had set the previous mark of 7:46.30 at the 2002 short-course worlds in Moscow. The next three finishers -- Britain, Australia and the United States -- all also broke the old mark.
The men's 200 freestyle final also was held Wednesday, and it turned into a duel between Australian swimmers Kenrick Monk and Kirk Palmer. Palmer led at 100 meters but Monk won in 1:43.46, beating his teammate by 0.04 seconds for his first individual world title.
Also, Mary Descenza set a championship record by swimming 2:04.27 to win the women's 200 butterfly final. Jessica Schipper's previous mark of 2:05.11 was set at the last short-course worlds, in Shanghai in 2006.