Swimmers impress at the European SC Swimming Championships 2012 - Part 2
After her impressive performance in the Women’s 200m Individual Medley (IM), Katinka Hosszu once again reached the starting blocks for the playoff of 200m butterfly.
Despite of her exhausting efforts in the IM discipline, the Hungarian swimmer looked quite confident to occupy the title of the distant butterfly discipline.
Not to mention, the crowd also warmly welcomed Hosszu on the starting blocks and were eager to see her second performance of the night.
With her commendably strong start, Hosszu devastated hopes of her opponents and made her way to the finishing wall for gold medal with a timing of 2 minutes and 05.78 seconds.
Her incredible effort remained 2.77 seconds slower from the European record of the event, made by Mireia Belmonte Garcia of Spain, who posted a time of 2 minutes and 03.01 seconds in Istanbul 2009.
Similarly, she remained 5.00 seconds slower from the world record of 2 minutes and 00.78 seconds, made by Julia Smit of USA, who posted a time of 2 minutes and 04.60 seconds in December 2009.
The gold medallist was followed by Stefania Pirozzi of Italy, who stayed 0.31 seconds slower from her foregoing finisher and ended her race in second place by producing a time of 2 minutes and 06.09 seconds.
Pirozzi was traced by Alessia Polieri of Italy, who was only a stroke behind and stepped on the victory stand for bronze medal with an effort of 2 minutes and 06.63 seconds for bronze medal.
Following that, the audience witnessed stupendous efforts of Laszlo Cseh in the Men’s 200m IM, where he crushed expectations of his supporters and made his way to the finishing wall for gold medal.
The Hungarian veteran remained in a prominent lead over his challengers and concluded his race in a time of 1 minute and 52.74 seconds for the title.
His alluring effort remained 1.02 seconds slower from the European and championship record of 1 minute and 51.72 seconds, set by Markus Rogan of Austria in 2009.
Subsequently, his effort remained 2.66 seconds away from the world mark of Ryan Lochte, who posted 1 minute and 50.08 seconds in 2010.
Cseh was trailed by Jeremy Stravius of France, who stayed one and a half body length behind and ended his race in a time of 1 minute and 54.00 seconds for second position.
Third position of the race was obtained by an Israeli swimmer, Gal Nevo, who tapped the wall with the timing of 1 minute and 55.14 seconds for bronze medal.
Next was the playoff of Men’s 50m freestyle, where French swimmer, Florent Manaudou, stunned the aquatic crowd with his gruelling effort.
Manaudou remained marginally ahead of his closest competitor and secured the crown with an effort of 20.70 seconds.
His gold finish remained only 0.32 seconds slower from the European mark of 20.48 seconds, held by Amaury Leveaux of France from 2008.
He was also 0.40 seconds away from the world record of 20.30 seconds, made by Roland Schoeman of South Africa during 2009.
Manaudou remained only an inch ahead of Vladimir Morozov of Russia, who finished his race in second place by touching the wall with the timing of 20.89 seconds.
Third position of the race was gained by Manaudou’s teammate, Frederick Bousquet, who hit the finishing wall for third position with an effort of 20.97 seconds.
To be continued in Part 3.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
Tags: