Three world records, nine swimmers and eight Speedo LZR Racer swimsuits.
The short-course world championships started off with a bang on 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 400m individual medley.
The US team of Ryan Lochte, Bryan Lundquist, Nathan Adrian and Doug Van Wie matched the feat in the men’s 400m freestyle relay — the first time the four had ever raced together.
“It’s a great way to start things off for team USA,” said Lochte, who failed to qualify for the 100m breaststroke final. “Hopefully we can keep the ball rolling the rest of the meet.”
Then the Dutch team of Inge Dekker, Fernke Heemskerk, Marleen Veldhuis and Ranomi Kromowidjojo concluded the excitement inside the M.E.N. Arena by establishing a new world mark in the women’s 800m freestyle relay.
“Wow. The previous record wasn’t that good, but it’s pretty good now and will be hard to beat,” Netherlands head coach Jacco Verhaeren said.
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 an LZR.
The LZR has now been worn for 21 of the 22 world records set since it was introduced in February.
FINA said last weekend that it would not ban the contentious suit because it has seen no scientific proof that it gives swimmers an unfair advantage, despite critics who say it is overly buoyant.
Italy head 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 minutes, 27.83 seconds in 2002.
Local favorite Hannah Miley of Britain finished second in 4 minutes, 27.27 seconds and Mireia Belmonte of Spain took bronze in 4 minutes, 27.55 seconds — both also ahead of Klochkova’s old mark.
Shortly before the race, Coventry also posted a championship record in the 100m backstroke semi-finals, swimming 57.99 seconds.
“Going from the 100 backstroke into the 400 IM [individual medley] is a totally different mentality, but it gives me more confidence going into Beijing,” Coventry said. “Events like this are definitely helping me to prepare for Beijing.”
Coventry said the 18-year-old Miley was “definitely one to watch for the future.”
“It was good having someone there, giving you an extra nudge,” Coventry said.
At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Coventry won the 200m backstroke, finished second in the 100m back and third in the 200m individual medley.
The US men’s record in the 400m relay was set with a time of 3 minutes, 8.44 seconds. Sweden set the previous mark of 3 minutes, 9.57 seconds in 2000.
The Netherlands finished second in 3 minutes, 9.18 seconds — also ahead of the previous mark — and Sweden were third in 3 minutes, 10.04 seconds. Italy placed fourth and powerhouse Australia were a disappointing fifth.
The Dutch women finished in 7 minutes, 38.90 seconds in the 800m free relay. China had set the previous mark of 7 minutes, 46.30 seconds at the 2002 short-course worlds in Moscow.
The next three finishers — Britain, Australia and the US — were also ahead of the old mark.
Britain clocked 7 minutes, 38.96 seconds, Australia 7 minutes, 39.01 seconds and the US 7 minutes, 45.58 seconds.
The men’s 200m freestyle final was also held on Wednesday and it turned into a duel in lanes seven and eight between Australian swimmers Kenrick Monk and Kirk Palmer.
Palmer led at 100m, but Monk won in 1 minute, 43.46 seconds, beating his teammate by 0.04 seconds for his first individual world title.
Massimiliano Rosolino took the bronze in 1 minute, 44.23 seconds, taking the Italian’s career medal tally in Olympics and world championships to 17.
Rosolino, who had the fastest qualifying time in the morning heats, had a slow start in the final.
“I was the last one climbing the starting block,” Rosolino said. “I didn’t even have time to take my clothes off and they blew the start. Usually you stay on the block for a while before diving.”
Also on day one, Mary Descenza set a championship record by swimming 2 minutes, 4.27 seconds to win the women’s 200m butterfly final.
Jessica Schipper’s previous mark of 2 minutes, 5.11 seconds was set at the last short-course worlds, in Shanghai in 2006.
Stanislav Donets of Russia posted the fastest time — 50.71 seconds — in the men’s 100m backstroke semi-finals.
Overall World Cup champion Randall Bal of the US was second in 50.89 seconds and Markus Rogan of Austria qualified third.
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