The Rise of Kate Douglass and the Fall of Super-Suit Records
Well, would you look at that! In the pool where fish pass for spectators, Kate Douglass has made waves that even the fish might have to swim faster to keep up with! At the 2024 Swimming World Cup in Incheon, she didn’t just dip her toes in the water; she cannonballed right into history, setting a brand new world record in the women’s 200 meter breaststroke. That’s right! Her time obliterated the legacy of the iconic Rebecca Soni, who thought she had the record sealed tighter than a dolphin in a scooter race.
We’re talking about a world record that was once regarded as the Mount Everest of swimming records, standing tall since 2009 at 2:14.57. Douglass has now waved a metaphorical shark fin at the remnants of the “super-suit” era, leaving us with a mere ten of these rubberized records still spinning like the final episode of a soap opera – tense and dramatic!
Short Course Records: A Quest Almost Accomplished
Now, let’s have a chinwag about those pesky short course records! Currently, only two “super-suit” records remain unbroken in the short 25-meter category. One belongs to the Swede Therese Alshammar, whose 50 butterfly record of 24.38 from 2009 is still like a unicorn: lovable yet elusive! Douglass herself has nearly caught this one, swimming a fabulous 24.54. A performance that made everyone else in the pool look like they were doing the backstroke in molasses.
The second record, that of Paul Biedermann in the men’s 200 freestyle, is still the stuff of legends, proving harder to break than a stubborn piñata at a birthday party. The closest anyone’s come was Hwang Sunwoo with a time of 1:39.72. The record’s still standing, but hold on to your swim caps, folks – it seems like it’s only a matter of time before someone shatters it like they do at a demolition derby!
The Long Tub Records: Persistent Challenges
Now, let’s dive into the deep end of the long course records. Out of the ten lingering “super-suit” records, eight belong to men. It’s as if the pool decided to hold a boys’ night out for over a decade! Only the women’s 200 butterfly record remains untouched, having been set by Liu Zige in 2009 with an impressive 2:01.81. Summer McIntosh is hot on her heels, with a second-best time of 2:03.03 at the Paris Olympics. The record’s still just out of reach, like a chocolate bar on the top shelf when you’re feeling a bit short.
And don’t even get me started on the men’s records! The grind for Aaron Piersol’s 200 backstroke record (1:51.92) has been legendary. Most of the fast times come from that magical year of 2009, while the best recent attempt was Ryan Lochte in 2011 at 1:52.96 – still leaving that record looking as untouchable as a celebrity at the Oscars!
Records in the 50 and 200 Freestyle
As for the sizzling 50-meter freestyle, Cesar Cielo’s record of 20.91 is still a big deal. The phenomenal Caleb Dressel came oh-so-close, touching in at 21.04, while Cameron McEvoy crept in at 21.06 last year. They’re making this record feel like getting a first date with someone who has Instagram and remembers every detail of their last vacation.
And there’s still Biedermann who struts about with a 200 freestyle record of 1:42.00, only shadowed by David Popovich’s 1:42.97 at the 2023 World Championships. Just 0.01 seconds behind Michael Phelps? That’s like being that friend who just can’t make it to the top shelf… oh, the struggle!
The Relays: International Challenges and US Records
In relay territory, the men’s 4×100 and 4×200 freestyle super-suit records have been held by the US since ’09, marking a national treasure more sought after than Cat meme videos. The American quartet at the Tokyo Olympics didn’t back down either, clocking the fastest fabric time (3:08.97), but still falling 0.73 seconds short of the Beijing record. British swimmers have tried to stir the pot as well, coming oh-so-close to that 6:58.58 in the 4×200. Bravo to them for making it a close competition – it’s like watching your cat chase a laser pointer!
Progress and Determination: The Future of World Swimming
With remarkable athletes like Kate Douglass, David Popovich, and Summer McIntosh leading the charge, it’s clear the world of swimming is making an impressive comeback. They are smashing limits and rewriting history like the Shakespearean authors of the pool, one stroke at a time! With super-suits now collecting dust, these finely-tuned athletes remind us that at the end of the day, it’s all about hard work, determination, and probably a good amount of those energy gel packets. The future of swimming is bright, folks! So, grab your goggles and hold on to your swim caps; we’re in for quite the ride!
During the inaugural finals session of the highly anticipated 2024 Swimming World Cup stage in Incheon, Kate Douglass achieved a monumental milestone by establishing a new world record in the women’s 200 meter breaststroke. This outstanding performance not only marked Douglass’ first individual world record, but it also eliminated one of the legendary super-suit records, a significant benchmark that had stood as one of the most formidable accomplishments in swimming for over a decade.
Douglass shattered the long-standing record set by the iconic Rebecca Soni during the 2009 Duel in the Pool event, where Soni clocked an impressive time of 2:14.57. With Douglass’ remarkable feat, there are now only ten remaining records from the super-suit era within the history of swimming, reflecting the tremendous advancements made in the sport and the relentless determination of athletes striving to surpass previously deemed insurmountable limits.
Short Course Records: A Quest Almost Accomplished
Only two records remain super-suit in the 25-meter events: the female record held by the Swedish swimmer Therese Alshammar in the 50-meter butterfly (24.38, established in 2009) and the record in the men’s 200-meter freestyle held by Paul Biedermann (1:39.37). Alshammar’s record has stood undefeated for nearly fifteen years, although there have been close calls, including Ranomi Kromowidjojo with a time of 24.44 during the 2021 World Championships and Sarah Sjostrom, who, with a 24.51, holds the fastest textile time. Douglass herself has made waves, swimming a close 24.54, setting a new American record in Shanghai.
In the men’s 200 freestyle, no swimmer in fabric has yet managed to surpass Biedermann. The closest contender to this elusive record was South Korean swimmer Hwang Sunwoo, who finished with an impressive time of 1:39.72 at the 2022 World Championships. While Hwang’s time indicates that a breakthrough may be on the horizon, Biedermann’s textile record remains a formidable challenge.
The Long Course Records: Persistent Challenges
Of the ten records super-suit still in effect, eight belong to the long course events, with seven records specifically in the men’s category. The women’s 200 butterfly record, held by Liu Zige, remains unbeaten, set at a remarkable 2:01.81 in 2009. Summer McIntosh comes very close to this time, finishing second all-time with a time of 2:03.03 at the Paris Olympics, demonstrating that while Liu’s record is still out of reach, the gap is narrowing.
In the realm of men’s swimming, challenges primarily arise in the backstroke and freestyle disciplines, with Aaron Piersol‘s 200 backstroke record (1:51.92) identified as particularly tough to break. Many of the fastest times recorded were in 2009, but the closest any swimmer has come in fabric was Ryan Lochte, who swam a time of 1:52.96 in 2011. Lately, Ryan Murphy showcased his skill with a time of 1:53.57 in 2018, yet there remains a significant distinction between super-suit and textile records.
Records in the 50 and 200 Freestyle
The 50-meter freestyle record, set by Cesar Cielo at a staggering 20.91, has been approached by Caleb Dressel, who holds the textile record at 21.04. More recently, Olympic champion Cameron McEvoy has made an impressive attempt, swimming a time of 21.06 at the 2023 World Championships. In the 200 freestyle, Biedermann continues to dominate with a record of 1:42.00, with only David Popovich getting close at 1:42.97 during the 2023 World Championships. Popovici is now in third place on the all-time list, trailing by a mere 0.01 seconds behind legendary swimmer Michael Phelps.
The Relays: International Challenges and US Records
Among the most prestigious super-suit records are the men’s 4×100 and 4×200 freestyle relays, both held by the United States since 2009. During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the American relay team, comprising Dressel, Pieroni, Becker, and Apple, came remarkably close to breaking the Beijing record, clocking the fastest textile time at 3:08.97. Meanwhile, the British team consisting of Tom Dean, James Guy, Matt Richards, and Duncan Scott also put forth a strong performance with a time of 6:58.58 in the 4x200m relay, becoming the first non-American team to break the seven-minute barrier in textile swims.
Progress and Determination: The Future of World Swimming
The impressive feats of athletes such as Kate Douglass, David Popovich, and Summer McIntosh effectively illustrate the evolution of the sport as records that were once thought to be unattainable are continuously being set and broken. The elimination of super-suits in 2010 introduced new challenges, but a new generation of swimmers is actively rewriting the narrative of swimming history, one stroke at a time.
