Peaty Once More The Pioneer; Scott Is Man For All Seasons; Asian Mark For Haughey

Adam Peaty sets world record 100 breaststroke ISL final Budapest, Hungary (photo: Mike Lewis)
Adam Peaty: Photo Courtesy: Mike Lewis/ISL

Adam Peaty set a new world record in the 100m breaststroke as well as laying down a new British mark in the 50br en-route to victory in the skins as ISL Season Two concluded in Budapest.

Energy Standard’s Siobhan Haughey stopped the clock in the 200 free for a new Asian record of 1:51.11 as she went nine for nine with second-placed Freya Anderson obliterating her own British mark in 1:51.87.

Anderson’s London Roar team-mate Duncan Scott shattered the national record of 1:40.25 with victory in the men’s 200fr, the first of two wins for the Scot who underlined his versatility with victory in the 400IM.

Kliment Kolesnikov catapulted off the wall at the final turn to fall just short of the 100m backstroke world record he had set on Saturday to post the second-fastest time in history

It brought to an end six weeks of breathless swimming which allowed us all to witness athletes pushing to be the best they can be, the best version of themselves, and wherever that takes them.

Cameron van der Burgh responded to Peaty lowering his 100br world record last Sunday by saying:

“Humans are AWESOME at breaking the orthodoxy of what is physically possible. Pushing my body & mind to its asymptote is one of the most exciting things one can do :)”

adam-peaty-surface-london-roar

Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu / ISL

Peaty was at it again on Sunday. Out in 25.85 and back in 29.56, Peaty cut a further 0.08secs, despite a long finish into the wall.

Energy’s Ilya Shymanovich (55.49) tied Peaty’s old record while Nic Fink of the Condors broke the American record in third place at 56.16.

Peaty is guided by Mel Marshall at the National Centre Loughborough and she told the ISL ahead of the final that “short-course has always been his nemesis.”

But one that now surely has been conquered. He followed up his world record over four lengths with a British record of 25.41 in the opening round of the skins, knockout races which sees the remaining two swimmers go head to head.

Marshall said to Peaty: “Right, big lad. Don’t take your foot off the gas.”

He didn’t and into the final he went with Marshall’s words ringing in his ears. “Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve been the last man standing,” she said.

There he faced Shymanovich and it was Peaty who took the race out from the front to win in 26.10.

“What a stud,” they said in the commentary box. “He’s a stud, man!”

Energy In The Hunt But Can’t Clip Condors’ Wings

The Duna Arena has borne witness to records galore with the likes of Emre Sakci – now the European 50br record holder – establishing themselves at the top table, the Turk crediting Peaty with “opening the road for us: he changed every swimmer’s mind.”

Benedetta Pilato has again belied her 15 years with performances so fearless on the senior international stage. Nothing new there of course with the Italian having taken 50br silver at the World Championships in Gwangju last year aged 14.

Then we have the likes of Sarah Sjostrom, Florent Manaudou, Chad Le Clos – the list is endless. Great champions showing time and again why they have made all those trips to the international podium

But back to Sunday.

chad-le-clos-energy-

Chad Le Clos: Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu / ISL

Energy started the day still in the hunt and with Cali Condors in their sights as they looked to retain their title.

That didn’t come about with Cali dominant as Caeleb Dressel made the most of his time enjoying “the amusement park for swimming nerds”. So too Lilly King, the woman who wins races. All of them. Or almost all.

Haughey was second behind Beryl Gastaldello in the 100 free with Manaudou and Evgeny Rylov taking second and third in the men’s event.

It was Le Clos who claimed maximum points for the first time as he came out on top in the 200fly following a thrilling tussle with Tom Shields.

The South African struck out from the front to reach halfway in 51.87 only for the LA Current swimmer to hold a 0.67secs lead with 50 to go.

A Shields victory appeared the likely outcome but Le Clos was having none of it, a final 50 of 27.82 seeing him reel in his rival to win in 1:48.57 to 1:48.66.

Kolesnikov set a world record of 48.58 in the 100 back when he swam the lead-off on Energy’s winning medley relay on Saturday.

On Sunday he was fourth at halfway before a second 50 of 24.84 – including an enormous underwater off the final turn – propelled him into the wall first in 48.82. The second-fastest performance in history and that despite being short on the finish.

Ryan Murphy was adrift in the Russian’s slipstream in 49.29 with six men under 50secs – another hint of a thrilling race to come at the Olympics in Tokyo next July.

Kolesnikov – just 20 but already the owner of many an international title –

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Sarah Sjostrom: Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu / ISL

said of his world record:

“I was progressing for each match. I know I need to do something special so I just did my job.”

Sjostrom put seventh in the 100IM behind her to lead home an Energy one-two in the 50 fly ahead of Madeline Banic, Le Clos third in the men’s event.

Sjostrom and Haughey returned as part of the winning 4×100 free squad, the former splitting 51.01.

Scott: A Man Of Quality And Versatility

One definition of versatility reads: a person who is able to turn easily and successfully from one task, activity or occupation to another.

Duncan Scott it seems is the embodiment.

First up was the 200 free and the three-time world relay champion was out in lane one.

Second to Townley Haas at the 50m mark, the Scot forged ahead, high in the water before going to his legs on the penultimate 25 to lower his own British record in 1:40.25.

He returned for the final individual race of the season – apart from the skins – for the 400IM and this time he led from start to finish to stop the clock at 3:59.83, 2.59secs ahead of Andrew Seliskar of Current in 4:02.42.

Duncan Scott (photo: Mike Lewis)

Duncan Scott: Photo Courtesy: MIKE LEWIS / ISLCurrent in second in 4:02.42.

Tom Dean – Scott’s London Roar team-mate – came from seventh at 300 to take third in 4:02.53 with a blast of 26.62 on the last 50.

Given Max Litchfield of Energy followed Dean home, it made for three Britons in the top four.

Dean, who won the 400 free on Saturday, described Scott as an inspiration, saying:

“Duncan is an amazing athlete. He is so valuable to the team because of his versatility.

“He can do everything from the 50 breast to the 400IM which is really rare with an athlete at this standard, you don’t really find it at this level.

“So I think he is a huge, huge contribution to the team and it has really shown in the last match where he has really stepped up.

“Who else could win the 200 free and the 400IM in the same session so close to each other?

“Really, really valuable member of the team and being able to watch him double up like he has on some real tough events is an inspiration to myself, especially considering we are on similar events, and a real inspiration to the team as well.”

Sydney Pickrem went ahead on the breaststroke leg to secure the win in the women’s event in 4:24.84.


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