LZR Racer Results
Fastskin LZR Racer
- 16th August 2008
- Swimming History Rewritten in Beijing
- The USA went head to head in the Men's 100m Butterfly Final with current World Record holder Ian Crocker (USA) and team mate Michael Phelps (USA)competing side by side. It turned out, however, to be a battle with Serbian swimmer Millorad Cavic who led right up until the final touch.
Competing in a SpeedoLZR RACER the Serbian matched Phelps stroke for stroke into the latter part of the final length in a dramatic finale. It was the closest race of the competition yet, with every spectator in the Water Cube on their feet and emotions running high. The Serbian's hopes to derail Phelps' attempt at smashing the gold were dashed as Phelps swam victoriously to the wall, edging Cavic out by just a hundreth of a second! Phelps walked away with the coveted gold and an Olympic Record - as well as the $1million Speedo bonus!
Phelps is the only swimmer to have matched Mark Spitz's performance at the Munich Olympics in 1972 where he won 7 gold medals!
"I'm speechless," said Phelps. "I really don't know what to say. I guessI've had the perfect situations all week. I feel a little bit of everything- relief, excitement, everything. I had to take my goggles off to make surethe '1' was next to my name." He added: "Tying Spitz's record is prettycool. It's great to be a part of all of this."
Rising swimming star Rebecca Adlington (GBR) smashed Janet Evan's 1989 World Record (the oldest WR on the books) by 2.12 seconds in the Women's 800m Freestyle Final. Adlington (GBR) took the race out in the first lap,setting the pace for the rest of the swim.
Romanian Camelia Potek swam in her wake but couldn't make up the 5 clear body lengths the GB swimmer hadmade on the rest of the clan. By the 700m mark, the race's conclusion was determined with Lotte Friis (DEN) and Alessia Filippi (ITA) competing for silver and bronze.Adlington touched the wall in a spectacular time of 8:14.10. She became the first woman to claim gold since Anita Lonsbrough's 1960 success in the 200m Breaststroke earlier this week. Her 400m freestyle victory, and success in the 800m freestyle makes her the most successful British swimmer of the last 100 years!
On her win Adlington said,"It's so nice when you work so hard and it pays off, I wasn't expecting that. I am so pleased. I knew it would be tough and was expecting a battle but when I knew I was clear I felt I could go for the time."
Current World Record holder Margaret Hoelzer (USA) made a confident startin the Women's 200m Backstroke Final taking the lead in the first lap. Speedo's Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) was hot on her heels though, surging past the American to claim pole position in the second lap. Leading by at least four strokes throughout the rest of the race Coventry wearing the Speedo LZR RACER touched the wall with a time of 2:05.24 smashing the Word, Record and taking gold. Hoelzer took silver (2:06.23) and Reiko Nakamura (JPN)took bronze (2:07.13).
A Speedo LZR RACER clad Cesar Cielo Filho (BRA) claimed gold following a typically explosive final in the Men's 50m Freestyle Final. In a time of 21.30, an improvement on his existing record, the Brazilian nipped ahead of France's Amaury Leveaux and Speedo's Alain Bernard taking silver (21.45)and bronze (21.49) respectively.
2 World Records and 2 Olympic Records were broken during one of the most exciting days at the poolside yet today. A phenomenal 69 World Records have been broken by athletes wearing the Speedo LZR RACER to date. That's 21 outof 23 WRs at the Games alone with every gold medalist on the podium today wearing the Speedo LZR RACER!
Swimming fans in Beijing will have to wait until tomorrow to find out whether Phelps secures the full 'great 8' gold medals - we'll keep you posted!
