Berlin 2002

[Steve]

The Germans are obviously liking the home atmosphere, their womens 4x100 free just broke the world record:

Germany 3.36.00 WR
Meissner 54.82,
Dallman 53.95,
Volker 53.59,
van Almsick 53.64

Reuslts are at http://www.omegatiming.com

[Bazza]

I saw this impressive display from the German team. Only thing is I can't find any information of it on the net. The LEN site is rubbish, and Omega's 'result' is actually the start list. As for FINA, well as far as they're concerned European's don't exist. You'd have thought the world's governing body might give some recognition to continental championships - especially the most competitive continent of them all...:rolleyes: :mad:

[Steve]

I don't know where you're looking baz - the full results from day one are here in PDF:

http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/ecberlin2002/day1.pdf

and you can get all the results here:

http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/ecberlin2002/lenec2k2_d1.htm

AS for FINA, they only care about things they organise themselves(Olympics, worlds and world cup)

[Meiri]

The germans look great at this championships!
The women set a new WR, the men took gold.. and Thomas Rupprath is going to take another gold at the 50 fly, maybe even a WR.. and we can't forget about Stev Theloke in the 100 back - another medal for sure.
They're going to have alot of medals by the end of the championships...

[Bazza]

That's just because we're not there!:p

No seriously they are going well, as is Peiter VdH - just saw him go 47.9 in the 100 free semis!:eek: Looks like a return to form for him - he went something like 47.1 in the relay yesterday and caught up about 5m on the Italians only to lose out on a bronze by hundredths. We could see a WR tomorrow in the final.

Thanks for those links Steve. I found it in the end, but at the time the finals results were showing the heat qualification times.:(

[Meiri]

Another 2 gold medals for the germans: The women 4*200 relay took gold by over 8 seconds from the silver! and Stev Theloke with a new european record in the 100 back.. Rupprath took the silver in the 50 fly after Jere Hard of Finland who set a new ER.

[Steve]

most impressively van Almsick split 1.57.90 at the end of that relay. v. fast, non eof teh others were under 2 minutes! She also swam 54.48 in teh 100 free.

[swimusa]

Maybe Franzi is have a resurgance in her elder years (though she is 24, she did set an untouchable world record at age 16). I was impressed with her 53.5 split on the women's relay.

[landlubber]

Is there anything on the telly for Berlin 2002? I did catch a few minutes on Euronews, but it was anything but comprehensive coverage.

[Steve]

Originally posted by landlubber
Is there anything on the telly for Berlin 2002? I did catch a few minutes on Euronews, but it was anything but comprehensive coverage.

from the <a href="http://www.pullbuoy.co.uk/log">pullbuoy log</a>:
Although the focus for most British Swimming fans this week will be events in Manchester, you can keep tabs on what is happening at the Euopean Championships in Berlin (29 July to 4 August) via <A href="http://ww.omegatiming.com">Omega Live Timing</a> or on Eurosport (typically 0800 BST heats and 1515 BST finals, check listings for details, particularly at the weekend)

:D

[mammamedley]

I must be going daft! ;) Actually I know I am daft but...........
Steve, please tell me why the Europeans are at the same time as the games?

[Steve]

Originally posted by mammamedley
I must be going daft! ;) Actually I know I am daft but...........
Steve, please tell me why the Europeans are at the same time as the games?

Because LEN are a bunch of useless idiots. The games dates were even set first AFAIK. BUt since Britain didn't do very well at the last Euros in 2000, I suppose they thought it wouldn't matter :rolleyes:

[Bazza]

They decided not to send a team as the Commonwealths took priority. Maybe better to send a message out to all those Aussies!
I thought it might have been worth sending either some seasoned pros who failed to make Commies (Palmer and Jackson spring to mind) or some younger swimmers (Proud?) or best of all a combination of the two, but I suppose it would have been a real stretch of resources with everything else so intensely focussed on Manchester?:confused:

[Katie]

Good 100 free by VdH today! Good coverage by Eurosport too.

[Bazza]

Yes he went 47.9 in the semis then 47.86 in the final (WR is 47.84). Popov second - good to see the master still doing it although VdH (pupil?) is a class above him now. Interesting to see what times are posted at Commies in relation.

I was surprised to discover that van Almsick is only 24. I though she was more like 34 she seems to have been around so long, having said that though apparently Sheppard started in Seoul yet is still 29 I think.

[Steve]

Yes he went 47.9 in the semis then 47.86 in the final (WR is 47.84). Popov second - good to see the master still doing it although VdH (pupil?) is a class above him now. Interesting to see what times are posted at Commies in relation.

Popov was alost a seond behind - that's a huge margin over 100m :eek:

As for the commies, "much slower" is the answer to that question! Thorpe will probably swim 48 mid, Callus may sneak under 49, Kidd, Neethling and Pearson should make it under 50s and challenge for 3rd.

I was surprised to discover that van Almsick is only 24. I though she was more like 34 she seems to have been around so long, having said that though apparently Sheppard started in Seoul yet is still 29 I think.

Yeah, she was only 14 in Barcelona and set the 200m World record (1.56.78!!!!!) aged only 16, way back in 1994. Doubt she will ever swim as fast again, although she is definitely back on form thus far in Berlin.

[Steve]

More interesting IMHO will be what Emma Igelstrom does in the 50 breast semis tonight - does she have the pace to get anywhere near Zoe Baker's new record? We shall see..

[Katie]

Wahoo! Nowhere near! But we've still got to keep our fingers crossed for the finals tomorrow night.

[swimusa]

Emma needs the flip turn and another pullout to get the WR. That's why she is effective in SCM. She has from what my Swedish friends tell me a very good pullout. I was surprised to see her go 2:28 in the 200. Shows that some breaststrokers can race at all distances.

[Steve]

More amazing today was van Almsick's 200 free swim, she broke her own world record by clocking 1.56.64. :eek:

It was an amazing swim as she had to do it all by herself, being metres clear of the field from teh 25m mark. I don't think i have ever seen a reaction like the one Franiz gave when she realised what she had done. The atmosphere inteh BElrin pool must have been incredible at that point. :)