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INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, July 11. LONGHORN's Aaron Peirsol keeps blowing the roof off the IU Natatorium as he posted his second world record of the meet, this time in the 200 back.
With Daytona Beach's Ryan Lochte out under world record pace in 26.81, Peirsol took control at the 100 with a 55.18 and 1:24.06 split before dropping the global standard down to a 1:53.08. The performance cut nearly a second from Lochte's world record time of 1:53.94 set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"Right after the 65-meter mark, I was able to hold on pretty well," Peirsol said. "These guys don't fade, so I had to stay ahead of them the whole way. It felt pretty good, and it was a wonderful swim. This is just a stepping stone for two weeks. Lochte will get a chance at it again."
Lochte, meanwhile, snared second with a time of 1:54.21, while Club Wolverine's Tyler Clary finished third in 1:54.53. Nick Thoman, swimming unattached, placed fourth in 1:54.83. All three times are among the top five of all time, while the entire top four surpassed the ratified top time in the world this year of 1:54.96 set by Spain's Aschwin Wildeboer Faber.
"I have to agree with Peirsol, it hurt," Lochte said. "He had a good race."
Peirsol nearly tracked down the disallowed world record of Ryosuke Irie, who set a 1:52.86 during the Japanese Nationals earlier this year. Irie, however, did so in an unapproved suit and FINA would not ratify the time. Peirsol proved the time is possible even in an approved suit.
Earlier in the meet, Peirsol set the world record in the 100 back with a sterling time of 51.94.
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