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ROME, Italy, July 29. THIS morning, Mary DeScenza shocked the world with a world record during prelims of the women's 200 fly at the FINA World Championships. This evening, DeScenza finished just off Hungary's Katinka Hosszu during semis.
This morning, DeScenza checked in with a world record of 2:04.14, while Hosszu scared the time with a top-seeded 2:04.27 to become the third-fastest swimmer of all time in the event.
DeScenza qualified second in 2:04.33, while Australia's Jessicah Schipper touched third in 2:04.87 to join the 2:04 club – besting her previous national record of 2:05.40.
"I have no idea, I just swam my own race this morning," DeScenza said. "I didn't know I was going that fast. I thought I was going a lot slower than that. I am having such a blast. I just go out there and have fun with it. That's what swimming is all about."
China's Jiao Liuyang (2:04.96), France's Aurore Mongel (2:05.09), China's Liu Zige (2:05.29), Australia's Samantha Hamill (2:05.99) and Canada's Audrey Lacroix (2:06.85) also earned transfer spots into finals.