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The day certainly started off right for the Iron Lady as Katinka Hosszu broke the U.S. Open record in the women’s 400-meter IM at the Arena Pro Swim Series Santa Clara.
Hosszu raced her way to 4:31.07 to break Katie Hoff’s 2008 record of 4:31.12 set for North Baltimore Aquatics at the 2008 Olympic Trials. The U.S. Open record is the fastest time swum in the 50 states, regardless of the swimmer’s nationality.
The swim isn’t Hosszu’s best ever, as she holds the European record with a 4:30.31 from the 2009 World Championships, but it did down her world best of 4:31.93 from the Barcelona stop of the Mare Nostrum.
The swim comes on the day that Hosszu launched her Iron Lady three-piece swimsuit set with Arena.
The performance is Hosszu’s fourth-fastest time ever behind her 4:30.31 from 2009, a 4:30.41 from the 2013 World Championships and a 4:31.03 from the 2014 European Championships.
Hosszu’s splits:
[table “” not found /]Hoff’s splits:
[table “” not found /]Hoff’s record had been a world record at the time, as originally reported by John Lohn:
“Three months after losing her world record in the 400 individual medley to [Stephanie] Rice during the Australian Olympic Trials, Katie Hoff is back on top of the world in the grueling distance medley. The North Baltimore Aquatic Club star turned in a time of 4:31.12 to eclipse Rice’s standard of 4:31.46. She was followed in second place by Elizabeth Beisel in 4:32.87, which was under the former American record of 4:32.89.”
Emily Overholt (4:40.95), Caitlin Leverenz (4:43.16), Becca Mann (4:44.60), Lindsey Clary (4:47.59), Madisyn Cox (4:48.10), Marni Oldershaw (4:48.41), Virginia Bardach (4:49.03) and Celina Li (4:49.46) look to be the early qualifiers for the A final with a few slower heats to go.
Hmm Liz Beisel and Maya DiRado may not race fully tapered to break it on US soil this year, but here’s hoping one of them does next year. Crazy eyebrow-raising prelims time for Hosszu, who’s on track to go under 4:30 by Worlds.
Alejandra Valle
Who is Alejandra Valle?
Sub 4:30 @. Kazan? How ’bout tonite?
And bet that no matter what she does here it won’t be her final meet before Worlds. I’m sure shr’ll swim @. Paris Open July 4 weekend and it wouldn’t surprise me if she hops on a plan eMonday morning and flies to Baku to swim in European Games — even though that meet is mostly for juniors.
Wonder if her new suit was responsible for the record? Maybe Arena ought to make something similar for Laszlo Cseh, the Gyurta brothers and Mmes. Jakabos/Szilagyi and the Verrasztos!
She could be under 4:30 tonight, although she often swims the same or slower in finals during training meets, and doesn’t have huge drops at taper. This year could be different though, her times have been literally incredible sometimes. Not sure what new suit you’re referring to.