Budapest 2024, Day 5 Finals: Ilya Borodin Claims 400IM Title Ahead Of Foster & Razzetti
Ilya Borodin upgraded his 400IM silver from Abu Dhabi 2021 to gold at the short-course worlds in Budapest.
The neutral athlete went ahead at halfway and was never headed thereafter, coming home in 3:56.83 followed by Olympic bronze medallist Carson Foster (3:57.45) and Alberto Razzetti of Italy who clocked 3:58.83.
Borodin’s time was the second-fastest by a European man in history, behind only his own continental record of 3:56.47 – also the WJR – that secured him silver three years ago.
Daiya Seto missed the final by one place as a cracked rib ultimately proved too much to overcome and with that his bid for a seventh straight title was over.
The Japanese swimmer won the first of his six crowns at Istanbul 2012 when Borodin was nine with Ryan Lochte claiming the three titles prior to that with the pair sharing nine titles between them.
Lochte’s championship record of 3:55.50 set in Dubai in December 2010 lives to fight another day. An American record, it stands at second all-time behind only Seto’s WR of 3:54.81 from the ISL final in Las Vegas in December 2019.
Razzetti led until the 125m mark before Foster went ahead at 150 only for Borodin to make his move at halfway when he took the race by the scruff of the neck.
He extended his lead to 1.11secs with 75m remaining and although the American ate into the deficit, Borodin’s title charge was never threatened.
Borodin’s status as a neutral athlete means he cannot speak to the media. For Foster it has been a successful if demanding meet in which Saturday was his third trip to the podium following 4×2 free relay gold and joint silver alongside teammate Kieran Smith after a rip-roarer of a 400 free.
“After a long meet, coming in today it was more about mentally being there, ready to race,” he said. “It was a struggle to get there mentally after such a long week, so I’m happy with how it went. It was really cool to stand on the podium with Katie (Grimes). It was the first time doing the mixed podium. It’s even better when you get to stand up there with a teammate.”
Razzetti claimed his third individual medal of Budapest. The Italian set a European record en-route to 200 fly silver and also claimed second spot in the 200IM.
He echoed Foster, saying: “This race was mentally challenging for me. I expected a better time after yesterday’s 200m fly and the relay. But I think winning a medal shouldn’t be explained, so overall, I’m satisfied with standing on the podium again.”
Kaito Tabuchi of Japan came from sixth at 375m to fourth in 4:00.43 in a stroke for stroke final 25 with Max Litchfield of Great Britain who clocked 4:00.50.
Litchfield had progressed swiftest through prelims in 4:00.37 to book lane four and a bid to become the first British man to win the 4IM title.
The 29-year-old has had a 2024 that has included the high of silver at the Doha worlds in February before finishing fourth for a third straight Olympics in Paris.
He told Swimming World: “I’m not really happy with that. I was 0.2 faster and not really giving it everything this morning so i don’t really know what’s gone wrong there.
“I just wanted this meet to be a nice springboard – and obviously it’s still a nice springboard – but I want to be competing for those medals every time. I wasn’t even in the race then really as far as I could tell. I’m not happy with it but it is what it is.”
Tristan Jankovics (4:00.57), Apostolos Papastamos (4:04.26) and Trenton Julian (4:05.81) completed the field at the Duna Arena.
