Daniel Gyurta put up his first strong 200 breast of 2015 at the Bergen Swim Festival, starting his journey toward a possible fourth-straight world title in the event.
Gyurta used his well-known closing speed to overtake Germany’s Marco Koch in the final strokes, winning with a 2:08.58 to Koch’s 2:08.69. Koch was out fast with a 1:02.07, while Gyurta held back with a 1:03.21 at 100 meters. Gyurta blazed to the finish with a 32.64 in the final 50 and post a time that ranks him third in the world behind the 2:07.77 by Yasuhiro Koskeki and the 2:08.34 by Adam Peaty. Koch, the 2013 world silver medalist, sits fifth in the world, with Andrew Willis’ 2:08.59 just ahead of him.
As mentioned above, the 26-year-old Gyurta is gunning for his fourth consecutive win in the 200 breast at the long course world championships. If he wins gold in Kazan, he’ll join Grant Hackett as the only four-time winners in the same individual event.
Tomas Klobucnik finished a distant third in the men’s 200 breast with a 2:12.30, but he was able to grab a win earlier in the session tonight with a 28.19 to win the 50 breast in the three-man final after participating in two elimination-style rounds in the final. Bram Dekker was second with a 29.03, while Martin Schweizer took third in 29.68.
A day after posting the second-fastest 200 free in the world, Sarah Sjostrom attacked the 100 fly final and won with a 57.67. That’s about a second slower than her world-leading time of 56.58 from earlier this year but still one of the fastest swims of 2015. Katinka Hosszu, not swimming up to her usual performances today, was a distant second with a 1:00.24, just ahead of the 1:00.31 by Emilie Beckman.
Sjostrom nearly eclipsed her season best of 53.29 in the 100 free with her 53.35 tonight. Her best of the season has her fourth in the world behind the co-leaders Femke Heemskerk and Cate Campbell (52.69) and Cate’s younger sister Bronte (53.04). In a battle for crucial second- and third-place prize money, Pernille Blume took second with a 55.06, while Hosszu was third in 55.34. Cecilie Johannessen was fourth with a 55.48.
Hosszu did manage to win three events today. She posted a 4:13.43 in the 400 free, then won the 200 IM just a few minutes later with a 2:14.12 and wrapped things up with a 28.16 in the 50 back that was .02 ahead of Mie Neilsen.
Jennie Johansson swept the women’s breaststroke events in Bergen. After winning the 100 on Saturday, she captured the 50 breast today with a 31.57 in the three-woman final with Hosszu second in 32.18. Johansson held off Silje Mikkelborg in the 200 breast, winning with a 2:29.52 to Mikkelborg’s 2:30.34.
The Gyurta brothers each celebrated a victory today, as Daniel’s younger brother Gergely won the 400 free with a 3:50.82. He traded the lead often with Pal Joensen, but got to the finish first by just half a second over Joensen’s 3:51.32.
Simon Sjodin of Sweden, a 2013 world championship finalist in the 200 IM, won that event handily with a 2:01.66. Mere minutes after the 400 free, Gergely Gyurta finished second with a 2:05.28 and Christoph Meier was third with a 2:06.59.
Viktor Bromer and Jan Sefl turned even at the 50-meter mark in the 100 butterfly final, but Bromer’s 200 fly expertise kicked into play, and the Dane pulled away to win with a 52.83 to Sefl’s 53.50. Lavran Solli took the victory in the three-man 50 back final with a 26.29, while Kemal Gurdal of Turkey closed out the meet with a sprint freestyle sweep. He won the 100 free with a 50.04, just ahead of the 50.23 by teammate Doga Celik.
Frederik Otte