Swimming at the Dutch Winter Championships in Eindhoven, Pieter van den Hoogenband blasted Giorgio Lamberti’s European record in the 200m freestyle with a time of 1:46.58.
Lamberti set the European and former world mark of 1:46.69 in 1989 and it eventually became the oldest men’s record in the books. Earlier this year, Australia’s Grant Hackett cracked it with 1:46.67. At the Pan Pacs, his teammate, Ian Thorpe, lowered it to 1:46.00. Now van den Hoogenband has become the third man this year to break the Italian’s long-standing mark. Van den Hoogenband’s time makes him the second fastest man in history over 200 meters.
Meanwhile, Swimming World and Swiminfo have learned that Michael Klim’s split in his record-breaking 100m butterfly swim last week was 24.49. He came home in an amazing 27.32, giving him a time of 51.81.