Throwback Thursday: Ahead of His Time, Mike Barrowman Revolutionized the 200 Breaststroke
World records take on iconic status due to a multitude of factors, ranging from the stage on which they were produced to the gap stretching to the No. 2 athlete in history. Of course, duration plays an integral role, with long-lasting standards proving their worth as ahead of their time. When it comes to the final world record set by Mike Barrowman in the 200-meter breaststroke, all boxes are checked. Consequently, it made sense to highlight the Hall of Famer in our latest installment of “World Record Flashback.”
Ahead of the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Mike Barrowman was firmly established as the premier 200 breaststroker in the world. After a fourth-place finish in the 200 breaststroke at the 1988 Olympics left Barrowman just off the podium, the American quickly took command of his prime event. He broke two world records in the 200 breast during the summer of 1989, and from 1989-91, Barrowman claimed two gold medals at the Pan Pacific Championships, a world title and set five global marks in the 200 breaststroke.
Yet, what he delivered at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona was mesmerizing, a moment that solidified Barrowman as a legend in the sport. Leading from the start and clocking a performance of 2:10.16, Barrowman dominated the four-lap race. In addition to slicing nearly a half-second off his previous record of 2:10.60, Barrowman topped Hungarian silver medalist Norbert Rozsa (2:11.23) by more than a second, with Great Britain’s Nick Gillingham earning bronze in 2:11.29.
CREDIT TO COACH NAGY
Coached by Hungarian Jozsef Nagy, Barrowman revolutionized the breaststroke by adopting the wave technique. Nagy convinced Barrowman to emphasize a lunging approach to the stroke, one that has been compared to the head-and-shoulder movements of a sprinting cheetah. Through his style, Barrowman was less tired in the latter portions of his races, enabling him to pull away from the competition and post times that once seemed unreachable.
Barrowman also benefited from the mental approach of Nagy, who was highly critical of his pupil. However, the American responded well to the criticism, using it as motivation to reach the next level.
“Everything I do is bad,” Barrowman said, while recounting the coaching approach of Nagy. “Everything I do, 100 people have done better. Girls have done it better. Some people couldn’t handle it. But it works for me.”
HALL OF FAME CREDENTIALS
With Rozsa going on to win gold in the 200 breaststroke at the 1996 Olympics and Gillingham defined as a former world record holder and European champion, Barrowman’s achievement in Barcelona was even more impressive, particularly with the chasm he enjoyed over his foes. More, Barrowman’s sixth world record in the event capped a three-year run in which he made the 200 breaststroke three seconds faster.
Barrowman’s world record endured for 10 years, lasting until late in 2002 when Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima registered a time of 2:09.97 on the way to gold in the 200 breaststroke at the Asian Games. Kitajima went on to become a four-time Olympic champion and fellow Hall of Famer with Barrowman.
During his career, Barrowman was twice named World Swimmer of the Year (1989 and 1990) by Swimming World, and he was a three-time NCAA champion in the 200 yard breaststroke while representing the University of Michigan. More than 30 years after he lowered the world record to 2:10.16, that time would have qualified for the semifinals at last summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
“I have done what I’ve wanted to do,” Barrowman said after capturing the Olympic title in Barcelona. “I’ve done the triple crown—world record, world championship and (now), Olympic championship. That’s what I wanted. (Since just missing the podium in 1988 at Seoul), every day I would awaken with one thought: the Olympic Games.”