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200 Free: Biedermann Leads Phelps Through

Jul 27, 2009  - Craig Lord

Paul Biedermann (GER) followed up his suited felling of Thorpey with the fastest heat time in the 200m freestyle in Rome this morning. Day two of the world championships and the heat is on in heats at the Foro Italico.

In 1:45.30, the German found himself 0.30sec ahead of Olympic champion Michael Phelps, with Danila Izotov (RUS) and Jean Basson (RSA) the other two men under 1:46 in heats, on 1:45.86 and respectively. Back in eight, Olympic silver medallist Park Tae-hwan (KOR), having missed the cut for the 400m free yesterday, clocked 1:46.53.

So, this is how things compare, as if comparison of chalk with cheese were possible, to Melbourne 2007, where Pieter van den Hoogenband's 1st place in heats would have missed the cut in Rome - the hideous nature of besuited performance-enhancement at work:

Melbourne 2007 heats:

  • Into semis: 1:47.36-1:49.47
  • Inside 1:46: 0
  • Inside 1:47: 0
  • Inside 1:48: 3
  • Inside 1:49: 23 

Rome 2009 heats:

  • Into semis: 1:45.30-1:47.21
  • Inside 1:46: 4
  • Inside 1:47: 13
  • Inside 1:48: 38
  • Inside 1:49: 46