Some things transcend suits. If Rebecca Soni had not yet learned to race and pace in a shiny suit, then you might also say that Nadja Higl had not until this month figured as a contender for the podium at world level. Not even close. 

At the turn of the year, Higl, 22 in 2009, languished at 241st on the all-time list. Now she is 4th. In May this year, Higl improved her lifetime best from 2:30.51 to 2:29.88. In early July, she started to step up a gear. In the past month, she has wiped 8.26sec off her best 200m breaststroke time and finds herself a world champion.

For that, she gets the prize for the maddest moment of the maddest meet in history.

Higl's Comet:

The question is: how does that happen? By any measure you care to take, by and standard you wish to look at, the above is aberration beyond.