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Zhao Storms To 26.27CR In Back Dash

Dec 19, 2010  - Craig Lord

Dubai, world s/c championships, day 5 finals:

Women's 50m backstroke

Zhao Jing (CHN) took gold in a storming 26.27 championship record ahead of Rachel Goh (AUS), on 26.54, with bronze going to Mercedes Peris (ESP), on 26.80. 

The result:

  • Zhao 26.27 CR
  • Goh 26.54
  • Peris 26.80
  • Miyuki Takemura (JPN) 26.91
  • Gao Chang (CHN) 27.00
  • Anastasia Zueva (RUS) 27.01
  • Aleksandra Herasimenia (BLR) 27.02
  • Fabiola Molina (BRA) 27.67 

More later.

History in the making:

World s/c Podiums

  • 2010: 26,27; 26.54; 26.80
  • 2008: 26.37; 26.70; 26.81
  • 2006: 27.00; 27.25; 27.28

Most world titles in this event:  never retained

Records (TB = best ever in a textile suit)

  • WR:  25.70 Sanja Jovanovic (CRO) 12.12.09
  • TB:   26.00 Gao Chang (CHN) date date date date 

Most world records in this event (since specific 25m records began in 1991): 4

  • Sanja Jovanovic (CRO) 2007-09

All-time textile rankings top 5:

  • 26.00 Gao 2010
  • 26.50 Jovanovic 2007
  • 26.64 Goh 2010
  • 26.66 Terakawa 2010
  • 26.77 Guehrer 2010

From the archive: 

The story of world record holder Sanja Jovanovic is a moving one, a tale of war, refugees, parents' divorce and a mother's serious illness. "I grew up in exile 12 years," Jovanovic told reporter Dean Bauer of the Sportske novosti in Zagreb, Croatia, earlier this year. "We were expelled during the war from our home in Mokošica [a village near Dubrovnik, near the Croatian border and Montenegro]. We lived very poorly. Without money, with a mother who had to to deal with us four girls at home, and unemployment. Despite it all, she still followed and supported my sporting life. Really, it was very hard." Asked how much that played a part in motivation, she replied: "I always say that if it had not been for our misfortune then I may not have achieved my four world records. The troubled environment in which we grew up prompted me to  work even harder, put in more effort, make more sacrifice and reject nothing on the grounds that it was difficult. That gave me the motivation to seize the day. At that time, a lot of colleagues who began with me luckily didn't face poverty. Maybe they then lacked a little of the tenacity that I had and still have. Today I am grateful to God for everything. Today I am a happy, young, athlete." In a state of poverty, Sanja's mother encouraged her to put her energies into swimming. "Mum 'pushed' me a little, from time to time. When I didn't want to go on training, she gave me 2 kunas (cca 0.25 cents) and said 'come on, go swimming and buy donuts". We had no money for new swimming suits. I had the old one a very long time. And when it broke, you know what children are like ... it was embarrassing and I suffered a lot of teasing, understandably."