W400 Medley: Katinka Hosszu 4:26 WR Adds New Line To A Truly Unique Profile

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Updated: August 7, 2016

The transformation from a woman who once raced her peers to one who dominates them is complete. Reminding us of the kind of dominance over 400m medley that we last saw in the age of Petra Schneider in 1980, Katinka Hosszu, of Hungary, added another line to a truly unique profile: 4:26.39. A world record of enormity – and that from a winner who is six years older than the average age of champions in the event down the years.

The world mark had stood at a controversial 4:28.43 to China’s Ye Shiwen, who at 16 in London raced to gold at the same pace as the men in the equivalent final over the last 100m on freestyle. Hosszu’s tale is not void of controversy, either.

The sighs and sinking spirits all about you up on the media bench are a sign of the times. These are a Games at which seeing is not necessarily believing, skepticism heavy in the air.

Hosszu is suing Swimming World and its website after it ran an article suggesting that the Hungarian’s progress was down to doping. Swimming World publisher Brent Rutemiller tweeted this night: “Speechless and Powerless”.

Hosszu not only dominated her event but raced it in a way that her rivals could not cope with and may never be able to fathom. This is not a newcomer in their midst; it is an athlete they have known for many a long year. Now they barely recognise her.

Take the breaststroke split of a woman who in textile has left her former self behind in all events and strokes and distances on the world-championships program since 2013: 1:16.11. As the splits below show, 1:18 was about where she’s been before Rio.

Among the world-class rest, the silver went to American Maya Dirado (USA) in 4:31.15, the bronze snatched at the last stroke by Spain’s Mireia Belmonte in 4:32.39 over Brit Hannah Miley‘s 4:32.54. Said Hosszu:

“Its just crazy that I’ve been able to swim 2sec faster than anyone else ever – it’s just crazy”

Hosszu added: “I’ve been chasing that world record for quite some time now. It’s been over seven years I’ve been thinking about it. This morning swimming so close to the record … I knew I could go faster. Honestly, I didn’t think I could go this much faster but it was just unbelievable that I have been able to break it by this much.”

“It’s been a long journey for me. In 2012, after graduating college and basically turning pro, I felt like London was my time to do it. I felt a lot of pressure and was super-nervous before the final. I remember not enjoying it, I just wanted it to be over. I was just afraid about what happens if I don’t win.”

Dorado’s take: “I wasn’t even worried about (Hosszu) being ahead. I was just looking around making sure that I would be on the podium. That’s an amazing time. I looked at the board and I was shocked for her, so congrats to Katinka. That’s amazing.”

“It was a lot of pieces and a lot of hard work coming together after a lot of years of training, and to be able to do that at the Olympics and get a silver medal is just unbelievable.”

Margins Of Victory

Schneider won by 10sec, Tracy Caulkins by 9 at boycotted Games. Set those apart and Hosszu’s win stands out in the history of the 400IM.

The world record cannot be compared to Ye’s pathway to a bizarre result. For the most part Hosszu was racing 5sec inside the pace of Ye in London, falling shy only on freestyle but by then the world record was well within her grasp. The rest of the line up looked as though they had stumbled into a timewarp and found themselves in the wrong race.

Ponder the splits

1:00.91; 2:08.39 (1:07.48) 3:24.50 (1:16.11) 4:26.36 (1:01.86) Hosszu WR 1:02.77; 2:10.94; 3:29.04; 4:31.15 DiRado 1:02.16; 2:12.74; 3:31.07; 4:32.39 Belmonte 1:02.93; 2:13.08; 3:29.84; 4:32.54 Miley Heading in Different Directions

The contrast was stark in lunchtime heats as Hosszu and Ye headed in opposite directions from London to Rio return.

The Hungarian, fourth in 4:33.49 back at London 2012 at 23 years of age, took down the European record with a 4:28.58. The world record proved a touch too far, still, Ye Shiwen’s controversial 4:28.43 at the age of 16 for gold in London standing the test of time.

Hosszu raced well inside Ye’s pace, turning 3sec ahead of target at the 200m and over 2sec inside at the 300m mark but Ye came home in 58.6, as fast as the blocked in London, an Olympic first, while Hosszu managed a 1:02 flat this morning.

The dominance of Hosszu is part of a truly unique profile in sport. Nowhere is it possible to find anything remotely close to the transformation of a 24 to 27 year-old who has wiped out her best pre-24-age form in every single world championships events, stroke and distance since 2013.

She had known success in her pre-2013 days, of course but even there the picture is like no other you will find in swimming history. Take the 400m medley:

2009 – 4:30.31 in shiny suit was her swiftest time ever. Beyond that, she had four swims from 2012 …

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