Katinka Hosszu showed a little bit of a chip in the armor on Monday at the 2014 Indian Ocean Championships, but it was just a very small chip in very thick plating, as she won 5 golds and 1 silver in 6 individual events posted on day 2 of the 2014 Indian Ocean Championships (25) on Reunion Island.
Hosszu’s day started with a new Meet Record in the 100 backstroke of 57.82 – two-and-a-half seconds better than her countrymate Evelin Verraszto (1:00.49). Hosszu was much faster when she broke the World Record in this race in Doha (55.02), but was plenty-good here to pick up another win.
Next up for Hosszu was the timed-final of the 400 free, where she again crushed the field with a 4:02.18 – nine seconds better than runner-up Coralie Codevelle (4:11.69). Verraszto, the Hungarian Record holder, didn’t enter the 400 free in this meet, but could have given Hosszu a good run here.
Next up for Hosszu was the first of two Hungarian Records when she swam a 30.66 in the women’s 50 breaststroke A-Final. That swim, which was also a new Meet Record, beat Hosszu’s 31.12 that had been the old National Record in the event.
Charlotte Bonnet was 2nd int he 50 in 31.35.
Another Hosszu Meet Record, though not National Record, went by the wayside in 2:05.40 – another race where Hosszu was never seriously challenged, resulting in a time well short of her best.
The same story played out for Hosszu again in the women’s 100 IM: a win in 58.87, a relatively easy win (Bonnet was 2nd in 1:00.58), but not close to her lifetime best.
Closing the day on the women’s side came the one hiccup so far through two days of competition. Olympic Nice’s Anna Santamans swam a 24.41 in the 50 free to beat out Hosszu’s 24.43. Santamans broke the French National Record to place 9th in prelims at Worlds earlier in December, though she would just miss the final.
This did not, however, seem to be an immediate case of Hosszu coasting, saving energy, or fatigue: the 24.43 she swam for 2nd is a new personal best and a Hungarian Record. Her old best was a 24.58 from the Hong Kong stop of the World Cup.
On the men’s side, Frenchman Jeremy Stravius further showed that he’s progressing well in his return from injury. He started the day off for the men with a win in the 100 backstroke in 50.67 – another top-10 personal time for him, and his best since 2013.
He would later win the men’s 50 free in 21.56 beating out South African Roland Schoeman (22.04). The French punted on the 200 free relay at Worlds, but had Stravius been in attendance, healthy, and rested, they would have challenged both for gold and the World Record.
Schoeman would take the men’s 50 breaststroke with some ease by beating out Eddie Moueddene 26.85-27.43. That’s his only event win of the meet so far.
American Darian Townsend got his second win of the meet by taking the 100 IM in 53.23 – a full second ahead of runners-up Eddie Moueddene and Jeremy Desplanches in matching 54.41’s.
Desplanches picked up a second win of his own by topping the 400 free in 4:36.38.
What’s the pro purse $ at this meet? Way to go, “Ka-ching”-ka!! 😉
Just curious… how many events does Hosszu NOT hold the Hungarian record in???
floppy – at least half of them, hasn’t gotten any of the men’s records yet.
But I jest.
Will research that and post as an article – it’s an interesting question!
A commentator from the first day mentioned she now has 14 out of 18 possible Hungarian national records – impressive!