Laszlo Cseh Sets Euro Meet Record in 200 Fly Semi-Finals

2016 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 3

• Monday, May 16th – Sunday, May 22nd
• Prelims: 10:00 AM (London Time) / 5:00 AM (Eastern Time)
• Finals: 6:00 PM (London Time) / 1:00 PM (Eastern Time)
• London Aquatics Center, London, UK
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Live Stream

In the semi-finals of the men’s 200 fly reigning world champion Laszlo Cseh put up the top time in 1:54.29, which is a new Championship record. The time eclipses the previous record of 1:54.38 set by Poland’s Pawel Korzeniowski at the 2008 Championships in Eindhoven where he won gold. Cseh was the 2012 champion in Debrecen, and didn’t compete in the event two years ago in Berlin.

Here’s a comparative look at Cseh’s splits today versus Korzeniowski’s from 2008:

• Korzeniowski, 2008 European Finals: 25.94 / 54.73 (28.79) / 1:24.25 (29.52) / 1:54.38 (30.13)
• Cseh, 2016 European Semis: 25.21 / 54.79 (29.58) / 1:24.77 (29.98) / 1:54.29 (29.52)

Look for Cseh to lower the record again in the final tomorrow, where he’ll be the overwhelming favorite for gold. Denmark’s Viktor Bromer was the 2nd qualifier nearly a full second behind 1:55.28.

Cseh was the 2o15 World champion when he won with a time of 1:53.48 in Kazan, and is the second fastest performer in history with his time of 1:52.70 from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing where he won silver.

Cseh already won silver in the 50 fly at this meet, which was his 20th career medal at the European Championships. He’ll hunt down number 21 tomorrow in the final, and will have a good shot at another in the 100 fly later. He scratched the 200 IM after posting the top time in the prelims.