Marco Koch Delivers 2:07.96 200 Breast at Sette Colli, Ties For 5th in World

2019 SETTE COLLI TROPHY

• June 21-23, 2019
• Stadio Olimpico Curva Nord, Rome, Italy
• LCM
• Meet Site
• Sette Colli Records Entering 2019 Meet
• SwimSwam Preview
• Entry Lists
• Day 1 Prelims Recap/Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap/Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap
• Results

Germany’s Marco Koch destroyed his own meet record in the finals of the men’s 200 meter breaststroke tonight at the 2019 Sette Colli Trophy in Rome. The previous meet record stood at 2:08.74, set by Koch in 2012.

Koch’s time of 2:07.96 moves the 2015 World Champion to a tie for 5th in the world this year, a position he now shares with Britain’s Ross Murdoch.

The swim tonight brings Koch within half-a-second of his lifetime best of 2:07.47 from the 2014 European Championships, a swim which establishes him as the 15th-fastest performer all-time in the event, and the 6th-fastest European performer all-time in the 200 breast.

Koch strung together three impressive 50s to even-split the race from 50 meters onward. At the first wall, Koch split 29.74, turning 4th, well behind Japan’s Yasuhiro Koseki who took the early lead in 28.88. Koseki maintained his lead though the 100-meter turn (1:01.52) and the 150-meter turn (1:35.05), but Koch had already made up most of the deficit by that point. The German stormed home in 32.72, mowing down Koseki, who faded to a 33.97 for a final time of 2:09.02. Koseki now ranks 7th in the world this year with his 2:08.05 from February. Italy’s Luca Pizzini, meanwhile, placed 3rd tonight in 2:10.46.

Koch’s splits Setti Colli 2019:

• 1st 50: 29.74
• 2nd 50: 32.75 (1:02.49)
• 3rd 50: 32.75 (1:35.24)
• 4th 40: 32.72 (2:07.96)