Trickett celebrates with a treat
Spaghetti and chocolate. What better way to celebrate becoming a
world record holder and breaking through a barrier thought
impregnable not too long ago?
That was victory supper for Libby Trickett last night after
she smashed the world 100m freestyle record of German Britta
Steffen (53.30s), and became the first woman to swim under 53
seconds, with her stunning 52.88s performance.
But there was little rest for the new world record holder. She
was back in the pool this morning swimming the heats of the 50m
freestyle, and while she was only seventh fastest with a very
leisurely 26.05s, it was enough to see her advance to tonight’s
semi-finals.
“I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night, I was in bed by
midnight but I couldn’t sleep. So this morning was just about
making the semis, so I’m happy with that swim,” Trickett said.
Asked about how she celebrated, she replied: “I had spaghetti and a
little chocolate as well … don’t tell Stephan (Widmer, her
coach).
“Look it’s part of this sport we’re in. Even if you have
successes or disappointments, you still have more work to do.
Coming in and having to race again brings you back to reality, but
I’m very proud of my achievement last night.”
After her amazing performance, the question must be asked if
Trickett can now take a shot at the 50m freestyle world record.
That time stands at 24.09s set this week by Dutch sprinter Marleen
Veldhuis at the European Championships in The Netherlands.
Trickett’s best time stands at 24.53s, so she still has a long
way to go to get near the Dutchwoman’s mark.
“I would be so happy with a PB. and that’s the honest truth,”
she said. “I’d love to go sub-24.50s because I’ve been hanging
around that time for a couple of years now. I feel like I’m due for
a drop, but you can never tell until the day.
“My freestyle is going well, I came home faster than I ever have
before (in the 100m), which is really exciting for my back end
speed, now I have to see what my front end speed is doing.”
Fastest into the semis was Alice Mills who posted a 25.23s time,
with 15-year-old Cate Campbell next best in 25.52s.
Campbell also swam a personal best in the 100m freestyle, a
53.81s effort which secured her second place behind Trickett and an
individual swim in the event in Beijing. But her main focus is the
50m freestyle.
“Last night was really exciting, and now I’m on the team, it’s
just fun,” she said of the 50m.
Asked if perhaps she was looking at the world record mark, she
said: “I don’t like to think of the outcome of what I can do. I
like to get in and see what I can do. Once I touch the wall, I’m
like: “wow, I can do that”. I don’t think before (a race) “could I
do this?” It doesn’t work like that.”
Swimming against someone like Trickett could be imposing and
intimidating for someone so young, but it’s not a concern for
Campbell.
“Libby, she’s a great competitor don’t get me wrong, but she’s
just another person,” Campbell said. “She is the world record
holder, she’s not a super hero. She’s just another person and I
think it’s just a great experience racing against her. I’m really
lucky to have her in Australia because it pushes me faster.”
In the men’s 1,500m heats this morning, Grant Hackett
comfortably qualified fastest in a time of 15min.10.91s.
The man most likely to win the second individual berth in the
event for the Games, Craig Stevens was second quickest in
15min.14.78s, almost nine seconds ahead of the third fastest, Trent
Grimsey.
Meanwhile some of America’s leading swim coaches have bought
into the debate over the new Speedo LZR Racer suits.
“I think there are a lot of factors that go into the success of
athletes and not one of them is going to be an overriding thing, it
is just part of the equation,” Bob Bowman, the man who coaches
Michael Phelps, told the Swimnews website.
“I don’t think the suit itself is anything magic I just think that
it is very good.”
And six-time Olympic coach Richard Quick said while the suit is
obviously helpful, “It is a very difficult thing to stop
technology.
“The same thing happened with the lycra suit back in the 70s,”
he said of the spate of records. “When we put on the lycra suits
for the first time every single American record was broken, just
like that in one meet.
“So this isn’t unusual to me to see this happening. As long as
everybody gets in the same suit it is still the best athletes that
will perform better than the others.”
