When it comes to Ranomi Kromowidjojo this year the overriding question has to be...What might have been in 2010?
She started the year in white hot fashion with blazing times of 24.40 (LC 50m Free) and 53.44 (LC 100m Free) back in March. Even after all the major LC competitions this summer, she remains top ranked in the world over 100m Free and second in the 50m Free. Fully tapered at Europeans, Britta Steffen's textile best time of 53.30 surely would have gone... and by some margin. Unfortunately for Kromowidjojo and Holland, she was hit with a bout of Meningitis in July, before she could perform at Europeans...
... as a result its all the sweeter that she should have returned at the European Short Course Champs, on home soil, in such top form.
Here's a run down of her phenomenal performances from last week's competition.
1.) Women's 100m Freestyle Final - 51.44 (Last year in Istanbul - 51.44)
The 4th best performance of all time, equalling her time exactly from last year's corresponding competition. Missed the WR by just 0.43 seconds.
2.) Womens's 50m Freestyle Final - 23.58 (Last year in Istanbul - 23.58!)
The 10th best performance of all time, equalling her time exactly from last year's corresponding competition. Missed the WR by just 0.33 seconds.
3.) Women's 4 x 50m Medley Relay - Freestyle split - 22.70. (Last year in Istanbul - 22.70!!)
Equals her own fastest relay split of all-time, EQUALLING HER TIME FROM LAST YEAR'S CORRESPONDING COMPETITION!
4.) Women's 4x50m Freestyle Relay - Split 23.09. (Last year in Istanbul - 23.03. So close!)
The Dutch team get pretty close to their own World Record, just 1.09 seconds away.
Had Marleen Veldhuis' 23.38 from the relay heats replaced Femke Heemskerk's 23.79 from the final, and Kromowidjojo swam the 22.70 that came later in the competition, a difference of 0.8 seconds, they would have missed the WR by just 0.29.
For the 100m Free in Shanghai 2011 and London 2012, I'm making Kromowidjojo favourite with Fran Halsall her closest competition.
PS. Has anyone in major competition history, ever swum four races, equalled their time from the year before in three of those races, and been just 0.06 seconds off in the fourth race? Only logical explanation is that Ranomi Kromowidjojo is a robot, unaffected by suit law changes.
PPS. Thanks to Youtube user
No problem Tom ;)
ReplyDeleteIf you want to do me a favor : also put a link on the URL :)
Done!
ReplyDeleteShe can go faster. Looks like she's got a tiny slip on her right arm, just when the hand enters. Very small pause...
ReplyDeleteVery, very fast, though. Very fast.
so looking forward to seeing a head to head Ranomi and Fran at a major meet when they are both fit should be so close and I suspect there will be 3 or 4 others in the mix as well there normally is in the short sprints ! very exciting times ahead!
ReplyDeleteI dont think she would have got steffens time, She is matching her best, not bettering and she will need to better it to get to Steffens 53.30, also look at her shoulders! she has really beefed up this winter, i think when Fran is fit and Bulks up over the next 2 winters she will be the better sprinter, she is soo small at the minute and 53.58 untapered with an injured leg shouts volumes, I think a Steffen,Kromowidjojo & Halsall will be the 2012 showdown, with 4 me Fran being most talented!
ReplyDeleteYes, but she is matching her best in a textile suit compared to the tech suit she wore last year. Look at the difference between last year and this year... last year she was winning silvers, this year she is light years ahead. She has improved, and in my eyes, has also become the best female sprinter in world swimming.
ReplyDeleteInteresting point about talent though... 2006 European Juniors, 50m Free... 1st. Fran Halsall 25.28, 2nd Ranomi Kromowidjojo 25.81...
Interesting points made by everyone, I agree with the poster about Halsall, We cant play too much on Halsall being untapered or having needed surgery on her Ankle but i do think her build is a big point, When she bulks up she will be stronger and more explosive, like Kromowidjojo this year, for me Halsall is the more talented of the two, But we will see in 2012, if Halsall is bulked up gradually as planned, i think she will be Olympic champ.
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