Four new World Records were established on the eighth and final day of the swimming competitions at the 13th FINA World Championships in Rome (ITA). With these performances, a total of 43 global marks were set in the Italian capital, a record in the history of FINA’s major event. The closing day of the championships was also highlighted by Phelps’ fifth gold and by the overwhelming proof of Britta Steffen’s title of “queen” of the sprint – the German also triumphed in the women’s 50m free, after winning the 100m on Day 6. Oussama Mellouli (TUN) confirmed his Olympic title in the men’s 1500m free, and Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu (20 years old) is definitely the revelation of the championships after getting her third medal, this time the gold in the women’s 400m individual medley. Finally, Ryan Lochte (USA) was best in the men’s medley events after triumphing in the 400m (he had also won the 00m on Day 5). The FINA Championships Trophy for the best male swimmer went to Michael Phelps (USA), while Federica Pellegrini (ITA) was best among women. The award for the best Team went to the USA.

At the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, the most “difficult” of Michael Phelps’ eight gold medals was undoubtedly his win in the men’s 100m butterfly. In a thrilling duel with Serbia’s Milorad Cavic, the American legend triumphed by the minimum possible difference of 0.01 (50.58 for Phelps and 50.59 for Cavic). In Rome, at the 13th FINA World Championships, Phelps and Cavic were once more the fastest in the semi-finals, with the Serbian establishing a new World Record of 50.01. Therefore, the decisive race in this event was perhaps the most awaited final of these championships.

Olympic champion in 2008 and world record holder over the distance - after her 52.22 effort in the first leg of the German 4x100m free relay on Day 1 - Britta Steffen did not disappoint in the final of the women’s 100m free, which was the highlight of the sixth day of the swimming competitions of the 13th FINA World Championships. Despite a bad turn at the 50m-mark, Steffen was always in control of the race and touched the wall in 52.07, a new WR for this event. With this title, Steffen (25 years old) conquers her first world title (in the relay, Germany had been second), after being third two years ago in the 100m and second in the 4x200m free relay.

In one of the most thrilling finals so far in these 13th FINA World Championships in Rome (ITA), Brazil’s Cesar Cielo Filho had a perfect race in the men’s 100m free and got the gold in a new WR of 46.91 - faster than Eamon Sullivan (AUS), who clocked a 47.05 at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Cielo’s main obstacles in this race were the two French sprinters: Alain Bernard (Olympic champion in this event and fastest qualifier for the final in 47.27) and Fred Bousquet. With a bad start from which he was unable to recover, Bernard settled for silver in 47.12, while Bousquet, swimming in lane 8, took the bronze in 47.25.

Seven new World Records and clear victories from the local star Federica Pellegrini and worldwide legend Michael Phelps (USA) highlighted the fourth day of the swimming competitions at these 13th FINA World Championships, held in the Foro Italico in Rome (ITA). Pellegrini gave the second gold to her country (in the 200m free), also in a WR time, while Phelps wanted to forget as soon as possible his defeat in the 200m free and easily controlled the pace in the 200m butterfly in a WR performance. After being third in the 100m, Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) won the gold in the 50m breaststroke, while China’s Lin Zhang got a brilliant victory in the men’s 800m free. 

In the most awaited final (men’s 200m free) of the third day of the swimming competitions of the 13th FINA World Championships, Michael Phelps (USA) lost his duel with Germany’s Paul Biedermann, who had the race of his life and touched first in 1:42.00, smashing the World Record (WR) established by Phelps at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (1:42.96). Biedermann (23 years old on August 7 and the fastest of the semi-finals, in 1:43.65) controlled the pace from the initial dive and arrived about two metres ahead of the American champion (who clocked 1:43.22). It was Phelps’ first defeat in this event at the highest level since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, where he had been third behind Ian Thorpe (AUS, gold) and Pieter van den Hoogenband (NED, second); from then, he was first in Montreal 2005, Melbourne 2007 and Beijing 2008.

Sarah Sjostrom (SWE, 15 years old) and Ariana Kukors (USA, 20) were the two protagonists of the second day of the swimming competitions at the Foro Italico. Winners of the women’s 100m butterfly and 200m individual medley respectively in World Record times, these two names made in the best possible way their entry into the elite of world swimming. In a session marked by five new WR, Milorad Cavic (SRB, men’s 50m butterfly) won the first gold ever for his country, and Brenton Rickard (AUS) was best in the men’s 100m breaststroke. Regarding deceptions, the non-qualification of Aaron Peirsol (USA) for the final of the men’s 100m backstroke was a negative surprise.

Six new World Records and the first gold for superstar Michael Phelps (USA) highlighted the first day of the swimming competitions of the 13th FINA World Championships at the Foro Italico in Rome (ITA). Federica Pellegrini, the Italian “diva” was also first in the women’s 400m free, becoming the first woman to swim under the four-minute mark in this event. The women’s 4x100m free relay of Netherlands, and Paul Biedermann (GER), were the other winners of the day.

Dates of competition: July 26-August 2
Venue: Stadio del Nuoto
Capacity: 13,000 seats
Medal favourites: Men – Michael Phelps (USA) and all the team from USA, Oussama Mellouli (TUN), Tae-Hwan Park (KOR), Alain Bernard (FRA) and all the team from France, César Cielo (BRA), the team of Australia, Milorad Cavic (SRB), the team of Japan, Laszlo Cseh (HUN), the team of Italy; Women – Stephanie Rice (AUS) and all the team from Australia, Marleen Veldhuis (NED) and all the team from the Netherlands, Britta Steffen (GER), Federica Pellegrini (ITA) and all the team from Italy, Rebecca Adlington (GBR), Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), Katie Hoff (USA) and all the team from USA

After being the best “female swimmer” at the 2008 Olympics, “Steph” is ready for the 2009 Worlds

Stocks of Australia’s glamour swimmer Stephanie (“Steph”) Rice have been on the rise since she made her international debut at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in 2005. Like a tireless raging bull, Rice’s charge has been sustained throughout the whole Olympic term which started after the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and has led her to conquer three gold medals - in the 200m and 400m individual medley and 4x200m freestyle relay, all in world record times - at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.