Germany takes gold in first mixed relay in the pool
Source: Agencies |
October 4, 2012, Thursday
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BRITTA Steffen found herself chased by two elite male swimmers, holding on to a lead that was quickly shrinking.
In the sport's first top-level event featuring both genders, Steffen made sure it was ladies first at the meet on Tuesday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The German held off two fast-charging male swimmers to anchor her country to victory in a mixed 4x50-meter medley relay at a short-course World Cup meet that provided exactly the kind of drama organizers had been hoping for.
"It's enjoyable and good team building," Steffen said. "It was also good to see what I can do under pressure against the men."
Germany gambled by putting Steffen - a world record-holder in the 50 freestyle - on the final leg, but it proved to be a successful tactic as her teammates gave her a lead of half a pool length. Hungary's Krisztian Takacs and Ukraine's Sergii Frolov took off after her and closed the gap, but Steffen made sure Germany won by a comfortable margin.
Germany finished in 1 minute, 43.21 seconds, 2.10 seconds faster than Hungary. Ukraine was a further .58 seconds back.
The mixed relays, which feature two men and two women on each team, is being introduced at all eight World Cup meetings this season. The sport's governing body FINA says it's a bid to move the sport forward.
If successful, FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu said mixed relays could be part of the program at the short-course world championship in December.
The first one certainly lived up to expectations.
Unlike mixed relays in some other sports, like biathlon, the swim teams can choose to put the women on any of the four legs. It provides plenty of lead changes and drama, as it makes it difficult to tell which team has the edge at any given point.
"It was really fun especially since some of the guys were swimming against all girls and some of the girls against guys," said Hungary's Katinka Hosszu.
In the sport's first top-level event featuring both genders, Steffen made sure it was ladies first at the meet on Tuesday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The German held off two fast-charging male swimmers to anchor her country to victory in a mixed 4x50-meter medley relay at a short-course World Cup meet that provided exactly the kind of drama organizers had been hoping for.
"It's enjoyable and good team building," Steffen said. "It was also good to see what I can do under pressure against the men."
Germany gambled by putting Steffen - a world record-holder in the 50 freestyle - on the final leg, but it proved to be a successful tactic as her teammates gave her a lead of half a pool length. Hungary's Krisztian Takacs and Ukraine's Sergii Frolov took off after her and closed the gap, but Steffen made sure Germany won by a comfortable margin.
Germany finished in 1 minute, 43.21 seconds, 2.10 seconds faster than Hungary. Ukraine was a further .58 seconds back.
The mixed relays, which feature two men and two women on each team, is being introduced at all eight World Cup meetings this season. The sport's governing body FINA says it's a bid to move the sport forward.
If successful, FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu said mixed relays could be part of the program at the short-course world championship in December.
The first one certainly lived up to expectations.
Unlike mixed relays in some other sports, like biathlon, the swim teams can choose to put the women on any of the four legs. It provides plenty of lead changes and drama, as it makes it difficult to tell which team has the edge at any given point.
"It was really fun especially since some of the guys were swimming against all girls and some of the girls against guys," said Hungary's Katinka Hosszu.
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