FLASH! Mollie O’Callaghan Blasts World Record in 200 Freestyle; Takes Even into Sub-1:50 Territory
One week after breaking the Australian record in the short-course version of the 200-meter freestyle, Mollie O’Callaghan went faster than anyone in history in the event. Racing at the World Cup stop in Westmont (Ill.) on Saturday night, O’Callaghan broke the world record with a performance of 1:49.77, the first sub-1:50 effort. That time bettered the previous standard, held by Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey at 1:50.31 since the 2021 World Short Course Championships.
A former world-record holder in the 200 freestyle (LC), O’Callaghan was expected to threaten Haughey’s record after her effort last week. At the opening leg of the World Cup circuit in Carmel (Ind.), O’Callaghan clocked a mark of 1:50.77, which made her the No. 3 performer of all-time. Only Haughey and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom (1:50.43) had been faster.
O’Callaghan didn’t waste any time taking command of the final in the Chicago suburbs, as she opened with a split of 25.70 to take the lead over Dutchwoman Marrit Steenbergen by more than a half-second. O’Callaghan went through the midway point of the race in 53.59, which was more than a second faster than anyone in the field.
Relying on her closing speed, which has always been a trademark of the 21-year-old, O’Callaghan split 28.30 for the third 50 meters and come home in 27.88 to punctuate the world record and break the 1:50 barrier. Overall, the major work was done on the front and back ends of the race, where O’Callaghan was significantly faster than Haughey.
A comparison of the O’Callaghan-Haughey splits:
O’Callaghan: 25.70-53.59 (27.89)-1:21.89 (28.30)-1:49.77 (27.88)
Haughey: 26.20-53.81 (27.61)-1:22.03 (28.22)-1:50.31 (28.29)
Behind O’Callaghan, countrywoman Lani Pallister was the runnerup, going 1:52.06 to finish ahead of American Anna Peplowski, who turned in a time of 1:52.54.
