FINA Championships Close
A record number of world records were set at the International Aquatics Federation world championships which closed on Sunday in Rome.
With four more records set on the last day of competition, including Michael Phelps' fifth gold medal winning the 100m butterfly, a total of 43 world records were set at the championships.
The flood of world records could be attributed to hi-tech all-polyurethane swimsuits which aid buoyancy and serve as performance enhancers. FINA allowed the use of the suits for the first time at the world championships, and then said during the event they would be banned at the start of 2010.
That means many of the world records set are likely to remain for several years.
The pace with which the records were broken led to indignation from a number of people. Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans said the records being set made "a mockery of the sport."
Phelps raced without the aid of new swimsuits on his way to winning the FINA Championships Trophy for the best male swimmer. Federica Pellegrini won the women's title and the Team USA was named the best team.
In the water polo tournament, which also finished Sunday, Serbia defeated Spain to take the gold in the men's competition while Croatia edged out the U.S. in the bronze medal game. The U.S. women were more successful taking the gold over Canada, and Russia defeated Greece for the bonze.
The next FINA world championships take place in Abu Dhabi in 2011. The city will also host the 2010 short course world championships. Shanghai will host the 2013 edition.
Hironoshin Furuhashi, 80, Olympian, Swimming Leader
FINA and Japanese sport is mourning the man known as "the flying fish" for his exploits in swimming more than 50 years ago.
Hironoshin Furuhashi died Sunday in Rome where he was attending the FINA World Championships. Heart failure is the reported cause. Furuhashi was a FINA vice president.
Born in 1928, Furuhashi set world records in the years after World War II, but competed in only one Olympics, finishing eighth in the 400 meters, his signature event. Post-war sanctions kept Japan out of FINA as well as the 1948 Olympics, so his records could not be recognized by the swimming federation. His times in 1948 were good enough to beat the Olympic
champions.
Prime Minister Tara Aso, himself a 1976 Olympian, says Furuhashi was an inspiration to Japan following the war.
"His world record in the 400m freestyle gave a ray of hope to the Japanese when the country was depressed after its defeat in war," is how Jiji Press quotes Aso.
Furuhashi led the Japanese Olympic Committee from 1990 to 1999, a period that included the Nagano Olympics. He was also president of the Japanese Swimming Federation.
"We were humbled by Mr Furuhashi's active support for our Tokyo 2016 Olympic Bid. Even during the FINA Swimming World Championships we talked every day and he kept encouraging us to push forward," said Tokyo 2016 President Dr.
Ichiro Kono in a statement issued from Rome, where he is attending the FINA
championships.
Brazil's Cielo Fastest Man in the World
Cesar Cielo became the most decorated Brazilian swimmer in history with his victories in the 50m and 100m freestyles in Rome. Cielo, who also won Brazil's first Olympic swimming gold medal in Beijing, said bringing the 2016 Olympics to Rio de Janeiro would be "very important for Brazilian sport. The Pan American Games have already shown this; in swimming they stimulated huge interest and growth. So we are all eager to have an edition of the Olympic Games in our country."
Cielo was emotional on the victory podium after winning the 100m with a world record time of 46.91 seconds. He shed tears as the crowd at the Foro Italico clapped in support.
"It's not easy being Brazilian," Cielo said. "Everyone expects that when you race, you should win, and coming in second is a disappointment. When I went to race, I couldn't feel my hands; my face, yet I knew I had to perform even though I couldn't feel my body."
Written by Ed Hula III.
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