Urlando wins duel with Foster in Pan Pacs 200m fly
Luca Urlando's Championship Record time of 1:53.11 stood up at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in the men's 200m butterfly. American Carson Foster came in runner-up just over a half second behind.
Video Transcript
Kristof Milak still holds the world record from 2022.
Anton Semenyuk from Canada, fifth at the World Juniors in this race last summer.
18 years of age in lane one.
Chris Myhle from South Africa, another 18-year-old, the reigning world junior champion of this event.
He'll be in lane two.
From Australia, another top performer, Harrison Turner, on the podium with world bronze last summer in Singapore.
Just won Commonwealth Games silver a couple of weeks ago in Scotland.
There's Luca Urlando, the reigning world champ, the California native, college swimmer at Georgia.
Took the title in Singapore last summer, overcoming some serious shoulder issues in his career.
He's the top qualifier from the heats.
Carson Foster, second quick, and the American fifth at the Worlds last year in this race.
Paris Olympic bronze for him in the 400 IM.
Chen Junyi from China, world finalist in this event last summer.
A second Canadian here in the final, Benjamin Lowen, fourth at the World University Games in the 200 fly last summer in Germany.
And Kai Weelen, 17 years of age, representing South Africa, will be in lane eight.
And Michael Phelps, he was, pretty good in, in, in butterfly, wouldn't you, Rowdy?
You think?
Yeah.
Right in front of us with his family, watching the meet.
Still the American record holder in this race.
And here's the next gen guy in the 200 fly, Rowdy.
All of those injury issues, emotional moment for him to win the world title last summer.
It was.
Didn't swim a lot this year, dealing with some other injury.
Looked spectacular winning the US national title a couple of weeks ago.
And oh yeah, Carson Foster, whenever he's on the blocks, feels like he's gonna be a factor.
Yeah, no question about it.
He's been a guy that's been around a long time.
So incredibly versatile.
Wonderful IMer obviously with that Olympic bronze medal.
Take your marks.
Excellent field here.
Four of the top seven from the Worlds last summer in the mix in this final.
Yeah, including that world champion right there in the middle who, whose splits, we'll try to kind of keep track of to see if he's going to be on pace to do that time that made him the fourth fastest swimmer in history.
He was 25 flat going out last time.
He's not gonna even be first here.
In fact, he's second, 25.4.
So again, a little bit off of that pace if you're trying to peek a little bit ahead into that crystal ball to see what he's capable of doing at the end.
The 100 is gonna be a really big sign right now.
Urlando and Foster, lane four.
Urlando above his American counterpart.
Foster from Cincinnati, Ohio.
Great college career at Texas.
They're still one, two, separated by about 1/10.
Turner third best.
Yeah, much better for Urlando.
Carson Foster right on his best time ever at the 100 fly mark.
And but you look at Urlando, he just looks so much better.
He's quick, compact, that arm tempo, that cycle kind of goes over the top.
Little light, steady kick behind him that supports that tempo.
Good 350 coming up here.
Watch the split for him there, 29.2, not bad at all.
He's 23 flat.
That's about a second slower than his lifetime best of 1:51.
But still tracking, Jason, to get under 53.
His prelim swim was the second fastest time in the world this year, only behind the great Leon Marchand of France.
Urlando looking to power his way to a title here at Pan Pacs.
Can Foster hang on for second?
It looks like another one, two run for Team USA at home in Irvine.
And it's a championship record as well for Luca Urlando, 1:53.11 seconds.
And it's official, on the board.
Urlando and American fans breathing a sigh of relief.
That championship Pan Pacs record stands.
Urlando and Foster, one, two here at home in Irvine.
Congratulations, Luca.
You're back, man.
Coming off an, an injury, how good does it feel to have that win?
Oh man, it's so exciting.
I'm super stoked.
Would young Luca ever imagine that Michael Phelps would be sitting in the stands watching you race and you just broke his record?
Definitely not.
That, that's the dream right there.
I said, "Michael, is that your record?"
He goes, "Yeah, they're all gone now."
How did that last 100 feel?
You looked so dominant.
It felt good.
Tightened up a little bit, but I'll take it.
And then I gotta ask, does it add a little fire to your fuel competing on US soil?
Absolutely.
Yeah, LA in two years, I can't wait.
And what do you want to say I saw your fans jumping up and down over there.
What do you want to say to them?
Oh, thank you guys, and I love you so much.
Congratulations, Luca
