TWINKSIE
July 30, 2009, 01:22 AM
Mary Descenza was down in the dumps after missing the Olympic team.
But Descenza, born in Middlesex, was on top of the world Wednesday.
The 24-year-old American, who failed to qualify for the Beijing Games, set the 16th world record of the swimming championships in the preliminaries of the 200-meter butterfly. Her time of 2 minutes, 4.14 seconds beat the mark of 2:04.18 set by China's Liu Zige at the Beijing Games.
"Oh my God! I didn't even think I was going that fast," said Descenza, who is sponsored by TYR Sport but switched to one of the faster Jaked suits for worlds. "It was a very big surprise, an awesome surprise. I was just so excited when I saw that time. I didn't even know it was a world record until it actually flashed up on the screen."
Descenza is competing in her fifth world championships, winning one gold, three silvers and one bronze at her previous appearances. But she's never made an Olympic team, and her failure to break through in 2008 was a huge setback. She made the finals in three events, finishing fourth in both the 200 fly and the 200 backstroke and tied for sixth in the 100 fly -- none of them good enough to get on the team.
But Descenza, born in Middlesex, was on top of the world Wednesday.
The 24-year-old American, who failed to qualify for the Beijing Games, set the 16th world record of the swimming championships in the preliminaries of the 200-meter butterfly. Her time of 2 minutes, 4.14 seconds beat the mark of 2:04.18 set by China's Liu Zige at the Beijing Games.
"Oh my God! I didn't even think I was going that fast," said Descenza, who is sponsored by TYR Sport but switched to one of the faster Jaked suits for worlds. "It was a very big surprise, an awesome surprise. I was just so excited when I saw that time. I didn't even know it was a world record until it actually flashed up on the screen."
Descenza is competing in her fifth world championships, winning one gold, three silvers and one bronze at her previous appearances. But she's never made an Olympic team, and her failure to break through in 2008 was a huge setback. She made the finals in three events, finishing fourth in both the 200 fly and the 200 backstroke and tied for sixth in the 100 fly -- none of them good enough to get on the team.