By Coleman Hodges on SwimSwam
While the world is taking mandatory time out of the water, we’ve been looking back at some really awesome races. And luckily, NBC, FINA, and other tele-providers have been helping us by putting up race videos from the vault. Todays comes from the 2007 Duel in the Pool, which was not only against Australia (later renditions were against the “European All-stars”) but was also long course.
It was the mixed 400 free relay (did not realize they had that event in 2007): the Aussies opted for the Female-Female-Male-Male Strategy, while the USA put 2 women in the middle and bookended with their males, the first of which was Michael Phelps. This put Phelps up against Libby Lenton. She didn’t do so bad, considering: Phelps split 48.72, while Lenton touched at 52.99, unofficially becoming the first woman under 53 in the 100 freestyle.
Splits:
| Australia: Libby Lenton– 52.99 Jodie Henry – 53.25 Eamon Sullivan– 48.19 Kendrick Monk – 48.96 Total – 3:23.41 | United States: Michael Phelps– 48.72 Kara Lynn Joyce– 54.04 Lacey Nymeyer– 54.16 Jason Lezak– 48.88 Total – 3:25.80 |
Read the full story on SwimSwam: The Woman Who Went Head-to-Head with Michael Phelps in Open Competition