Justina Kozan Closes 200 IM in 29.75, Faster than All 2020 Olympic Finalists | SwimSwam

By Spencer Penland on SwimSwam

2021 SPEEDO SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS – IRVINE

• August 3-7
• William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Website (USA Swimming)
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Live Stream (USA Swimming)

SATURDAY FINALS HEAT SHEET

Day 5 – Saturday, August 7

• Women’s 1500 Freestyle
• 200 Individual Medley
• Men’s 800 Freestyle
• 50 Freestyle
• 4 x 100 Medley Relay

WOMEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY — FINALS

PODIUM:

1. Justina Kozan (MVN) – 2:11.96
2. Teagan O’Dell (NOVA) – 2:12.53
3. Campbell Stoll (EBSC) – 2:16.92

Mission Viejo 17-year-old Justina Kozan clcoked a 2:11.96 to win the women’s 200 IM tonight in Irvine, marking her 4th title of the meet. Kozan’s time was not a personal best, but it was her fastest time as a 17-year-old, so it resulted in her landing at #12 all-time among 17-18 girls, and #10 all-time among 17-year-olds.

The bigger story, however, is the most recent in a long line for Kozan. That would be her absolutely incredible closing speed in the 200 IM. Kozan has made waves before for bringing 200 IMs home in under 30 seconds on freestyle, and she did it again tonight. Her free split tonight was 29.75, which was the fastest split in tonight’s field by nearly 2 seconds.

More impressively is how Kozan’s free split stacks up against the best in the world. For example, her 29.75 tonight was exactly 1 second faster than the fastest freestyle split in the final of the women’s 200 IM at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics a few weeks ago. 200 IM Gold medalist Yui Ohashi of Japan posted the fastest free split in the Olympic final, a 30.75.

Here are the free splits from all 8 of the women’s 200 IM Olympic finalists:

• Yui Ohashi (JPN) – 30.75
• Alex Walsh (USA) – 30.95
• Kate Douglass (USA) – 30.81
• Abbie Wood (GBR) – 31.24
• Yu Yiting (CHN) – 31.21
• Sydney Pickrem (CAN) – 30.83
• Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 31.11
• Alicia Wilson (GBR) – 32.43

Now, onto Kozan’s swim as a whole tonight. Her time of 2:11.96 was just off her lifetime best of 2:11.55, which she swam at the 2019 World Junior Championships. Kozan’s swim tonight was her fastest since her lifetime best performance.

Here is a split comparison between Kozan’s personal best swim and her swim from tonight:

Splits	2019 World Jr Champs – Lifetime Best	2021 Speedo Summer Champs – FINALS
50m	28.24	29.18
100m	34.72	35.18
150m	38.62	37.85
200m	29.97	29.75
Final Time	2:11.55	2:11.96

Firstly, it’s notable that her free splits on both occasions were under 30 seconds. She was slower on fly and back tonight than she was in 2019, but she was also significantly faster on the breaststroke 50. Tonight, Kozan was 1.40 seconds slower on the first 100, but she came home 0.99 seconds faster on the 2nd 100 than her 2019 performance.

Here is the all-time top 12 for 17-18 girls in the LCM 200 IM:

Rank	Time	Swimmer	Date
1	2:09.01	Alex Walsh	12/5/2019
2	2:10.02	Elizabeth Pelton	12/1/2011
3	2:10.05	Katie Hoff	8/1/2006
4	2:10.38	Torri Huske	6/15/2021
5	2:10.75	Elizabeth Beisel	8/2/2011
6	2:11.11	Dagny Knutson	7/7/2009
7	2:11.26	Meghan Small	7/18/2015
8	2:11.28	Caitlin Leverenz	6/29/2008
9	2:11.36	Rika Omoto	2/18/2017
10	2:11.90	Sydney Pickrem	4/1/2015
11	2:11.92	Maya DiRado	8/2/2011
12	2:11.96	Justina Kozan	8/7/2021

 

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