DMs and Elevator Texts: Pan Pacs Swimmers React to Johannes Liebmann World Record
Bobby Finke was done shaving Saturday morning ahead of the final day of the Pan Pacific Championships when he opened Instagram. He was confused as to why he had a slew of DMs, most of them from people he didn’t now.
The subject caused him to hop over to the results of the European Championships.
“I was not really expecting to get out of re-shaving and then get alerts on my phone. It’s kind of funny, people DM you, like just random people DM you, like yo, change your bio,” Finke said. “I’m like, what happened, guys? And I checked the results, and I was really shocked.”
Finke’s bio lists him as a world record holder. That’s now former record holder after Johannes Liebmann, the 19-year-old German, dashed his mark in the 1,500 freestyle by more than four seconds.
Liebmann won the event at Euros in Paris in 14:25.79. It’s a stunning drop of 3.88 seconds from Finke’s time in Paris, which trimmed .35 ticks off Sun Yang’s record from the 2012 Olympics.
For perspective, Finke’s record was 3.89 seconds quicker than the world record set by Grant Hackett … in 2001. That’s 23 years and a revolution in suit-making technology to fall four seconds, then two years to go the next four thanks to Liebmann.
“I think it’s one where you look and it’s gob smacking to see someone break a world record by four seconds,” Aussie Lani Pallister said after her win over Katie Ledecky in the 800 freestyle. “It’s honestly unbelievable.”
Pallister and her Aussie distance mate Sam Short were in a hotel elevator for part of Liebmann’s swim. Short, in the midst of an outstanding meet, didn’t need strangers on Instagram to tell him what was happening, since he was tuned in. And in a rarity for the Queenslander, it instilled doubt.
“Usually I’m at home and I see some times and I’m like, I can do that, just give me the opportunity,” Short said. “But this morning I saw that and probably was the first time I was like, I don’t know if I can do that just yet. That was just incredible.”
Short gave it a go at night. He won the 1,500 in 14:33.97, downing Hackett’s time which remained the Australian record. It made Short the sixth all-time performer and was the eighth-best performance all-time. He did it in front of Ian Thorpe, a guest at Irvine’s Woollett Aquatics Center, and capped a meet in which he did the 400/800/1,500 treble while also getting silver on the 800 free relay.
As for Finke, as of Sunday morning, the edits are made to Instagram bio. He did so with a little sadness and a little pride at how his discipline has evolved.
“A little sad about it; I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t,” he said, after finishing third in the mile. “But I feel like I’d be taking away from the sport not to be proud of them and excited for what he’s able to do. He’s only 19 years old, and he’s got a big future.”
