FINA Swimming World Cup
FINA Swimming World Cup 2013
FULL CALENDAR
| August 7-8 | Eindhoven (NED) |
| August 10-11 | Berlin (GER) |
| October 12-13 | Moscow (RUS) |
| October 17-18 | Dubai (UAE) |
| October 20-21 | Doha (QAT) |
| November 5-6 | Singapore (SIN) |
| November 9-10 | Tokyo (JPN) |
| November 13-14 | Beijing (CHN) |
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Thorpe posts 54.35 in 100 butterfly prelim swim at the "Water Cube"
Thorpe split a 25.29 at the 50 and stopped the clock at 54.35, finishing 13th out of a field of 27 athletes in the men's 100m butterfly. On November 5th at the recent Singapore edition the Australian Olympic legend split 25.27 and posted a final time of 54.09; he finished 11th out of 26 athletes in the same event.
Following the prelim session of the Beijing edition of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup, Ian Thorpe met with the media throng that had come to watch him swim and to get his reaction about his own comeback. Here's Ian Thorpe in his own words:
SWC 2011, Beijing day 1: South Africa's Chad Le Clos earns three gold medals
BEIJING, China - South Africa's Chad Le Clos made four trips to the medals podium during the first evening of the Beijing edition of the FINA/ARENA World Cup collecting three gold's and a silver in the 100m free, an event he swum for the first time in World Cup competition. The 19 year old is the current leader in the men's FINA World Cup rankings. Tonight's gold medal collection included championship titles in the 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly and the 100m individual medley.
When he finally got a break from racing and medal ceremonies Le Clos reflected on the motivation that he gained from the five medals that he earned at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore. "It was my first exposure to international competition and I was really nervous, but I can still remember every one of those races." At the Youth Olympic he won the 200m individual medley and would bring home three silver medals in individual events and a relay bronze.
What to expect at Beijing's "Water Cube"
Leigh Nugent, Australian National Team Director: "My expectation is more about Libby and Ian returning to competition that it is about their results. Before his races in Singapore, Ian has not competed in six years so this is part of the learning process. We are looking for improvements this week over his performances in Singapore and we will be looking for him to swim even faster in Tokyo. Of course we expect a significant improvement in his times before our Olympic Trials in March. Ian is entered in the 100 IM and in the 100 Fly. His objective is to qualify for the Australian 4 x 100m free relay. I'd like to have him on the 4 x 200m free relay as well. If he is fast enough perhaps he will race in some individual events as well in London."
Therese Alshammar, Sweden: "I am very pleased to be in Beijing as I have very fond memories from the 2008 Olympic Games held at this pool. It's the first time that I am back at the Water Cube after the Olympics. I am really looking forward to this competition. This is a very good pool. I also enjoyed the Shanghai World Championships this past summer. China has offered strong performances during the previous World Cup events. I look forward to strong racing from Chinese athletes in Beijing which makes all of us better."
SWC 2011, Singapore day 2: McKeon stuns Alshammar, Le Clos totals six golds
SINGAPORE, Singapore - The victory of 17-year-old Emma McKeon from Australia in the women's 100m freestyle was the first remarkable performance on Day 2 of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup in Singapore. McKeon touched the wall in 52.41 ahead of defending World Cup champion Therese Alshammar (SWE, 53.01). One could say it is not a big deal to be faster than the 34-year-old but not in this case: the sprint queen's experience and ability to remain focused during the race are considerable assets and she's a well-established threat in the pool. As a consolation, Alshammar captured the last gold of the day in the 50m butterfly.
Chad Le Clos (RSA) continued his winning streak with another gold in the men's 200m freestyle, touching home in 1:43.80. It was quite a tough race: Le Clos, Сameron McEvoy (AUS) and Kosuke Hagino (JPN) fought to the end, with the Australian eventually being faster (1:44.45 against 1:44.58).
SWC 2011, Singapore day 1: Le Clos in top shape, Thorpe makes timid start
SINGAPORE, Singapore - The first Asian stop of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup featured Chad Le Clos (RSA) having the top performance of the day and walking away with three victories in the 200m butterfly (1:51.05), 100m individual medley (53.06) and 400m individual medley (4:04.16).
The toughest battle was probably in the 100m IM where the South African talent had to contend with the likes of powerful Markus Rogan from Austria. For the two swimmers, the only way to get noticed amid the frenzy surrounding Ian Thorpe's comeback was to win a race, which Le Clos did in convincing fashion. All three made it to the 100m IM final. Rogan was the swiftest in the heat (55.25), 0.5 ahead of Le Clos while Thorpe finished sixth (56.74). In the final, Le Clos emerged victorious while Rogan and Thorpe placed sixth and seventh respectively.
Thorpe: "I am more nervous than I usually am"
Australian swimming icon Ian Thorpe revealed a little about his expectations at a press conference held today in Singapore in sight of the fifth leg of the FINA/Arena Swimming World Cup taking place from November 4-5. This will be the first competition for Thorpe since 2006. Here are some extracts:
"It's not going to be extraordinary and it's not going to be horrible. That's quite a vast range, so I expect to hit something in the middle there. I have to remind myself that I am a guy who hasn't swum for five years. I forget that sometimes and I think other people do as well. This is an important step for what I am trying to do next year. This is a starting point."
SWC 2011, Berlin day 2: Five more gold for USA
BERLIN, Germany - The United States won five more events on the second day, consolidating their overall supremacy on the meet: Missy Franklin took gold both in the 100 free and the 100 back; Michael Phelps won the 200 IM – setting the best performance of the day with 952 FINA Points – and the 200 backstroke while Allison Schmitt took the 400 freestyle. This trio, plus Ryan Lochte, will represent the backbone of the American Olympic team at London 2012. The best performances occurred on the first day, when both a new world record and a World Cup record were set.
1500 FREE MEN. As the race developed Sergiy Frolov (UKR), the silver medallist at the 2010 Short Course European Championships, and Sebastien Rouault (FRA), the gold medal winner at the 2010 Long Course Europeans fought head to head for victory. The French prevailed in 14:48.31, with Frolov less than two seconds away, in 14:50.15. German Manuel Schwarz (CLB) was third in 15:03.18.
SWC 2011, Berlin day 1: Missy Franklin sets 200m back WR
800 FREE WOMEN. Lotte Friis won easily in 8:16.99. She almost encountered no opposition except for Elena Sokolova in the first half of the race. The Danish is the World Cup record holder, with 8:04.61 she set at Berlin’s world cup meet in 2009.
100 FREE MEN. Brent Hayden, the giant from Vancouver (CAN), who celebrated his 28th anniversary yesterday, gave himself a gift by winning this important race in 47.07 over Stefan Nystrand (SWE), 47.23. While the Canadian savoured a triumph, his co-winner of the long course world title in 2007, Filippo Magnini of Italy, faced a different fate: he finished only 7th, in 48 seconds flat (7th also at half race).
SWC 2011, Moscow day 2: Phelps gets second gold, Franklin shines among women
MOSCOW, Russia - The second and final day of the Moscow leg of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup ended with the second victory of 14-times Olympic champion Michael Phelps in the 200m back. The triumph was achieved by the famous swimmer after two disappointing races. Phelps finished second in the 200m free and didn’t make the podium in the 100m butterfly. But that was disappointing only for the audience (for the first time in Moscow the entry to the pool wasn’t free and all tickets were sold). Phelps himself just pointed out that his participation at World Cup is a part of the Olympic preparation. So the place is not so important for now.
"There is a good chance to test myself in a very unusual situation – short course, Phelps said. It is a good experience for me". For the rivals, however, this possibility to swim together with the great champion was very important. As well as the chance to beat him.
SWC 2011, Moscow day 1: Super-star Michael Phelps appears "modest"
MOSCOW, Russia - At the press conference, marking the opening of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup event in the Moscow “Olympiyskiy” swimming pool, the president of the Russian Swimming Federation Vladimir Salnikov proudly said: "The tickets are sold out".
The reason for the sellout at the competition – a traditional one, held in Moscow already for the seventh time – is Michael Phelps, the most decorated athlete in the world, 14-time Olympic champion. Naturally, a question was asked at the press conference: "Why Michael Phelps is in Moscow? Obviously, he was paid a lot of money to compete here". The question is a reasonable one, Phelps is the Usain Bolt of swimming and the famous Jamaican does not participate even in IAAF competitions without a half-a-million-dollar appearance fee.
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