The 9th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2008, held in Manchester (GBR) from April 9-13 were a huge success, with the participation of 616 athletes (a new record) from 116 nations. Furthermore, the performances were also excellent, with an unprecedented number of 18 World records, 40 Championships records and 85 continental records.
The stars of the championships – recipients of the FINA Trophy for the best male and female swimmer – were respectively Ryan Lochte (USA) and Kirsty Coventry (ZIM).
In Manchester, Lochte claimed four gold (in the 100m IM, 200m IM, 400m IM, and 4x100m free relay) and two silver in the 200m backstroke and the 4x100m medley relay. All this was accompanied by four World records (for a total of 25 points).
Coventry, with a total of 28 points, managed the gold medals in the 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 200m IM, 400m IM, and the bronze in the 100m IM. In the longer distances of the medley event, she also established new World records.
At the end of the Championships, the FINA Trophy for the best Team went to the United States, with an accumulated total of 797 points. The Americans were also the leaders of the medals’ table, with 17 awards (10 gold, six silver and one bronze), followed by Australia with 19 medals (8+9+2) and Netherlands (9 – 4+4+1). The winner of most medals in Manchester was Great Britain with 24 visits to the podium (3+10+11).
As said FINA President Mustapha Larfaoui in the closing ceremony of the event, at the spectacular Manchester Evening News arena, the “brilliant performances of the athletes make FINA bigger and better recognised worldwide”.