SWC 2015, Doha, Day 2: Aussies Seebohm and Larkin star in Doha

In the second night of the 7th FINA World Cup meet 2015, at Doha’s Hamad Swimming Centre, the classy Aussie pair of Emily Seebohm and Mitchell Larkin stole the scene with some fantastic swims finalized with great performances in the backstroke events. Both swimmers flirted with world records split for most of their efforts. Katinka Hosszu and Chad Le Clos were once more among the major players.

The Magyar won two more medals today, one gold and one silver, to definitely enhance and secure her leadership on the World Cup; the South African was the top winner in Doha with four gold medals. The World Cup now moves to Dubai for the eighth and last meet of edition 2015, on November 6 -7.

The finals

Women’s 100m freestyle. Melanie Wright (AUS) swam always in the lead and clinched a comfortable win with a remarkable time, 53.86 (903 FINA points) ,the only one under 54. Tireless Katinka Hosszu (HUN) added one more medal to her tally and was second in 54.40. Felicia Lee (USA) took bronze in 55.22, just 0.03 seconds ahead of Anna Santamans (FRA) 55.25. Anna Kolarova (CZE) 55.51, Julie Meynen (LUX) 55.91, Yi Tang (CHN) 55.97 came next.

WRIGHT Melanie (AUS) – 1st place - 53.86: "I’m really happy with the time and my race. That wasn’t the case yesterday so I really wanted to make up for it. I knew it would be tough against Katinka but I came out on top and I couldn’t be happier."

Men’s 200m freestyle. After the outcome of the preliminaries, the podium could not be more predictable with James Guy (GBR) as the winner, in 1:47.06, Velimir Stjepanovic (SRB) silver medallist in 1:47.56, and Maxime Rooney (USA) bronze in 1:48.15. Pretty normal times for all them.

Women’s 50m breaststroke. Alia Atkinson (JAM) won comfortably in 30.55. Molly Hannis (USA) and Leiston Pickett (AUS) took the silver and the bronze medal  respectively in 31.12 and 31.13 separated by a nail (0.01 secs).

ATKINSON Alia (JAM) – 1st place final, 30.55: "Every time I enter a race I believe I can win. I was kind of disappointed with the 100 yesterday so I really wanted to show that I’m getting better as the tournament progresses."

Men’s 100m breaststroke. No contest, Cameron Van der Burgh was too strong for all his opponents; the South African swam at his best and won in an excellent time, 59.68 (939 points). Hungary’s Daniel Gyurta - who in the morning, in spite of being the  last qualifier with 1:02.29, said he was hopeful to win this race – was a good second in 1:00.60. Bronze to Ross Murdoch (GBR), with 1:00.84. USA’S Kevin Cordes touched just 0.14secs. behind, and was 4th in 1:00.93. The surprising Vladislav Mustafin, of Uzbekistan (born in 1995), was fifth in 1:01.17, after having clocked the fastest time in the preliminaries, 1:00.79, swimming in perfect style.

GYURTA Daniel (HUN) – 2nd place final, 1:00.60: "I half expected this result. 100 breast is not my strongest event and catching Cameron was always going to be hard, he is my toughest competition. After coming out of a very hard training week I’m happy with my time and with my silver."

Men’s 100m butterfly. Chad Le Clos won distinctly in 51.44 (908 points), photocopying the same race strategy used by his compatriot Van der Burgh a few minutes earlier. Tom Shields (USA) was second in 52.10, with Christopher Wright (AUS) taking bronze in 53.28., just 0.08 secs, ahead of Giles Smith (USA) 52.58.

LE CLOS Chad (RSA) – 1st place final - 51.44: " I’m really happy with my fourth gold here in Doha. It’s been a great few days and it’s setting my form up nicely for Rio. Now it’s just one FINA leg left, then a little holiday before I jump on the horse again. But first there’s one more race here in Doha and I hope to get one more medal."

Women’s 100m backstroke. What a race! World champion Emily Seebohm (AUS), swam in a regal gait, jumped immediately in the lead and advanced flirting with the world record until the last meter. She touched in 58.34, just 0.22secs. shy of the new world mark. The world record was set at Rome World Championships in 2009 by Gemma Spofforth (in a full bodysuit). A great performance, indeed, worth 988 FINA points. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) put one more medal in her heavy bag clocking a remarkable time, 59.35 (939).

The indomitable American veteran Natalie Coughlin was third, also in a time under the minute, 59.72 (921 points). Daryna Zevina (UKR) came fourth in 1:01.33.

SEEBOHM Emily (AUS) – 1st place final, 58.34: "This is the first real FINA World Cup that I’ve done and it’s been a really cool experience. I thought the race went really well from the off, and I realise that I’m edging closer to that World Record. It’s not my focus, I just really try to go as fast as I can but it would be great to get it!"

COUGHLIN Natalie (USA) – 3rd place final, 59.72: "Emily is so consistent in her training and I haven’t swum backstroke for a while so it was interesting racing her and Katinka, so I’m happy with my race."

Men’s 50m backstroke. One more backstroke show with two winners in this dash event: both David Plummer (USA) and Mitchell Larkin (AUS) touched in an excellent  24.70 (921 points). British veteran  Liam Tancock (GBR) took bronze in  24.93, a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Singapore’s Zheng Wen Quah (25.66). Tancock is the world record holder with 24.04, also from Rome 2009.

PLUMMER David (USA) – joint 1st place final, 24.70 : "I expected it to be really tight especially against Mitch who has been outrageously fast lately. We share a friendly rivalry and push each other to be the best we can be. To be as neck and neck as this though was a real surprise."

Women’s 200m butterfly.  Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN) dominated the race and touched in 2:08.47, almost a length ahead of the second, Martina Van Berkel (SUI)  2:09.59.16-year-old American Cassidy Bayer was third in 2:09.98. Just behind two more Americans: Kate Mills (USA), 2:10.57, and Caitlin Leverenz (USA) 2:10.60. Federica Pellegrini (ITA) - who unexpectedly  made the final, in 2:12.96, in an unusual event for her - was last in 2:13.35.

JAKABOS Zsuzsanna (HUN) – 1st place final, 2:08.47: "I’m really happy with my time, and I’m thrilled to get the gold medal, but I’m very tired now after a hectic period of competition. I’ll have one more leg in Dubai now then it’s back home for the Hungarian nationals."

Men’s 200 IM. Not much to say here. Japan’s Keita Sunama was the clear cut winner in 2:00.40. The other honours went to Michael Meyer (RSA) and David Verraszto (HUN) who touched respectively in 2:01.63 and 2:01.90, for the silver and  the bronze medal. Raphael Stacchiotti, of Luxemburg, was just outside the podium with 2:01.92.

Women’s 400m freestyle. Lauren Boyle (NZL) was always ahead and won in 4:06.58. Silver to Jaz Carlin (GBR), 4:07.42, and bronze to Coralie Balmy (FRA), 4:07.56. Then Sarah Kohler (GER) 4:09.58, Erica Musso (ITA) 4:12.51,  Diletta Carli (ITA) 4:14.97, Aimee Willmott (GBR) 4:16.46. Katinka Hosszu was last in 4:17.68, apparently performing a warm down – or warm up – swim. Her time in the heats was 4:10.64.

BOYLE Lauren (NZL) – 1st place final, 4:06.58: "I wanted to go fast from the start and test my capacity, especially at this time of the year. My time was really good and I’m happy to win here in Doha. The crowd was amazing tonight and that spurred me on."

Men’s 50m freestyle. The experienced Bazilian sprinter Bruno Fratus was the clear winner in 22.28 while the stainless USA’s veteran Anthony Ervin (34, was born in 1991) took silver in 22.47. Bronze went to Douglas Erasmus, of South Africa, with 22.50. Out of the podium Jeremy Stravius (FRA) 22.58, Luca Leonardi (ITA) 22.79, Claydon Muller (RSA) 22.77, Daniel Hunter (NZL) 22.82, Yannick Agnel (FRA) 22.87.

FRATUS Bruno (BRA) – 1st place final, 22.28: "I’m very happy to compete here in Doha, not necessarily because of my time but because of the experience. It’s such good fun out here in Doha and I’ve really loved it. I’ll definitely build on my performance here. The people in Qatar are very warm people, just like back home in Brazil and it makes me feel very welcomed."

 

ERVIN Anthony (USA) – 2nd place final, 22.47: " I’m trying to put together a few pieces of the broken puzzle out there. I made a few changes and that definitely paid off. It’s a long way off my desired time but I’m happy with the silver and it makes me feel a bit better."

Women’s 200m breaststroke.  One-two for Japan. Rie Kaneto (JPN) swam always in the lead; her victory was never in doubt: she touched in 2:23.45, equivalent to 911 points, ahead of compatriot Runa Imai, 2:24.24, and Rikke Moller Pedersen, 2:24.47. On her own admission the Danish, who was at her first competition after the World Championships, felt a little rusty, however satisfied with both the time and the placement. A third Japanese, Sakiko Shimizu was fourth in 2:26.74, with USA’s Molly Hannis fifth in 2:26.81.

KANETO Rie (JPN) 1st place final, 2:23.45: "My target was to finish around 2.20 so I’m not too pleased with my time but it’s a very strong, tough competition and I’m happy with the gold medal."

Men’s 200m backstroke. Fantastic! Yes, Mitch Larkin was fantastic. At the end of a solitary race, swimming always close to the world record splits (under, with 26.41, in the first lap, the Australian touched in 1:53.80 (26.41, 55.06, 1:24.38 - 951 points) to neck his third gold medal in this meet. Masaki Kaneko (JPN) took silver in 1:57.83 and Luke Greenbank (GBR) the bronze in 1:58.83. Chad le Clos (RSA) was happy with his fourth place, in 1:59.39, ahead of compatriot Martin Binedell, 2:01.47, Nils Liess, of Switzerland, 2:02.57, and Daniil Bukin, of Uzbekistan, 2:02.27.

LARKIN Mitchell (AUS) – 1st place final, 1:53.80: "I’m happy being up against Chad and the guys so it feels good to win. The hardest bit was in the last 50m, I felt really tired but I came first and it feels good."

KANEKO Masaki (JPN) – 2nd place final, 1:57.83: "Mission accomplished! I wanted the silver and I got it. I took the heats easier which helped me save my energy for tonight. I am very happy."

BUKIN Daniil (UZB) – 7th place final, 2:02.80: "It’s great to be here in Doha and compete against the best in the world – the same guys that have inspired us for years. We have a strong Uzbek national team now which consists of 10 swimmers – 8 men and two women – and this is a result of a swimming revolution in our country. Because of our country’s emerging economy, the federation has given us new facilities, better coaches, masseurs and physios, and funds to really do well and represent Uzbekistan at the Olympics and put Uzbekistan on the map in elite swimming. The generation coming through now is really talented."

Women’s 50m butterfly: Two Suisse on the podium. Sasha Touretski, the fastest seeded from the heats, confirmed her superiority and won in 26.81. Her compatriot  Svenja Stoffel was third in 26.96. In between, American  Felicia Lee took silver in 26.85. Alia Atkinson (JAM) was fourth in 27.06. Then ame the Australian Melanie Wright , 27.40, and the French Anna Santamans and Anais Arlandis, both with the time of 27.62. Jemma Lowe (GBR) was last in  27.64.

TOURETSKI Alexandra Sasha (SUI) 1st place final, 26.81: "It wasn’t the best of starts but after the 25m mark I just got into the motion and really went for it. I’m really happy to win in my first time in Doha – I’ve never seen anything like it to be honest, the organisation is top notch and everything is world class."

Men’s 1500m freestyle. A happy Romanchuk won in 15:07.06. The Ukrainian was very happy and he has all reasons for it. In fact his success came after a fight of 30 laps with the French Damien Jolie, who took silver in 15:07.97. Also the fight for bronze was strenuous, with Stephen Milne (GBR) beating the other Ukrainian Sergii Frolov by just half a second, 15:12.13 to 15:12.64.

ROMANCHUK Mykhailo (UKR) – 1st place final, 15:07.06 : "My coach told me to go fast and control the race which I did and I’m happy with my time at this stage of the season. I got 7th place in 15:09 at Worlds, so I’m getting better and I think I have capacity to break the world record."

Women’s 400m IM. Katinka Hosszu, of course, dominated this event, “her” event, from lae 4. She won it in a good 4:36.39 (916 points). Japanese Sakiko Shimizu, from lane 3, managed to narrow the gap in the last lap and touched for silver in 4:37.95 (900 points). American Caitlin Leverenz was third in 4:39.74.

HOSSZU Katinka (HUN) – 1st place final, 4:36.39 : "I’m really happy with my time, and the race. It’s always tough to race late at night but it went well. Doha has once again been a fantastic experience for me, and I really love coming here. I can’t wait for the Olympics and of course to get back in this pool in Doha again."