They call Katinka Hosszu (HUN) the Iron Lady, and with good reason...but that clearly doesn't faze Emily Seebohm (AUS).

The Australian won both their battles on the first day of the FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup in Tokyo, claiming double gold in the two finals she contested.

Seebohm shot clear of her field in the 50m backstroke in 27.49, leaving Hosszu trailing in fifth. Natalie Coughlin (USA) and Miyuki Takemura (CLB/JPN) claimed silver and bronze respectively.

Seebohm produced a remarkable effort later on Wednesday to pull back Hosszu in the 200m backstroke.

Trailing by 0.3 on the final turn, Seebohm -- who trains without a coach -- quickly drew level before leaving the Hungarian trailing in her wake by 1.7 with a winning time of 2:08.08. Natsumi Sakai (CLB/JPN) took the bronze.

"For me it's all about focusing on what I need to do, my race plans," said Seebohm, at the Tatsumi International Swimming Center."It's good coming to these meetings because I have no coach, there's no team, there's no massage, it's all about doing it on your own, and I think when you can produce times like that, it really gives you more confidence, and that's all you need for a win.

"It's just a bit of confidence, I've had so much of it this year. I tend not to look at anyone else, I look at myself, and that's how I get the best out of myself."

Seebohm and compatriot Mitch Larkin (AUS) had visited temples in Tokyo on Tuesday, and had joked at that day's official press conference how they had drawn out fortune papers that indicated both were about to suffer bad luck.

And Larkin feared the worst with a training mishap early on Wednesday.

"We got the bad luck fortune paper there, then I lost a pair of fins this morning, and I thought it was coming true," said Larkin, a double gold medallist at the FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, this year.He need not have worried.

Larkin demolished the 100m backstroke field in a time of 52.48, a whopping 0.79 ahead of Ryosuke Irie (CLB/JPN) in second, with David Plummer (USA) third.

"I had about three weeks off after the worlds, and about eight weeks back in the pool," said Larkin. "I picked up quite quickly from where I left off in Kazan. I came here hoping to swim sub-53, but I didn't realise I would go quite so quick. It sets a benchmark for where I am now, and hopefully I'll move on from that in the next six months for the Rio Olympics."

Hosszu started her evening's work by winning the 200m freestyle, before trailing in last in the 100m butterfly.

After the 50m backstroke, Hosszu bounced back to land the 200m individual medley, before seeing Seebohm disappear into the distance a second time. Hosszu, the FINA World Cup series champion for the past three years, and who has a formidable lead in this year's points table, then claimed silver in the 800m freestyle.

"Honestly, from my perspective, I'm really happy with how I did," said Hosszu."I competed in six races, and there were some that were nearly back to back, so it was really challenging. Going 2.09 in the 200m IM at this stage of the season gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of my preparation for the Olympics next year."

 

 

She said she knew Seebohm would come hard at her late in the 200m backstroke, but was too weak to do anything about it.

"That's what's she's been doing since Kazan, she's been going like 30/31 in the last 50, so I was trying to get ahead enough so that in the last few metres she wouldn't get me, but I already had so many races tonight that I had nothing left in the tank."

However, living up to her nickname of the Iron Lady, she added: "I'll probably do another six races again tomorrow."

The men's FINA World Cup points leader Cameron Van der Burgh (RSA) landed the 50m breaststroke to all but secure the series title for a third time, having triumphed in 2008 and 2009.

He came home in 27.18, with compatriot Giulio Zorzi (RSA) second and Ryouta Nomura (CLB/JPN) taking bronze.

"The main goal when I came on the tour was to do as much racing as I could. We changed a few things in the stroke technique, and you need time to practice that, but what better place to do that than the World Cup, and pick up a little bit of pocket money along the way -- not too shabby!

 

In the first event of the night, the men's 100m freestyle, Katsumi Nakamura (CLB/JPN) added to his victories in Hong Kong and Beijing, recording 49.17, meaning he has won the event the last three times it has been held in this year's series.

This year's FINA/airweave World Cup series is being held in long course pools for the first time since its inception in 1988.