SWC 2016: Four Victories of "Iron Lady" Katinka Hosszu in Berlin on Day 2

With another amazing four victories in the 400m free, 100m back, 100m and 400m IM Katinka Hosszu (HUN) was the shining star on the second day of the FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup series 2016 in Berlin. Together with two third places in 100m free and 50m fly the “Iron Lady” is in a clear lead of the overall ranking of the Swimmng World Cup.

Also on the men's races Vladimir Morozov (RUS) underlined his leading postion with another first place. He won in the “Schwimm- und Sporthalle im Europapark” (SSE) in the German capital on the second competition day in the 50m free and finished third in the 100m breast.

For the total series with nine legs in two continents FINA and the local organisers will pay a record prize money of more than US$ 2,178,000.

Men's races

The men's events on the second day started with the clear victory of James Guy (GBR). He was in front of the field in the 200m free in 1:44.22, with a gap of close to four meters. Second to finish was Philip Heintz (GER) in 1:44.60 and close behind  the Australian Jack Gerrard (1:44.70).

“It was good race for me. I feelt better than in Paris-Chartres and was from the beginning on very fast pace. At the end I'm enjoying a personal best”, James Guy stated.

In the 100m breast, Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) won in 56,56 and could celebrate a golden jubilee. It was his 50th victory in the Swimming World Cup since he has entered the annual series in 2008. Behind him Vladimir Morozov (RUS) in 57,01 and Felipe Lima (BRA) in 57.07 shared the podium.

The 100m fly saw Chad Le Clos (RSA) with a strong 48.66 in front. He missed his own current world record only by 22/100. In addition it was his 97th victory in the Swimming World Cup since he joined the series in 2011. So at the weekend in Moscow he can potentially make number 100. In Berlin, Adam Barrett (GBR) was second in 49.60 and Pavel Sankovich (BLR) was the third to finish in 50.39 .

“I'm very happy, I'm not shaved, but I was very close to the world record. I think, I can break it at one of the next opportunities. I'm feeling very well in the water and improving from race to race”. Chad Le Clos said.

Only 18 minutes after his third place in the 100m fly Pavel Sankovich stepped on place one at the podium in the 50m back. He finished in 23,14 in front of Stanislav Donetc (RUS,23,40) and the Australian Bobby Hurley (23,44).

In the 200m IM the German Philip Heintz made his victory with a strong last lap in 1:51.,92 and clinched out Hiromasa Fujimori (JPN) in 1:52.12. with Marco Koc, third in 1:55.98, another representative of the hosting German Swimming Federation joined the podium.

In the fastest men's event, Vladimir Morozov clinched the gold in 20.79, while Chad Le Clos was second in 21.12. In the third place Andrii Govorov (UKR) and Benjamin Proud (GBR) tied in 21.15.

“I'm absolutely satisfied with the result. It was faster than in Paris-Chartres. But however, the start could be a little bit faster and the 50m freestyle are the event were I have the most fun”, the winner said.

Kazan World Champion Mitchell Larkin (AUS) made a clear success in the 200m back in a time of 1:48.81. Followed by his countrymate Bobby Hurley in 1.51.80 and the Japanese Hiromasa Fujimori (1.52.42).

The final men's event in Berlin saw a duel between Florian Wellbrock (GER) and Jan Micka (CZE). At the end the German managed the victory in 14:35.79. The Czech finished in 14:40.17. and third place went on 14:51,18 to Yasunari Hirai (JPN).

Women's races

In the opening race of the women's competition on the second day, Jeanette Ottesen (DEN) was the fastest in the 100m free in 51.87. Second Madeline Groves (AUS) with 52.06. She finished so far in Berlin for the fourth time on place two. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) opened her tally for Swimming World Cup points with place three in 52.25.

“It was very hard and I noticed that my energy is coming to an end. It will be fine, when I will have more than two days to recover. But I had fun, to race against the other girls”, Jeanette Ottesen said.

The 50m breast went to Alia Atkinson (JAM), who finished in exactly 29.00 seconds. Runner-up was Yuliya Efimova (RUS) in 29.08 and third place went to Katie Meili (USA) in 29.37. It was the same podium in the same order as at the opening leg in Paris-Chartres.

Her first victory on the second day in Berlin marked Katinka Hosszu with a 55.60 in the 100m back. Second was Daryna Zevina (UKR) who finished in 56.44 and the third one to touch the wall was Emily Seebohm (AUS) in 56.58.

The 200m fly saw a start-finish victory of the local hero Franziska Hentke (GER) in 2:04,06. It seems that Madeline Groves had in Berlin a standing order for the second places. For the fifth time she finished with a 2:05.20 in this rank. Close up the Chinese Siqi Wang in 2:05.51.

In the 400m free a squad of four competitors were leading like synchronised swimmers most of the distance. When they went on the last 100m Katinka Hosszu took the initiative and finished with a sprint on the last two laps and took her next victory in 4:02.11.Yiwen Shao (CHN) finished secondin 4:03.04 and third place went in 4:05.90 to Leah Neale (AUS). Once again a podium in the same order like in Paris-Chartres.

In the 200m breaststroke there was from the beginning no doubt, that Rie Kaneto (JPN) als the Olympic Champion from Rio would be the winner. At the end she finished in 2:16.27. But Yuliya Efimova came on the last lap closer and finished  second in 2:16.88. Third Breeja Larson (USA) touched the wall in 2:23.13.

“I'm really happy with my victory, but however my goal was the world record and I will try now on the next leg in Moscow”, Rie Kaneto said.

Again the 100m IM was a race for the “Iron Lady” from Budapest. Katinka Hosszu made her third victory on the second day of the Berlin leg in a 57.12. Followed by Katie Meili in 58.02 and Emily Seebohm in 58.51.

With a 24,95 in the 50m fly Jeanette Ottesen made her second victory on the second day in Berlin. In front of runner-up Barratt Holly (AUS) with 25.68 and the slow-burner Katinka Hosszu in 25,73.

 Katinka Hosszu grabbed the 400m IM in  4:25.69. It was her fourth victory of the day and the seventh of the Berlin leg. So she increased her first places in the Swimming World Cup to altogether 166 since her first show-up in the series in 2012. 

Relays

Team Russia made the first place in the 4x50m mixed freestyle relay in 1:32.07. Followed by USA in 1:33.11 and Australia in 1:34.34.

This competition is sponsored by airweave, a FINA partner since 2014

All results are provided by OMEGA and available here