Peter Marshall (USA) smashes his own 100m backstroke WR in Berlin (GER)

Another great performance on the first day in Berlin was achieved by the Singaporean star Li Tao. In the women’s 100m butterfly, the first swimmer of this country to reach an Olympic final (in this event she was fifth in Beijing), Tao clocked 56.28, a new World Cup record (worth 1007 points, the best women’s performance of the day). The previous best mark of the competition was held by Natalie Coughlin (USA), who swam 56.34 in 2002, in New York. Tao had been first at home, in Singapore, second in Moscow, and again gold medallist in Stockholm.

In the men’s field, and after his three World Records (namely two in the 50m breaststroke), Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) was expected to close his participation in this event with another best world mark. But in Berlin, the South African was first in 26.05, 0.11 slower than the World Record he had established in Stockholm. It was his ninth gold medal of the circuit and the best men’s performance of 1060 points – an excellent outcome taking into account that Van der Burgh is already the first placed swimmer of the overall men’s World Cup ranking. Also close from the World Record he set in Sydney (22.50), Matt Jaukovic (AUS) won the 50m butterfly in 22.58 (his fifth consecutive triumph in this event).

Stefan Nystrand (SWE), one of the few athletes who competed in all the seven meets of the World Cup, appeared tired in Berlin. In the 100m free, where he established a World Record last year in the same pool (45.83), the Swedish star was only fourth this time, with a ‘modest’ 47.11. In Stockholm, at home, he had been first with 46.03, a performance that also would have been enough to secure the victory in Berlin. Instead, the gold went now to Alain Bernard (FRA), the Olympic champion in this event, in 46.28 – the French champion had been a bronze medallist in Sweden. The silver was obtained by Lyndon Ferns (RSA) in 46.71, while Evgeny Lagunov (RUS) got the bronze in 47.06.

Oussama Mellouli (TUN) easily got his sixth consecutive victory in the 400m free (he was narrowly beaten in Belo Horizonte, the first leg of the circuit), touching the wall in an excellent time of 3:36.75, the fastest of the series. That represented gold medal number 27 for the Tunisian in this World Cup – like Nystrand, Mellouli was present at every meet of the competition. Shortly after, the Olympic champion of the 1500m free, was not so successful in the 100m individual medley. In an event that he won in Sydney and Stockholm, Mellouli finished third (53.43), behind Darian Townsend (RSA, first in 51.80 – the fastest time of the World Cup) and Vytautas Janusaitis (LTU, second in 53.32). It was Townsend’s sixth gold medal of the series.

In the 200m butterfly, Nikolay Skvortsov (RUS) got his third consecutive win of the series, touching in 1:51.78 (the best time of the seven legs). Also like in Moscow and Stockholm, Chris Wright (AUS) was silver medallist – the Australian had won in Sydney and Singapore.

Among women, Coralie Balmy (FRA) was the ‘joker’ in the fight between the two Swedish contenders in the 200m free. In a time of 1:54.05 (the fastest of the 2008 World Cup), the French swimmer got the gold, in front of Petra Granlund (1:54.45) and Josefin Lillhage (1:55.57), both from Sweden. In Stockholm, at the previous leg of the series, Granlund had won, in front of Lillhage (gold in Belo Horizonte, Durban and Moscow).

In the 800m free, Lotte Friis (DEN) got her second consecutive win (after Stockholm) and clocked the best time of the series in this event – 8:14.41. Kristel Kobrich (CHI) was once more silver medallist (for the third time) in 8:16.36 (also her best performance after the previous two medals in the European legs of this World Cup).

With Katheryn Meaklim (RSA) - five-time winner of the 200m individual medley during this World Cup - away from the final (she was ninth of the heats), the gold was obtained by Theresa Michalak (GER) in 2:10.92. The best time of the 2008 circuit had been established by Meaklim in Stockholm, with 2:09.54.

Melissa Ingram (NZL) got her sixth consecutive gold medal in the 200m backstroke, with the fastest time of the series in 2:04.31. Furthermore, it was her ninth victory in the 2008 World Cup.

With the two main pretenders to the overall women’s first place of this World Cup in action, the 50m free was one of the most expected races of the day. In the heats, Marieke Guehrer (AUS, leader of the 2008 classification) and Therese Alshammar (SWE, second of that ranking, but still with chances of being first) had tied in 24.72, which increased the interest for the afternoon’s final. In the decisive race, Alshammar was first in 24.16, while the Australian got the silver in 24.42. As both performances were not so valuable in terms of FINA points, we will have to wait for the 50m butterfly (the event in which Alshammar established a WR in Stockholm) on Day 2 to see who is finally taking the US$ 100,000 corresponding to the first place of the ranking. Curiously, Guehrer (also a participant in all events of this World Cup) got her seventh medal in the 50m free (one gold, five silver and one bronze). For Alshammar, it was the fourth gold in the distance, after Durban, Singapore and Moscow. Moreover, the fastest time of the World Cup in this event was not achieved by Guehrer or Alshammar – Cate Campbell (AUS) clocked 23.97 in Sydney.

The best three performers of Day 1 in Berlin were:
Men
Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) – 50m breaststroke in 26.05 – 1060 points
Peter Marshall (USA) – 100m backstroke in 49.63 (WR) – 1052 points
Matt Jaukovic (AUS) – 50m butterfly in 22.58 – 1028 points

Women
Li Tao (SIN) – 100m butterfly in 56.28 – 1007 points
Coralie Balmy (FRA) – 200m free in 1:54.05 – 1000 points
Sarah Katsoulis (AUS) – 100m breaststroke in 1:05.07 – 994 points