Khalil al-Jaber, President of Qatar Swimming Association, FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu, swimmers Oussama Mellouli of Tunisia, Katinka Hosszu of Hungary and Ali Yousuf al-Jabir, secretary General Qatar Swimming Association during a press conference ahead of the FINA/ MASTBANK Swimming World Cup 2014 to be held at Hamad Aquatic Centre. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil
By Sahan Bidappa/Doha
Some of the world’s top class swimmers will be in attendance at the two-day 2014 FINA/Mastbank Swimming World Cup to be held at the Hamad Aquatic Centre from today.
Doha is the first stop in the 2014 calendar, with the competition moving to Dubai, Hong Kong, Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo and Singapore – in a two-month stretch from late August to early November.
Many of the top overall finishers from the 2013 World Cup circuit will be back in action this week, including two of the top three on the men’s side and all three toppers on the women’s side. Around 150 swimmers from 30 countries will compete in 36 events.
But all eyes will be on the 2013 champion Chad Le Clos of South Africa. The Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games Champion is one of the most exciting swimmers in the world currently. He beat Michael Phelps - the most decorated Olympian in history - to gold in the 200m butterfly at the London Olympics and has risen rapidly since then.
In 2013, he amassed 574 points top Russia’s Vladimir Morozov (414 points) and Robert Hurley of Australia (285 points) and is favourite to dominate again over the next two days.
“Last year in Doha I took three gold and two silver medals so I am very confident of my performances here. For me this meet in Doha is going to be quite interesting because I’ve had a bit of a break for the long course and Commonwealth Games, so for the guys that competed at the European Championships and the Pan Pac Championships – I think they’ll be in better shape than me,” Le Clos, a butterfly specialist, said.
“I’m going to try and defend my title again and keep building up points. If I can get off to a good start in Doha that will be great. I’ve been here many times so that helps my preparations. It’s always good to have a bit of support in the stands and I have a bit of a following here,” the 22-year-old added.
Le Clos already owns a handful of highly-ranked times this year. He is 10th in the 50M butterfly (23.29), tied for second in the 100M (51.29), first in the 200M (1:54.56).
Other than these events, Le Clos, who bagged seven medals at the Commonwealth Games which equalled the legendary Ian Thorpe’s record for the most medals at a single Games, will also take part in two more events – 200 and 400M Individual Medley and is expected to clock in more points in the race for the overall World Cup series title. Hurley is another swimmer to watch out for.
The Australian finished third behind Le Clos last year and will be keen to topple the South African this year.
In the women’s section, three-time Olympian Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, the reigning World Cup series champion, is in fine form to defend her title. Hosszu, one of the fittest swimmers in history, won in a landslide last year with 840 points.
She set six world records, winning 32 events and the overall title by a stunning 537 points ahead of runner-up Alia Atkinson of Jamaica.
The 25-year-old is in ominous form this year having arrived in Doha after a successful showing in the 32nd European Championships in Berlin, were she took gold in the 400m and 200m Individual medley, two silvers, one bronze and set two championship records in the process.
Hosszu also came within a whisker in breaking Shiwen Ye’s World record time 04:30.84 in the 400M Individual Medley at the European Championships. “The facilities here are excellent. It is a great chance for us to compete here in the same venue that will host the World Championships in December. We have an opportunity to test out the pool and become more familiar with the conditions which will help our preparations for the World Championships,” said Hosszu, who is coached by her husband Shane Tusup.
Hosszu regularly enters and swims at least half a dozen events at each meet she goes to, which pays off big time in the World Cup meets with a ton of individual points. Spain’s Mireia Belmonte finished third overall in the 2013 standings with 280 points, and also brought home a handful of medals from the European Championships last week.
She collected gold in 1500M freestyle and 200M butterfly and silver medals in the 800M freestyle and 400 IM.
Hosszu and Belmonte are two of the most versatile female swimmers in the world, and it should be another great battle for the top three spots in the women’s World Cup standings.
Other swimmers to watch for include Australia’s Ashley Delaney, Hungary’s Daniel Gyurta, Italy’s Fabio Scozzoli, The Netherlands’ Inge Dekker, Poland’s Konrad Czerniak Pawel Korzeniowski and South Africa’s Roland Schoeman.
