Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu c won four golds and a bronze medal on day one of the FINA Mastbank Swimming World Cup yesterday; (Right) Qatar Swimming Association president Khaleel al-Jabir and FINA president Dr. Julio César Maglione during the opening ceremony of the event at the Hamad Aquatic Centre. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil
Three days after the conclusion of the 32nd European Swimming Championships in Berlin, the records continued to fall in the first session of the inaugural leg of the FINA Mastbank Swimming World Cup 2014, here at the Hamad Aquatic Centre yesterday.
In the main annual FINA rendezvous in 25m pool, reigning World Champion, Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu lived up to her reputation of participating in as many events as possible as, taking part in five out of eight events scheduled on the first day. In the process, she broke World and World Cup records by winning four golds and a bronze medal.
Hosszu first posted a time of 1:51.84 in the 200m Freestyle heats in the morning session to break the previous World Cup record of 1:52.08 set by USA’s Allison Schmitt in 2011 and later in the evening she improved the record by clocking 1:51.41.
The Hungarian Iron Lady also broke her own 200m Individual Medley world record by clocking 2:02.61. She led from start to finish and by halfway had established close to a three-second lead. Her earlier record was 2:03.20, which was set on August 7, 2013, in Eindhoven.
“That was awesome. I’m super excited after setting the World Record. It’s my fastest ever time in a textile suit. I can’t believe it,” said Hosszu.
Hosszu also won the gold in 50m backstroke ahead of silver medalist of Poland Aleksandra Urbanczyk and bronze medalist Daryan Zevina.
In 200m Backstroke, Hosszu finished ahead of Ukrainian Daryna Zevina and Carolina Colorado Henao of Colombia to make it four golds for the day.
She won an 800m freestyle bronze finishing behind Spain’s Garcia Belmonte, who won gold and Liechtenstein’s Julia Hassler.
Belmonte won gold with a time of 8:14.99, but she was nowhere near her Berlin performance, when she set the world mark (7:59.34).
“It was very difficult today, I had only a few days since Berlin and it’s difficult to change the pool to 25m but I think it was ok,” Belmonte said.
Talking about Hosszu’s performance, she said, “The 25m pool is her speciality, it’s difficult to win against her but I think I have started to do it.”
In the exciting 1000m butterfly and 50m freestyle final, Inge Dekker of the Netherlands came first. Australia’s Marieke D’Cruz finished second in the butterfly event, while Aleksandra Urbanczyk finished second in the freestyle.
“I’m really happy, my time was really good. I’m satisfied with the race. It’s better doing short course than long course as it doesn’t hurt so much. I like to be here, it’s a great environment as there are lots of people watching,” Dekker said.
Daryna Zevina, who entered the World Cup final for the first time and claimed the 50m backstroke bronze said: “I have been here twice before and it’s really great to race. It’s the first final for me and it was great to finish at the podium. I will also race in Dubai, Hong Kong and Moscow leg of the event so there is a lot for me to aim for.”
Day one results
Women’s results:
800m medley: 1. Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ES) 8:14.99; 2. Julia Hassler (LIE) 8:18.37; 3. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 8:29.48; 200m Freestyle: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 1:51.41; 2. Evelin Verraszto (HUN) 1:55.81; 3. Danielle Villars (SUI) 1:57.90; 100 Breaststroke: 1. Alia Atkinson (JAM) 1:03.79; 2. Breeja Larson (USA) 1:05.06; 3. Hrafnhildur Luthersdottir (ISL) 1:06.88; 100m butterfly: 1. Inge Dekker (NED) 56.05; 2. Marieke D’cruz (AUS) 57.88; 3. Danielle Villars (SUI) 58.48; 50m Backstroke: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 26.18; 2. Aleksandra Urbanczyk (POL) 26.44; 3. Daryna Zevina (UKR) 26.66; 200m Medley: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 2:02.61 (WR,WCR); 2. Caitlin Leverenz (USA) 2:07.11; 3. Lisa Zaiser (AUT) 2:08.32; 50m Freestyle: 1. Inge Dekker (NED) 24.04; 2. Aleksandra Urbanczyk (POL) 24.29; 3. Marieke D’cruz (AUS) 24.52; 200m Backstroke: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 2:01.60; 2. Daryna Zevina (UKR) 2:04.56; 2. Carolina Colorado Henao (COL) 2:06.75; 4x50m Mixed Medley: 1. Finland 1:42.26 (Anni Alitalo, Jenna Laukkanen, Riku Poytakivi, AriPekka Liukkonen); 2. Switzerland 1:44.95 (Martina Van Berkel, Martin Schweizer, Alexandre Haldemann, Danielle Villars); 3. China 1:47.44 (Chaonan Zhu, Yanzhuo Chen, Xinyi Zou, Tengfei Shi)
Men’s results:
400m Individual medley: 1. Thomas Fraser-Holmes (AUS) 4:00.39; 2. David Verraszto 4:02.53; 3. Oussama Mellouli 4:07.99; 100m Freestyle: 1. Chad Le Clos (RSA) 46.29; 2. Konrad Czerniak (POL) 46.52; 3. Steffen Deibler (GER) 47.22; 50m Breaststroke: 1. Roland Schoeman (RSA) 26.35; 2. Fablo Scozzli (ITA) 26.54; 3. Martin Schweizer (SUI) 26.80; 100m Backstroke: 1. Christian Diener (GER) 50.49; 2. Eugene Godsoe (USA) 50.57; 3. Bobby Hurley (AUS) 51.42; 200m Butterfly: 1. Tom Shields (USA) 1:50:08; 2. Pawel Korzeniowski (POL) 1:51:18; 3. Nikolay Skvortsov (RUS) 1:52:23; 400m Freestyle: 1. Thomas Fraser-Holmes (AUS) 3:39.30; 2. Velimir Stjepanovic (SRB) 3:40.46; 3. Ahmed Mathlouthi (TUN) 3:41.05; 200m Breaststroke: 1. Daniel Gyurta (HUN) 2:01.06; 2. Marco Koch (GER) 2:01.71; 3. Yukihiro Takahashi (JPN) 2:05.14; 100m Individual medley: 1. George Richard Bovell (TRI) 52.80; 2. Leith Shankland (RSA) 53.77; 3. Martin Spitzer (AUT) 54.77; 50m Butterfly: 1. Chad Le Clos (RSA) 22.17; 2. Tom Shields (USA) 22.63; 3. Roland Schoeman (RSA) 22.69
