Dominant Hosszu picks up five more victories

Katinka Hosszu is a prime example of what an athlete can achieve if one pushes the limit. It’s amazing how the Hungarian competes in a bunch of events, but it’s even more astonishing when she clinches medals in every single one of them.
After winning four gold and two silver medals on Day One of the FINA World Cup Series in Doha, the 27-year-old did one better on the second day by claiming five gold and two silver.
Having dominated the first five legs of the series in Paris-Chartres, Berlin, Moscow, Beijing and Dubai, Hosszu, who won three gold and one silver at the Rio Olympics in August, showed no signs of letting up at the Hamad Aquatic Centre.
The only blemish in her performance in Doha was that she could not beat Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark. On Saturday, Ottesen had beaten Hosszu in the 100m butterfly.
And the Dane took the bragging rights again yesterday, as she beat Hosszu in 100m freestyle and 50m butterfly.
In the 100m butterfly, Ottesen led by seven tenths at the halfway point and never looked back, winning with ease in 51.58 seconds to Hosszu’s 52.63. Ottesen was also dominant in 50m butterfly, clocking 25.13 secs. Hosszu could only manage a second in this race with her 25.98.
Ottesen left Doha with four gold, after she had captured the 100m butterfly and 50 freestyle events on the first day. However, it was Hosszu all the way after that.
The ‘Iron Lady’ was in her elements in 100m backstroke, one of her Olympic gold medal races. Hosszu won in 56.44, well ahead of Ukraine’s Darya Zevina, who clocked 57.26 after taking down Hosszu in the 200 back on Saturday. China’s Cheng Haihua was a comfortable third-place finisher in 58.05.
There were only six women in the 200 butterfly, but there was no way to split the top two. Olympic silver medallist Madeline Groves led for almost the entire length of the race, but Hosszu was charging hard. The two ended up touching at the exact same time in 2:03.34. Hungary’s Zsuzsanna Jakobos grabbed third place in 2:07.12.
In the 400 freestyle, Hosszu earned another come-from-behind win, taking over the lead with a blistering 58.64 final 100 meters. She touched the wall in 4:03.94, out-pacing China’s Fang Yi, who settled for second in 4:04.82. Jakobos was once again third 4:06.50.
Hosszu stopped the clock in 57.92 to win the 100m medley. Katie Meili of the USA was second in 59.19, while Jamaica’s swam a 1:00.51 for third.
In the 100m medley, the final event of the competition Hosszu finished it off in style by cruising to victory in 4:31.18. Jakabos was second this time with a time of 4:33.39, while the bronze medal went to Australia’s Tessa Wallace in 4:42.18.
The defending men’s World Series champion Chad le Clos took two gold and one bronze on the night. The South African was off colour on Saturday, when he won just one gold and two silver, but he was back in form yesterday.
In the 200m freestyle, Le Clos overtook Great Britain’s James Guy for first place with a blazing last 50. Guy had previously pulled ahead of Le Clos on the third 50, but the South African had something left in the tank.
Le Clos touched in at 1:42.84, and Guy held off another South African, Myles Brown, for second, 1:43.17 to 1:43.20.
Le Clos earned another comeback win in the 100m butterfly. The two-time Olympic silver medallist and defending World Champion in the event trailed Japan’s Takeshi Kawamoto and Belarus’ Pavel Sankovich at the halfway point before rallying on the way home.
Le Clos touched in 50.23, well off his world record of 48.44 but just enough to clip Kawamoto’s 50.44. Sankovich ended up third in 50.98.
Le Clos’ bronze came in the 50m freestyle, where he finished behind Vladimir Morozov, who sprinted his way to the top of the podium in 21.05.  Taking second behind the Russian was Great Britain’s Benjamin Proud in 21.22. Le Clos rounded out the top three in 21.34.

RESULTS
Women’s 100m Freestyle
1. Jeanette Ottesen (Denmark) 51.58s
2. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary) 52.63
3. Madeline Groves (Australia) 52.89
Men’s 200m Freestyle
1. Chad le Clos (South Africa) 1:42.84
2. James Guy (Great Britain) 1:43.17
3. Myles Brown (South African) 1:43.20
Women’s 50m Breaststroke
1. Alia Atkinson (Jamaica) 28.98s
2. Yulia Efimova (Russia) 29.27
3. Katie Meili (USA) 29.78
Men’s 100m Breaststroke
1. Vladimir Morozov (Russia) 56.97s
2. Felipe Lima (Brazil) 57.12.
3. Daiya Seto (Japan)  58.07
Men’s 100m Butterfly
1. Chad le Clos (South Africa)  50.23s
2. Takeshi Kawamoto (Japan)  50.44
3. Pavel Sankovich (Belarus)  50.98
Women’s 100m Backstroke
1. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary)  56.44s
2. Darya Zevina (Ukraine)  57.26
3. Haihua Cheng (China)  58.05
Men’s 50m Backstroke
1. Pavel Sankovich (Belarus)  23.05s
2. Bobby Hurley (Australia) 23.31
3. Miguel Ortiz-Canavante (Spain)  23.48
Women’s 200m Butterfly
1. Madeline Groves (Australia)  2:03.34
1. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary)  2:03.34
3. Zsuzsanna Jakobos (Hungary)  2:07.12
Men’s 200m Individual Medley
1. Daiya Seto (Japan)  1:52.49
2. Phillip Heintz (Germany) 1:52.81
3. Josh Prenot (USA)  1:54.65
Women’s 400 Freestyle
1. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary)  4:03.94
2. Fang Yi (China)  4:04.82
3. Zsuzsanna Jakobos (Hungary) 4:06.50
Men’s 50m Freestyle
1. Vladimir Morozov (Russia)  21.05s
2. Benjamin Proud (Great Britain)  21.22
3. Chad le Clos (South Africa)  21.34
Women’s 200 Breaststroke
1. Rie Kaneto (Japan)  2:15.76s
2. Yuliya Efimova (Russia) 2:16.39
3. Breeja Larson (USA)  2:19.32
Women’s 100m Individual Medley
1. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary) 57.82s
2. Katie Meili (USA) 59.19
3. Alia Atkinson (Jamaica)  1:00.51
Men’s 200 Backstroke
1. Bobby Hurley (Australia)  1:51.70
2. Omar Pinzon Garcia (Colombia) 1:52.56
3. Stanislav Donetc (Russia) 1:53.93
Women’s 50m Butterfly
1. Jeanette Ottesen (Denmark)  25.13s
2. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary)  25.98
3. Madeline Groves (Australia)  26.14
Men’s 1500 Freestyle
1. Gergely Gyurta (Hungary)  14:32.69
2. Myles Brown (South Africa)  14:49.64
3. Poul Zellmann (Germany)  14:51.58
Women’s 400m Individual Medley
1. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary)  4:31.18
2. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (Hungary)  4:33.39
3. Tessa Wallace (Australia)  4:42.18