Moravcova, Schoeman Are Hot on Final Day of South Africa World Cup; Stitts, Cope Win for the USA

By Chaker Belhadj
FINA Press Commission Member

DURBAN, South Africa, December 7. THE third day of the FINA World Cup 3 meet held in scenic Durban was highlighted by Martina Moravcova's sixth victory here, this time in the 200 free (1:56.30).

However, Martina wasn't the only story this day. South African Roland Schoeman scored his third win of the meet by taking the 50m free (21.57, second best time in the world this year) and German Steffen Driesen also went home with three gold medals after winning the 100m backstroke in 52.28.

The only continental record of the day was set by Ryk Neethling (RSA) in the 100m butterfly (51.90), while Chinese Xu Yanwei turned in the world's second best performance of the season in the 200m butterfly (2:07.79).

Two young swimmers were in evidence in Durban: Brazilian Thiago Pereira (winner of the men's 400m individual medley in 4:10.93) and Chinese Tianyi Zhang, 13, first in the 200m individual medley.

South Africa came in first in the medal tally with 31 medals (7 gold, 12 silver, 12 bronze), in front of China, 15 (6+6+3) and Slovakia (6 gold medals — all Martina's).

Race reports:

Women’s 200m butterfly
It was an expected victory for China's Xu Yanwei in an excellent time of 2:07.79, second best performance in the world of the year. You-Ri Kown (KOR) was second (2:10.78) and South African Amanda Loots third (2:13.32).

Men’s 100m butterfly
South African Ryk Neethling created a big surprise by winning the 100 fly in 51.90 and upsetting Igor Marchenko (RUS), ranked second in last year’s world charts, and the holder of the African record, his compatriot Roland Schoeman (52.14, in March 2000). Schoeman (leader at the 50m-split) touched second in 52.26, in front of Marchenko, third in 52.38.

Women’s 50m breaststroke
US 2000 Olympian Staciana Stitts earned her second title of the meet — the first time she she has won two gold medals in a World Cup meet — as she clocked 31.60, a new PR. The US went 1-2 when Ashley Roby touched second (32.33) while China's Luo Nan was third (32.54).

,b>Men’s 200m breaststroke
The men's 200 breast saw a successful comeback by Olympic silver medalist, South African Terence Parkin, who won in 2:10.12, in front of Brazilian Eduardo Fischer (2:11.49, close to his personal best of 2:11.24 set in November 2001). Third place was occupied by another South African, Neil Versfeld (2:12.59).

Women’s 200m free
The women's 200 free saw victory number six for Martina Moravcova, who swam alone and finished in 1:56.30 (fifth best time of the year and best performance of the third day of the meet – 984 points). Romanian Camelia Potec was second in 1:58.60, while South African Marizanne Grundlingh was third in 2:00.36 (new personal best).

Men’s 50m free
The 50 free was the battlegaround for another South African duel. The two-lap sprint went to Roland Schoeman in 21.57 (third win in the meet and second best performance in the world this season), in front of his compatriot Ryk Neethling (21.92) and the short course world champion Jose Meolans (ARG, 22.13).

Women’s 200m individual medley
After taking the 400m individual medley, Zhang Tianyi, 13 year-old Chinese phenom, took the 200 medley in 2:12.03. Precisely one year ago, the then 12 year-old created a sensation in Shanghai with a 2:09.85 swim. Behind Zhang, the battle for the remaining places of the podium was hot: two South Africans tried to beat one of the oldest continental records (owned by Julia Russel from April 2, 1997 in 2:15.15) but they fell just short. Tamaryn Laubscher was second in 2:15.81 and Amanda Loots finished third in 2:15.90.

Men’s 400m individual medley
Disqualified on day 2 for a technical fault in the 200m, young Brazilian Thiago Pereira won the gold medal in 4:10.93, setting a new national record). The swim represented a remarkable progression in this event, as his previous best was 4:24.31!. South African Parkin was second in 4:12.62 and the podium was completed with another Brazilian athlete, Luca Salatta, third in 4:12.89.

Women’s 50m backstroke
After two second place finishes, the USA's Haley Cope touched first, clocking 27.83 in the 50 back, the world's third fastest time this year. Zhang Tianyi was second (28.15) and Korean Nam-Eun Lee third (28.53).

Men’s 100m backstroke
The 100 back brought the meet's third victory in the backstroke events for German Steffen Driesen, winning “alone” in 52.28. Australian Andrew Lauterstein was second in 53.95, while Owen Morgan (GBR) finished third in 54.93.

Men’s 1500m free
Romanian Dragos Coman won the men's 1500, the last event of the program in 14:51.38, in front of American veteran Chad Carvin (14:53.62). South African Troyden Prinsloo improved his best personal time by more than 10 seconds to take the bronze medal in 15:00.31.

FINA SWIMMING WORLD CUP 2003-2004
FINAL RESULTS
3rd MEET
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
December 5-7, 2003

25 meter pool

RESULTS

200m Butterfly Women, Final
1. XU Yanwei 1984 CHN 2:07.79 972
2. KOWN You-Ri 1989 KOR 2:10.78 938
3. LOOTS Amanda 1978 RSA 2:13.32 909
4. BARDACH Georgina 1983 ARG 2:13.62 905
5. GEHRING Charne 1986 RSA 2:15.16 888
6. MEYER Bianca 1989 RSA 2:17.05 867
7. SPENCER Samantha 1986 RSA 2:19.01 845
8. ENGLISH Sarah 1986 RSA 2:19.27 842

100m Butterfly Men, Final
1. NEETHLING Ryk 1977 RSA 51.90 971
2. SCHOEMAN Roland 1980 RSA 52.26 961
3. MARCHENKO Igor 1975 RUS 52.38 957
4. VERSTER Theo 1975 RSA 53.35 930
5. COOMBES Alex 1983 AUS 53.63 922
6. LAUTERSTEIN Andrew 1986 AUS 53.71 920
7. BURMESTER Moss 1981 NZL 53.72 920
8. HERBST Stefan 1978 GER 54.29 904

50m Breaststroke Women, Final
1. STITTS Staciana 1981 USA 31.60 936
2. ROBY Ashley 1980 USA 32.33 901
3. LUO Nan 1986 CHN 32.54 891
4. WU Binan 1986 CHN 32.58 890
5. JARDINE Ziada 1984 RSA 32.67 885
6. BURKE Natalie 1985 RSA 32.91 874
7. HELBIG Sonja 1987 GER 33.17 862
8. DOUGALL Lauren 1984 RSA 33.28 857

200m Breaststroke Men, Final
1. PARKIN Terence 1980 RSA 2:10.12 960
2. FISCHER Eduardo 1980 BRA 2:11.49 944
3. VERSFELD Neil 1985 RSA 2:12.59 932
4. DU TOIT Michiel 1984 RSA 2:13.77 919
5. JOSEPHSON Matthew 1985 RSA 2:17.58 876
6. BADENHORST Jay 1984 RSA 2:18.94 861
7. LAVERY Nathan 1986 RSA 2:19.23 857
8. FERGUSSON Byron 1986 RSA 2:19.27 857

200m Freestyle Women, Final
1. MORAVCOVA Martina 1976 SVK 1:56.30 984
2. POTEC Camelia 1982 ROM 1:58.60 955
3. GRUNDLINGH Marizanne 1983 RSA 2:00.36 934
4. CORFE Melissa 1986 RSA 2:03.14 899
5. PETERSEN Ilse 1984 RSA 2:03.27 898
6. ERLANDSSON Linda 1983 SWE 2:03.89 890
7. BEES Cheyne 1979 RSA 2:03.99 889
8. SCHWENDENWEIN Sasha 1987 RSA 2:05.65 868

50m Freestyle Men, Final
1. SCHOEMAN Roland 1980 RSA 21.57 981
2. NEETHLING Ryk 1977 RSA 21.92 958
3. MEOLANS Jose 1978 ARG 22.13 944
4. KIZIEROWSKI Bartosz 1977 POL 22.18 940
5. MORGAN Owen 1984 GBR 22.33 930
6. PIMANKOV Denis 1975 RUS 22.49 920
7. TOWNSEND Darian 1984 RSA 22.77 901
8. LISOGOR Oleg 1979 UKR 22.78 900

200m Individual Medley Women, Final
1. ZHANG Tianyi 1990 CHN 2:12.03 966
2. LAUBSCHER Tamaryn 1984 RSA 2:15.81 924
3. LOOTS Amanda 1978 RSA 2:15.90 923
4. LITTLE Candice 1983 RSA 2:16.74 914
5. ROBY Ashley 1980 USA 2:18.42 895
6. VAN BILJON Suzaan 1988 RSA 2:19.21 886
7. MEYER Bianca 1989 RSA 2:20.79 869
8. MEAKLIM Kathryn 1989 RSA 2:21.08 866

400m Individual Medley Men, Timed Final
1. PEREIRA Thiago 1986 BRA 4:10.93NR 968
2. PARKIN Terence 1980 RSA 4:12.62 958
3. SALATTA Lucas 1987 BRA 4:12.89 956
4. HOS Peter 1985 HUN 4:23.18 896
5. JACOBS Rohan 1987 RSA 4:28.68 865
6. ROGERS Stuart 1982 RSA 4:28.77 864
7. PRETORIUS Nicholas 1984 RSA 4:33.44 837
8. DE WAAL Byron 1986 RSA 4:34.46 831

50m Backstroke Women, Final
1. COPE Haley 1979 USA 27.83 964
2. ZHANG Tianyi 1990 CHN 28.15 947
3. LEE Nam-Eun 1989 KOR 28.53 927
4. WITTSTOCK Charlene 1978 RSA 28.74 916
5. CHEN Xiujun 1986 CHN 28.96 905
6. MALAN Monique 1983 RSA 29.34 885
7. LEE Da-Hye 1987 KOR 29.48 878
8. ALTMANN Romy 1983 RSA 29.53 875

100m Backstroke Men, Final
1. DRIESEN Steffen 1981 GER 52.28 972
2. LAUTERSTEIN Andrew 1986 AUS 53.95 926
3. MORGAN Owen 1984 GBR 54.93 898
4. LIN Yi 1982 CHN 54.97 897
5. TARDIN Alain 1984 SUI 55.14 893
6. BRITS Grant 1987 AUS 55.30 888
7. BOTHA Jarryd 1985 RSA 55.35 887
8. MARAIS Carl 1984 RSA 55.58 880

1500m Freestyle Men, Timed Final
1. COMAN Dragos 1980 ROM 14:51.38 965
2. CARVIN Chad 1974 USA 14:53.62 962
3. PRINSLOO Troyden 1985 RSA 15:00.31 951
4. ZHANG Lin 1987 CHN 15:02.19 948
5. RANDALL Mark 1986 RSA 15:04.38 944
6. THOMPSON Andrew 1986 AUS 15:11.57 932
7. BURMESTER Moss 1981 NZL 15:25.50 909
8. NEETHLING Ryk 1977 RSA 15:27.43 906

TOP 10 PERFORMANCES IN DURBAN
990 57.58 100m fly women Martina Moravcova SVK
988 1:44.05 200m freestyle men Ryk Neethling RSA
986 58.82 100m back women Ilona Hlavackova CZE
984 1:56.30 200m freestyle women Martina Moravcova SVK
981 21.57 50 m freestyle men Roland Schoeman RSA
978 47.70 100m freestyle men Roland Schoeman RSA
976 23.25 50m fly men Roland Schoeman RSA
974 1:45.11 200m freestyle men Chad Carvin USA
974 47.83 100m freestyle men Ryk Neethling RSA
974 3:42.91 400m freestyle men Chad Carvin USA

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