Sarah Sjostrom and Vladimir Morozov on top of FINA World Cup Rankings After Beijing

Photo Courtesy: Maria Dobysheva

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Katinka Hosszu of Hungary and Russia’s Vladimir Morozov were the most decorated athletes with a total of 4 gold medals apiece this weekend in the Beijing Water Cube, as the venue staged the first leg of the third and final FINA Swimming World Cup 2018 Cluster.

After winning the 100/200 and 400m IM as well as the 200m fly, Hosszu is now closer to Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) who leads the overall ranking with 237 points (against 222 for Hosszu). Sjostrom claimed two golds in Beijing, the 50m fly (25:03) and the 100m fly (55.58).

The Swedish ace was defeated by her biggest rival Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) in the 50 and 100m free. The Dutch legend grabbed the two gold medals at stake in 23.48 and 51.51 respectively.

Yulia Efimova (RUS) topped the 100 and 200m breast in 1:03.09 and 2:16.98 respectively. Other winners amongst the women’s competition in Beijing were Femke Heemskerk (NED) in the 200m freestyle (1:52.22) and teammate Kira Toussaint in the 50m back (26.21). Australia’s Minna Atherton claimed the victory in the 100 and 200m back in 56.49 and 2:02.02.

Li Bingjie and Yang Caiping of China were the best in the two longest races of the Beijing meet and won in respectively 3:59.20 (400m free) and 8:29.05 (800m free).

In the men’s competition, Morozov showed great form by pocketing the golds at stakes in the 50/100m freestyle in 20.87 and 45.66 as well as the 50m fly (22.27) and 100m IM (50.84), while teammate Kirill Prigoda won all breaststroke races in 26.02, 56.61 and 2:01.59. Morozov reinforced his lead of the ranking, now totaling 272 points.

The Chinese men did not disappoint on home soil as they claimed the 400m free with Ji Xinjie (3:40.82), the 50m back with Xu Jiayu (22.70), the 200m back with Xu Jiayu (1:49.08) and both the 100 and 200 fly with Li Zhuhao (50.74 and 1:51.94 respectively) and finally Wang Shun was the fastest in the 200m IM in 1:52.08.

Other winners amongst the men were USA’s Blake Pieroni (200m free in 1:42.65), Ukraine’s Mykhailo Romanchuk (1500m free in 14:29.88), Mitch Larkin (AUS, 100m back in 49.97) and Hungary’s David Verraszto who touched home first in the 400m IM in 4:04.09.

Team China beat all other teams in the relay events and won the 4×50 freestyle in 1:31.17 and the medley version in 1:38.69.

The sixth leg of the Swimming World Cup will resume in Tokyo (JPN) on November 9-11, and will conclude in Singapore (SGP) on November 15-17.

Winners in Beijing (CHN):

50m free: Men – Vladimir Morozov (RUS) 20.87; Women – Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) 23.48
100m free: Men – Vladimir Morozov (RUS) 45.66; Women – Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) 51.51
200m free: Men – Blake Pieroni (USA) 1:42.65; Women – Femke Heemskerk (NED) 1:52.22
400m free: Men – Ji Xinjie (CHN) 3:40.82 ; Women – Li Bingjie (CHN) 3:59.20
800m free: Women – Yang Caiping (CHN) 8:29.05
1500m free: Men – Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR) 14:29.88
50m back: Men – Xu Jiayu (CHN) 22.70; Women – Kira Tousaint (NED) 26.21
100m back: Men – Mitchell Larkin (AUS) 49.97; Women – Minna Atherton (AUS) 56.49
200m back: Men – Xu Jiayu (CHN) 1:49.08; Women – Minna Atherton (AUS) 2:02.02
50m breast: Men – Kirill Prigoda (RUS) 26.02; Women – Alia Atkinson (JAM) 29.16
100m breast: Men – Kirill Prigoda (RUS) 56.61; Women – Yuliya Efimova (RUS) 1:03.09
200m breast: Men – Kirill Prigoda (RUS) 2:01.59; Women – Yuliya Efimova (RUS) 2:16.98
50m fly: Men – Vladimir Morozov (RUS) 22.27; Women – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 25.03
100m fly: Men – Li Zhuhao (CHN) 50.74; Women – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 55.58
200m fly: Men – Li Zhuhao (CHN) 1:51.94; Women – Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 2:02.88
100m IM: Men – Vladimir Morozov (RUS) 50.84; Women – Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 57.05
200m IM: Men – Wang Shun (CHN) 1:52.08; Women – Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 2:05.25
400m IM: Men – David Verraszto (HUN) 4:04.09; Women – Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 4:25.68

4x50m free mixed: China 1:31.17
4x50m medley mixed: China 1:38.69

WR – World Record
WCR – World Cup Record
WJR – World Junior Record

Best performers in Beijing (CHN):

MEN
1. PRIGODA Kirill (RUS) 971pts
2. MOROZOV Vladimir (RUS) 968
3. XU Jiayu (CHN) 937

WOMEN
1. HOSSZU Katinka (HUN) 971pts
2. EFIMOVA Yuliya (RUS) 965
3. HEEMSKERK Femke (NED) 952

Top-3 overall ranking after Beijing (CHN):

MEN
1. MOROZOV Vladimir (RUS) 272pts
2. PRIGODA Kirill (RUS) 168
3. LARKIN Mitchell (AUS) 165

WOMEN
1. SJÖSTRÖM Sarah (SWE) 237pts
2. HOSSZU Katinka (HUN) 222
3. EFIMOVA Yuliya (RUS) 204

Complete calendar of the 2018 FINA Swimming World Cup:

Cluster 1 (50m-pool)
1. Kazan (RUS) – September 7-9
2. Doha (QAT) – September 13-15

Cluster 2 (25m-pool)
3. Eindhoven (NED) – September 28-30
4. Budapest (HUN) – October 4-6

Cluster 3 (25m-pool)
5. Beijing (CHN) – November 2-4
6. Tokyo (JPN) – November 9-11
7. Singapore (SGP) – November 15-17

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