SWIMMING NEWS - Katinka Hosszu and Ranomi Kromowidjo put in world record performances on the second day of the second 2017 Fina World Cup leg at the Schwimm- und Sporthalle am Europapark (SSE) in Berlin on Monday.
First the “Iron Lady” from Budapest broke her own best time in the 100m individual medley. Then Kromowidjojo came back as the former world record holder with a 22.93 in the 50m freestyle.
In the overall ranking Sjostrom is leading. The five-time World Cup winner Hosszu is second for the moment.
In men’s competition Chad Le Clos from South Africa is in the leading position.
The World Cup will next stop in Eindhoven (NED) on 10-11 August.
Men's Races
For half of the 200m butterfly South African Chad Le Clos was on world record pace, but he lost the power in the last 50m. With a time of 1:49.08 he narrowly missed his best time.
In the finish, Tom Shields of the USA was the runner-up in 1:49.26. Masayuki Umemoto was third on the podium in a time of 1:52.80.
World record holder Cameron van der Burgh of South Africa took gold in his favoured 50m breaststroke in 25.49. Fabio Scozzoli of Italy touched home second in 25.77, while the Russian Kirill Prigoda placed third in 25.86.
An elated Cameron van der Burgh
In a tight 200m freestyle race, Dominik Koza (HUN) touched home in 1:41.03. Kacper Majchrzak (POL) and Le Clos followed in this order with times of 1:41.62 and 1:41.67 respectively.
After his victory in the 200m backstroke on the first day in Berlin, Radoslaw Kawecki was also the winner in the 100m backstroke event. In 49,97, he was in front of Masaki Kaneko (JPN), who placed second in 50.29, with Pavel Sankovich (BLR) third in 50.70.
Philipp Heintz (GER) also managed to win a second event in Berlin. After the 200m IM on the first day, he kept his opponents away in the 400m IM and finished first in 4:05.16. Federico Turrini of Italy was behind in 4:05.73, and Ayrton Sweeney of South Africa closed the podium in 4:06.72.
Women's Races
In the opening of the women's events Katinka Hosszu bettered her own world record in the 100m IM. In 56.51 she was 16/100 of a second below the old mark in her 230th victory in a single World Cup event. Behind her was Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), who finished in 57.30, followed by Alia Atkinson (JAM) in 58.12.
“I feel really good, it was a very good race and I will have another race tonight,” Hosszu said.
Only 10 minutes later the “Iron Lady” from Hungary was again on world record pace, but in the 200m backstroke. She took gold in 2:00.37. On the last lap Budapest World Champion Emily Seebohm (AUS) came up, but could not catch her. She finished second in 2:00.65, followed by the German Nadine Laemmler in 2:05.41.
In the 50m freestyle, Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) earned the world record in 22.93, followed by Sjostrom in 23.00, which was also under the old record. Cate Campbell (AUS) finished third in 23.62.
“I’m very happy to be again the world record holder. At the moment, I’m in a good shape and the next leg of the World Cup will be in my home town Eindhoven where we have also a very fast pool”; Kromowidjojo said.
The first place in the 100m butterfly went to Hosszu. In a time of 55.86 she was in front of Ilaria Bianchi of Italy (56.42) and Belgian Kimberly Buys (56.44).
“That was not the end. Now the next World Cup leg in Eindhoven is coming up. There is another chance”, Hosszu said.
