Mireia Belmonte Garcia of Spain reacts after the women’s 200m butterfly final at the 32nd European Swimming Championships in Berlin on Sunday. Right: Katinka Hosszu
By Sports Reporter/Doha
Some of the world’s leading female swimmers including Katinka Hosszu (Hungary), Mireia Belmonte Garcia (Spain) and Marieke D’Cruz (Australia) will be seen in action in the Mastbank Swimming World Cup in Doha on August 27-28.
They will join a host of Olympians, World Champions and world record holders already confirmed in the line-up, including men’s Olympic champion Chad Le Clos, three-time Olympic medallist Oussama Mellouli and four-time Olympian from South Africa, Roland Schoeman.
The addition of Hosszu ‘the Iron Lady’ to the impressive entry list is welcome news for fans who can witness the excitement of the meet with open admission across two days action at the Hamad Aquatic Centre. Hosszu, the reigning World Cup champion, has continued her dominant form in 2014 following a remarkable 2013 World Cup in which she set six world records, winning 32 events and the overall title by a stunning 537 points.
Known as one of the fittest swimmers in history with world-class freestyle times from 200m to 800m, the 25-year-old Hungarian will arrive in Doha direct from a successful showing in the 32nd European Championships in Berlin, were she took Gold in the 400m and 200m Individual medley and set two championship records in the process.
Speaking ahead of the Doha event Hosszu said: “I’m really looking forward to the opening of the series in Doha, the facilities are world-class and it’s a perfect place to start the World Cup. I’ve carried the momentum from 2013 into 2014 and feel good about the series ahead. I feel fit and healthy but swimming is as much a mental sport as physical so a strong performance in Qatar for the opening of the World Cup will give me the opportunity to draw upon that experience when we return in December for the FINA World Championships (25m).”
Joining Hosszu in Doha is Spain’s towering all-rounder Mireia Belmonte Garcia. A holder of world records, World Championship podiums and European titles from 400 to 1500m freestyle, 200m butterfly and 200 and 400m medley, Garcia is the complete swimmer. She also had great success in 2013 including breaking world records in the short course 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle.
Like several competitors to swim in Doha, Garcia is set to increase her gruelling multi-event programme during 2014, using the FINA Mastbank World Cup 2014 series as a transitional period aimed at securing gold in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Garcia said: “The FINA Mastbank World Cup series always brings together the best swimmers in the world so the competition is always tough. But that’s what everyone competing wants. We all swim to win and the opening meet in Doha will be an important gauge to see who is strongest at this part of the season.”
Fans will get a chance to witness up to 140 elite athletes from 36 countries in the meet including experienced campaigner Australia’s Marieke D’Cruz, the former world record holder in the 50m butterfly and 50m breaststroke. D’Cruz won the overall Swimming World Cup title in 2008 and is a short course specialist, having won two silvers in the 2012 short course world championships.
Doha has marked this year it’s year of swimming with the city not only hosting the first stop in the FINA Mastbank Swimming World Cup, but also the 3rd FINA Aquatics Conference (November 29th- December 01, 2014), directly ahead of the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (December 3-7, 2014). The upcoming World Cup event is free to attend with admission tickets being available for collection at the Hamad Aquatic Centre from August 25 – 26.