The Doha leg of the FINA World Cup ended with a bang as three competition records were shattered on the final day. At the Hamad Aquatic Centre last night, Sarah Sjostrom continued her streak of breaking the World Cup record in the 100m butterfly, while Andrii Govorov and David Verraszto also set a new mark in the men’s 50m butterfly and 400m individual medley respectively.
For Sweden’s Sjostrom it was the icing on the cake, as she also won the women’s overall title after cluster one (Kazan and Doha leg), while the men’s title was pocketed by Russian Anton Chupkov.
The 25-year-old Sjostrom bulldozed her way to the gold in a new record of 56.46. At the Kazan stop, Sjostrom had tied the record of 57.56 set by Japan’s Rikako Ikee in 2015 in the heats, and then took just over a tenth of a second off in the final to win gold in 57.42. Last night, she chopped nearly a full second off that record. Belgian Kimberly Buys was runner-up in 58.23, and Dutch Ranomi Kromowidjojo (59.40) took third spot.
Later Sjostrom took her fifth win in Doha, the same as in Kazan, when she cruised to victory in the 100m freestyle in 53.13. She held off stiff challenges from Dutch rivals Kromowidjojo (53.29) and Femke Heemskerk (53.34).
“It was a very busy last couple of weeks, ten gold medals in two legs, I am very happy. I will go back home, and rest before preparing for the short course,” Sjostrom said.
On her record-breaking spree, the Sweden’s first Olympic champion in swimming Sjostrom was pleased with her improvements. “I am very much happy because I was a lot faster than a few days ago in Russia. I couldn’t be happier. I was targeting to be fastest in Doha, than in Kazan, and I am happy that I have achieved that,” she said.
Meanwhile, Hungarian Katinka Hosszu finished off the World Cup stop in Doha with three wins on the final night, coming out on top in the women’s 800 freestyle, 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley. After two victories on each of the first two days, the ‘Iron Lady’ left Doha with seven gold medals.
But she still finished behind Sjostrom for the overall title, as the swimmers can only score points from their best three finishes. While Hosszu did not break any World Cup records, Sjostrom rewrote the record books five times over two legs. Each world record yields 20 points as Sjostrom cashed in for some breathtaking swimming.
Last night, Hosszu started the session off in the 800 freestyle, edging out Kazan winner Zhou Chanzhen of China by just over a second in 8:34.58 for the victory.
In no time Hosszu was back in the water for the 200 backstroke, easily picking up the win in 2:11.00 over Kira Toussaint (2:13.24) of the Netherlands. Her third win of the night came in the 200 IM, as she clocked 2:11.57 comfortably ahead of Russian Yuliya Efimova (2:13.60).
Hosszu’s Hungarian teammate David Verraszto was also in the record books as he lowered his own World Cup make to win the men’s 400 IM. He clocked a time of 4:13.44 to knock off his mark set three years ago. Maksym Shemberev of Azerbaijan came second in 4:13.61 while, Tom Peribonio finished third at 4:17.02 for Ecuador.
Ukrainian Govorov won the men’s 50 butterfly in a time of 22.82, breaking his own record of 22.87 set at the first stop in Kazan. At second place was American Michael Andrew (23.21) and the bronze went to South Africa’s Ryan Coetzee (23.54),
For Chupkov it was a memorable evening as the 21-year-old Russian claimed the men’s 200m breaststroke gold to add to his bronze on the opening day. Given Chopkov’s top show in Kazan, it was enough for him to emerge as the men’s cluster winner.
RESULTS:
Men’s 400m Individual Medley: 1. David Verraszto (HUN) 4:13.44; 2. Maksym Shemberev (AZE) 4:13.61; 3. Tomas Peribonto (ECU) 4:17.02
Women’s 800m Freestyle: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 8:34.58; 2. Chanzhen Zhou (CHN) 8:35.67; 3. Andrea Zapatero (ESP) 8:43.99
Women’s 100m Butterfly: 1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 56.46; 2. Kimberly Buys (BEL) 58.23; 3. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) 59.40
Men’s 50m Butterfly: 1. Andrii Govorov (UKR) 22.82; 2. Michael Andrew (USA) 23.21; 3.Ryan Coetzee (RSA) 23.54
Women’s 200m Backstroke: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 2:11.00; 2. Kira Toussaint (NED) 2:13.24; 3. Yuru Jiang (CHN) 2:14.54
Men’s 100m Backstroke: 1. Mitchell Larkin (AUS) 53.68; 2. Michael Andrew (USA) 54.11; 3. Vladimir Morozov (RUS) 55.07
Women’s 50m Breaststroke: 1. Yuliya Efimova (RUS) 30.43; 2. Vitalina Simonova (RUS) 32.01; 3. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 32.81
Men’s 200m Breaststroke: 1. Anton Chupkov (RUS) 2:08.77; 2. Arno Kamminga (NED) 2:11.21; 3. Kirill Prigoda (RUS) 2:11.61
Women’s 100m Freestyle: 1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 53.13; 2. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) 53.29; 3. Femke Heemskerk (NED)
Men’s 200m Freestyle: 1. Blake Pieroni (USA) 1:47.20; 2. Kyle Stolk (NED) 1:49.45; 3. Lorenz Weiremans (BEL) 1:49.68
Women’s 200m Individual Medley: 1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 2:11.57; 2. Yuliya Efimova (RUS) 2:13.60; 3. Sishi Zhang (CHN) 2:14.23
Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay: 1. The Netherlands (Kira Toussaint, Arno Kamminga, Mathys Goosen, Femke Heemskerk) 3:49.18; 2. China (Yuru Jiang, Zhihao Zhang, Sishi Zhang, Zheqi Lin) 3:58.36; 3. Hungary (Katinka Hosszu, David Verraszto, Daniel Dudas, Zsuzsanna Jakabos) 3:59.43
Overall winners Anton Chupko and Sarah Sjostrom pose with their cheques. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil
