SWIMMING WORLD CUP 2013, Beijing Day 2: Hosszu, Le Clos win FINA World Cup

Alia Atkinson

Zhou Xin, FINA Media Committee Member

AKUATIK. Big smiles and countless gold medals, Katinka Hosszu of Hungary and Chad Le Clos of South Africa became clinch the World Cup title for the second time, finishing on a high note at Beijing's last stop of the eight-meet circuit on November 14, 2013.

As the busiest swimmer of all, double World champion Hosszu seemed rusty in all her five finals on Thursday evening with no gold medal, claiming respectable silvers and bronzes instead.

Hosszu placed third in the 400m IM, clocking 4:27.66, and third again in the 100m backstroke (57.92) while Emily Seebohm of Australia took out the latter event in 57.22 and Daryna Zevina of Ukraine 57.56 finished second.

In the women's 200m butterfly, Hosszu lost her lead in the last 25m and had to concede to a silver medal in 2:05.25. Hosszu took eighth in the 50m butterfly in 27.03 while Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden swept the event in 25.24.

Spain's Mireia Belmonte broke Hosszu's winning streak by touching first in the 400m individual medley (4:25.23) and 200m butterfly (2:04.20). Alicia Coutts of Australia won the women's 100m individual medley in 58.08, beating Jamaica's breaststroker Alia Atkinson (58.71) and Hosszu (58.92).

"I've won the whole overall today, though there is no more gold medal, no more World record here. I'm happy with it. It's my second time to be the overall winner. After racing so many events, I was a little bit tired. I think I'm a medley swimmer, I like to swim the IM, butterfly, backstroke... I like them all," smiled Hosszu who walked away with the prize money of 100, 000 US dollars.

In other women's events, local hope Shao Yiwen bagged the only gold medal for China in the 400m freestyle in 3:58.92, beating Lauren Boyle of New Zealand, second in 3:59.25. Belmonte completed the podium in 3:59.46. Mio Motegi and Sakiko Shimizu gave Japan a 1-3 in the women's 200m breaststroke, clocking 2:20.23 and 2:24.56, respectively. He Yun of China placed second in 2:23.80

Alia Atkinson of Jamaica was the fastest in the 50m breaststroke in 29.20, followed by Dorothea Brandt of Germany (30.11) and Suo Ran of China (30.27). The Campbell sisters gave Australia a 1-3 finish again in the 100m freestyle as Cate snatched the gold in 51.59 and Bronte the bronze in 52.57. Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden took the silver in 52.41.

Olympic champion Chad Le Clos of South Africa celebrated two more victories in the 100m butterfly (49.41), where he out-touched Thomas Shields (USA) by 0.04 second, and the 200m IM (1:52.60), ahead of Chinese Wang Shun and Mao Feilian (1:53.59 and 1:55.20, respectively).

"I knew that the Beijing stop would be hard for me because I'm very tired after so many stops. All I want to do is to make sure I can win as many gold medals as possible. I'm happy with my two golds and happy to be the overall winner for the second time," said Le Clos.

Russian Vladimir Morozov dominated the operation in his pet event, the 50m freestyle, touching home in 20.91, ahead of Anthony Ervin (USA, 21.07) and Roland Schoeman (RSA, 21.11).

"I swam three finals in three strokes tonight. It's a little bit too much. I need more time to recover, so my 50m freestyle is not as good as I expected. But I did a PB in the breaststroke. I like sprint events in different strokes but freestyle is my best," said Morozov.

In other men's events, Hao Yun of China led the way in the first 1300m before Myles Brown of South African had a strong comeback in the last 200m, winning the men's 1500m freestyle in 14:41.63. Hao and Gergely Gyurta of Hungary were second and third, respectively in 14:42.38 and 14:45.53.

Australia's Thomas Fraser-Holmes won the men's 200m freestyle in 1:43.09 while teammate Robert Hurley was second in 1:43.67 and Pawel Korzeniowsky of Poland, third in 1:43.69. The 100m breaststroke gold was reserved for Daniel Guyrta of Hungary, first in 57.34. Eugene Godsoe (USA) completed a sweep in the men's backstroke events, adding two more golds in the 50m (23.07) and 200m (1:51.29) to his previous victory in the 100m on Day 1. 

Tommaso D'Orsogna, Travis Mahoney, Cate Campbell and Bronte Campbell of Australia set a World Cup record in the mixed 4x50m freestyle relay in 1:30.52. China took second and Brazil third, in 1:30.89 and 1:31.45 respectively.

THE BEST PERFORMERS IN BEIJING

Men
1. MOROZOV Vladimir (RUS): 50.97 - 984 pts - 100m IM
2. SANTOS Nicholas (BRA): 22.13 - 955 pts - 50m fly
3. LE CLOS Chad (RSA): 49.41 - 944 pts - 100m fly

Women
1. HOSSZU Katinka (HUN): 2:05.07 - 988 pts - 200m IM
2. COUTTS Alicia (AUS): 58.08 - 982 pts - 100m IM
3. CAMPBELL Cate (AUS): 51.59 -    966 pts - 100m free

TOP-3 OF THE OVERALL SERIES:

Men
1. LE CLOS Chad (RSA) - 574 pts
2. MOROZOV Vladimir (RUS) - 414 pts
3. HURLEY Robert (AUS) - 285 pts

Women
1. HOSSZU Katinka (HUN) - 840 pts
2. ATKINSON Alia (JAM) - 288 pts
3. BELMONTE Mireia (ESP) - 280 pts