Vladimir Morozo of Russia bags silver while Xiang Li China bags the bronze on day 1 of FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup 2016 # 5 in Dubai!

Vladimir Morozo of Russia bagged silver while Xiang Li of China took the bronze in the Mens 50m Breaststroke Final during day 1 of FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup 2016 in Dubai, while Felipe Lima of Brazil walked away with the gold.  

The first leg of FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup 2016 in Dubai is taking place at the Hamdan Complex Centre where 216 swimmers from 33 countries are battling it out for supremacy while the second Middle East leg is in Doha after which the competition heads to Asia with stops in Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Staged across nine locations in three clusters, Europe, Middle East and Asia, the competition offers athletes prize money reaching a whopping US$2 million.  

Among the swimming stars is Katinka Hosszu who won three gold and one silver in Rio and Le Clos who won two silver.

More than 210 swimmers offered a spectacular show on Day 1 of the Dubai leg of the FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup and incredible sporting efforts were provided at this evening’s finals but multiple-time Olympic and World champion and World Record holder Katinka Hosszu (HUN) made the headlines on this first day in the Emirates city, part of the World Cup itinerary ever since 2011.

The swimmer nicknamed the “Iron Lady”, who claimed on Monday the World Cup is “resting time” for her, clinched gold in four events (200m free, 50m back, 200m IM, 800m) in total so far, while she also managed to get 2 silvers (100m fly, 200m back) across all her registered events.

Day 1 was equally highlighted by Chad Le Clos (RSA)’s performances. Le Clos, 24, easily reminded everyone that he is the best in the butterfly events, and won both the 50m 200m. Vladimir Morozov of Russia and Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark were the only other two swimmers to triumph twice the first evening.

Hosszu and Le Clos have been the most successful swimmers here as Hosszu took eight golds in 2012 and 2014, and still collected three more golds in 2015. Le Clos’ best year was 2011 with six golds, to which he added two more last year to his impressive Dubai tally (this is without the meet currently taking place).

The competition was officially opened at the state-of-the-art Hamdan Sports Complex, also called the Pearl in the Dessert, with welcoming speeches from UEA Swimming Federation President Ahmad Abdulla Al Falasi and FINA President Dr. Julio Maglione.

Men’s races

Russia’s Vladimir Morozov grabbed the first gold medal at stake (100m free), touching home in 46.71, leaving Pieter Timmers (BEL, 47.14) take silver and Katsumi Nakamura (JPN, 47.44) bronze. This was Morozov’s 12th victory in this event. Morozov, who clearly led the boy’s ranking after the Beijing leg claimed another victory (100m IM), on Day 1 in Dubai, as well as one silver medal in the 50m breast.

The 50m breast World Record holder Cameron Van der Burgh (RSA) was absent tonight but South African Roland Shoeman represented the nation in this event by ranking fourth. The winner of the event was Felipe Lima (BRA, 26.02), who also won the race last weekend in Beijing.

Shoeman fairly took a silver medal in the 50m fly which was won by Chad Le Clos (RSA) as expected.

The South African champion, who with his two Rio Olympic silver medals (100m fly and 200m free) became South Africa’s most decorated Olympian in history, impressed today by grabbing gold in the 200m fly in 1:49.71. He was closely followed by Japan’s Daiya Seto and Germany’s Philip Heintz. He was also part of the relay team but narrowly missed the podium with a fourth place. 

Pavel Sankovich (BLR) dominated the 100m back in 50.20, defeating most successful swimmers in this particular event Bobby Hurley of Australia (silver) and Russia’s Stanislav Donetc who did not make it to the Top 3.However Bobby Hurley was the fastest in the 400m free race and secured the title in 3:41.94. Myles Brown (RSA), first last weekend in Beijing, touched the wall after him (3:41.3) in front of Great Britain’s James Guy.

Marco Koch gave Germany its first medal of the meet in the 200m breast in 2:03.41. The German has now won this event 11 times at the World Cup. Philip Heintz brought home a second medal with the 100m IM (silver) and a third one with the 400m IM, also silver.

The final race of the day, the men’s 400m IM, was won by Beijing’s winner Daiya Seto of Japan in 4:00.93.

Women’s races

Having already impressed in the opening four legs in Paris-Chartres, Berlin, Moscow and Beijing, Hosszu won the following events tonight in Dubai: 200m free (1:54.37) and the 50m back (26.35), giving her fifth gold medal in this event.
The Hungarian star also added the 200m IM (2:05.87), remaining unbeaten in this event since 2013, and the 800m (8:27.45) to her champion’s tally.

Hosszu, 27, who captured an incredible three gold and one silver medals at the Rio Olympics about two months ago, has won the overall World Cup title in the past four years and looks well on her way to grab the 2016 title too.
Staying in Hungary, Zsuzsanna Jakabos grabbed a silver medal in the 200m IM in 2:07.34, while Efimova took bronze (2:07.82).

100m fly favourite Jeanette Ottesen (DEN) did not disappoint the crow tonight as she claimed a fourth consecutive win in this event since the beginning of the season. She touched home in 56.11 in front of Hosszu and Madeline Groves (AUS).
Ottesen continued her winning streak tonight with success in the 50m free (24.12) – her pet event. She defeated Brittany Elmslie (AUS) and Katie Meili (USA).

Katie Meili (USA) repeated her Berlin triumph in the 100m breast in 1:03.26, beating her strongest opponents - Alia Atkinson (JAM, silver) and Yulia Efimova (RUS, bronze) who won in Paris-Chartres and Moscow respectively.

Ukraine’s Daryna Zevina collected a 17th win in the 200m back at the World Cup (2:00.97), outright most in this century. Behind her in this order were the two Hungarians Hosszu and Jakobos.

Relay

The mixed 4x50 medley event was won by Team Russia in 1:40.81.Australia was second, while China placed in third position.

105 local clubs’ swimmers also gained experience this morning at the Hamdan Sports Complex in Dubai and the UAE Swimming Federation also offered local children aged, between 7-12, the opportunity to swim at the state-of-the art facility just before the finals.

Tickets can be purchased at the door for Dh50 and children aged 12 and under enter free.