FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup 2012

Schedule:

2-3 Oct. 2012 Dubai (UAE)

6-7 Oct. 2012 Doha (QAT)

13-14 Oct. 2012 Stockholm (SWE)

17-18 Oct. 2012 Moscow (RUS)

20-21 Oct. 2012 Berlin (GER)

6-7 Nov. 2012 Tokyo (JPN)

10-11 Nov. 2012 Singapore (SIN)

2011 World Cup Champions:

Male: Chad Le Clos (RSA)

Female: Therese Alshammar (SWE)

The FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup gets underway in Dubai for the second time. Over 130 swimmers will be competing from over 32 countries. The field includes many world champions, world record holders and Olympic medalists. Two days of competing gets underway when heats begin on Tuesday and Wednesday at 09:00 at the Hamdan bin Rashid bin Sports Complex.

Cameron van der Burgh

van der Burgh won the World Cup in both 2008 and 2009. He won gold at the London Olympics in the 100m breaststroke. He is in Dubai and back in the pool for the first time competitively since London. He spoke to Tom Bushell ahead of Dubai.

Velimir Stjepanovic

Stjepnovic is a UAE based swimmer representing Serbia. The IOC of Serbia declared him the best young athlete of 2010 and he finished a respectful sixth in the men's 200m butterfly final at the London Olympics.

With the FINA/ARENA Swimming Cup kicking off in Dubai, Tom Bushell spoke to Velimir about his summer achievemnts.

Day One - Heats

Cameron van Der Burgh has qualified fastest for the 50m breaststroke ahead of fellow South African Roland Schoeman. van der Burgh has only swam two and a half kilometers since his London Olympic triumph but is glad to be back in the pool. “I am lucky I have good muscle memory so the lack of training hasn’t been too bad, it feels good to get a good swim in before the finals tonight” he said. “I love Dubai and this time I have had the chance to go to the beach and look around so it’s a nice way to get away from the madness after the Olympics and get back into swimming” he added.

In a field that is very strong for the South African's, Chad le Clos has also qualified for the finals of Day 1 in the 200m butterfly. He is out to maintain his 100% record in Dubai where he has won eight from eight. le Clos also qualified for the 50m butterfly final.

Velimir Stjepanovic is swimming for his club in this meet and qualified 4th in the 200m butterfly. “I am still feeling a little sluggish after a three week break after the Olympics, but I am pretty happy so far” he said. Stjepanovic will have two chances for a podium finish tonight though as he also qualified for the 400m freestyle final.

Day One - Finals

Olympic champions Cameron van der Burgh and Chad Le Clos thrilled the crowds with exciting racing and close fought victories during last night's FINA/ARENA day one finals. After qualifying fastest in the morning in the 50m breaststroke, van der Burgh took the gold in his only swim of the night ahead of countryman Guilio Zorzi and Glenn Syders of New Zealand.  Le Clos had a much tougher fight to overcome Japan’s Daiya Seto who had qualified ahead of him in the 200m butterfly. Seto led for much of the race, but with the crowd roaring, Le Clos he managed to overtake in the last few metres to win by .73 of a second. Velimir Stjepanovic swimming for UAE Clubs came in third, much to the delight of the large home crowd.

Tom Bushell talks to Cameron van der Burgh after his 50m breaststroke win.

Tom Bushell chats to Chad le Clos after his 200m butterfly win.

Unfortunately Le Clos couldn’t make it ten out of ten wins in Dubai, being pipped in the 50m butterfly by Kenya’s Jason Dunford.  Dunford was full of praise for Le Clos, and was pleased to touch out the quality field which also included South Africa’s Roland Schoeman and Olympic Silver medalist Evgeny Korotyshkin.

Tom Bushell speaks to Jason Dunford after his 50m butterfly win.

Tom Bushell speaks to Chad le Clos after missing out on his 10th Dubai win.

Perennial champion Therese Alshammar also performed brilliantly, taking gold in both the 100m butterfly and the 50m freestyle. Alshammar, who is recovering from a neck injury, was pleased to kick off her World Cup campaign with two wins. “I’m feeling better and my neck feels ok so it’s great to take the two wins here tonight.”  In winning both races she triumphed over her nearest rivals in Inge Dekker of Netherlands and Britta Steffen of Germany.

Day Two - Finals

Chad Le Clos may have been king of the pool with his six golds in Dubai last year at the FINA /ARENA Swimming World Cup, but in tonight's session on the final day of competition a new queen has been crowned.

Katinka Hosszu of Hungary came into the meet a relative unknown outside of swimming circles despite having competed at three Olympic Games, but left as the best female performer of the event, and the talk of the Dubai. Hosszu took an amazing seven individual gold medals and one bronze, as well as an eighth gold in the mixed relay in an extremely heavy program over the two days.

Tom Bushell speaks to Katinka Hosszu after winnig her seventh medal.

After winning the 100m breaststroke at the London Olympics South Africa’s Cameron van der Burgh was hot favourite and felt the pressure to win the event in Dubai. He didn’t disappoint, adding to his gold in the 50m breaststroke yesterday, but was pushed all the way by Glenn Snyders of New Zealand. Van der Burgh said after the morning heats that he was pleased to be the lane one for the final. “I’m not in great shape so it’s better to be on the outside. It’s hard to defend the lead when I’m not in shape, if I’m leading from the outside the others don’t see me so I prefer it”. This strategy worked perfectly for him, touching only .09 of a second ahead of Snyders swimming in lane 4, with Marco Koch third.

Tom Bushell speaks to Cameron van der Burgh after his 100m breaststroke win.

Whilst van der Burgh gave away his medal to fans after his win fellow countryman Chad le Clos took on a strong field in the 100m butterfly, swimming from lane two and grabbing his 10th Dubai win. Jason Dunford of Kenya took the early lead but le Clos was determined to turn the tables on Dunford after his defeat last night and stormed home to win ahead of Evgeny Korotyshkin and Thomas Shields of the USA. Dunford faded to fourth, and UAE clubs’ Velimir Stjepanovic was unable to add to his bronze from day one and came in fifth.

Tom Bushell speaks to Chad le Clos after his 10th Dubai win.

Current World Cup champion Therese Alshammar was in brilliant form in the 50m butterfly. The race promised to be one of the toughest of the program with Alshammar, the current world champion in the 50m butterfly (short course).up against the Netherland’s Inge Dekker, the current world champion in the 50m butterfly (long course). However Alshammar’s pedigree shone through as she took the win comfortably ahead of Dekker and Hang Yu Sze of Hong Kong.

Tom Bushell speaks to Therese Alshammar.

The FINA/ARENA World Cup now moves onto Doha for leg two.

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