Day 2 in Singapore – Mellouli (TUN) with two more gold in the 200m and 1500m free

The final day of competition in Singapore also confirmed the indication of Day 1 in terms of the performances’ improvement since 2007 – in 27 out of 34 events, the winners were faster in 2008.

Among men, American Randall Bal, winner of the 2007 men’s overall ranking, was the best performer of the day with his triumph in the 50m backstroke in 23.35 (1013 points), in front of the world record holder in the event Robert Hurley (AUS, 23.53) and his team mate Peter Marshall (23.56).

Brazilian Thiago Pereira was the only swimmer to obtain a best performance of the season in the 200m IM in an excellent time of 1:53.76. With this win, Pereira took the gold from Mellouli (1:53.78) by only 0.02, but the Tunisian had the consolation of beating the African record by more than two seconds. Moreover, both swimmers got in this event their best performances so far in this World Cup – Pereira had 1003 points, while Mellouli scored 1002.

Stefan Nystrand (SWE) and Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) registered their second victories, respectively in the men’s 50m free (21.39) and men’s 100m breaststroke (58.19). Nystrand got here his best time of the series, but Van der Burgh had done better in Durban with 57.99.

Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS) was the only Russian winner among men, after his victory (50.84) in the 100m butterfly – Australians Jaukovic (51.46) and Wright (51.78) completed the podium. The only Australian triumph went to Ashley Delaney in the 200m backstroke (1:52.31), in front of Bal (USA, 1:52.80) and Hurley (AUS, 1:56.56).

In the overall men’s ranking, Christian Sprenger (AUS) keeps the lead with 60 points, but is closely followed by his compatriots Robert Hurley (56) and Matt Jaukovic (52).

In the women’s field, Marieke Guehrer (AUS), brilliant winner (25.56) of the 50m butterfly (as it was the case with the previous three legs of this World Cup) reinforced her advantage in the overall ranking, having now garnered 100 points thanks to the best women’s performance in Singapore (999 points). Guehrer had lost on Day 1 the 100m butterfly, but in the shorter distance she beat Sweden’s Therese Alshammar (25.82) and local hero Li Tao (25.93, a new Asian record).

South African Katheryn Meaklim won the 400m IM in 4:32.31, thus getting her 14th victory in this World Cup. Later, she was two times second in the 200m breaststroke (2:24.05, behind Sweden’s Joline Hostman in 2:23.21) and in the 200m butterfly (2:09.69, slower than the Australian’s Amy Smith with 2:07.39, the fastest time so far in the current series).

As with Meaklim, three other swimmers got also two victories in Singapore – on Day 2, Tara Kirk (USA) won the 50m breaststroke (30.78), Melissa Ingram (NZL) was the best in the 400m free (4:04.55) and Sophie Edington (AUS) shone in the 100m backstroke (59.02).

Svetlana Karpeeva got the only Russian triumph among women, with the gold in the 100m IM (1:01.61), beating Brazilian Fabiola Molina (1:02.11). Finally, 15-year-old Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) created the surprise of the day by winning the 100m IM in 53.94, in front of Australian Stubbins (54.11) and American Joyce (54.29).