Lausanne (SUI), October 24 – After shining in the previous leg in Moscow, Melissa Franklin (USA) was again the “most valuable swimmer” of the fourth meet of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup 2011, held in Berlin (GER), on October 22-23. The North American star won three events and established a new World Record in the women’s 200m backstroke, in a time of 2:00.03 (the previous world best mark had been set in November 2009 also in Berlin by Japan’s Shiho Sakai – 2:00.18). With this superb result (she also won the 100m free and 100m back), Franklin got the best performance of the meet, with 1003 points. She is the new leader of the women’s overall ranking of this World Cup.
Her compatriot Allison Schmitt was also in great shape, earning the gold in the 200m and 400m free – in the shorter distance, she established a new World Cup record in 1:52.08 (faster than the 1:52.42 set last year by Dutch Femke Heemskerk). Still on the women’s side, Therese Alshammar (SWE) left Berlin with three victories, in the 50m free, 50m and 100m butterfly. The 34-year-old Swede is the runner-up of Franklin in the World Cup classification.
On the men’s field, Michael Phelps (USA) was in evidence by winning four races: 200m backstroke, and the three individual medley events. Paul Biedermann (GER) was the fastest in his pet events (200m and 400m free), while Glenn Snyders (NZL) triumphed in the 50m and 100m breaststroke. The best male performer of the meet was Chad Le Clos (RSA), with his 200m butterfly victory in 1:50.15 (971 points). Thanks to this result, he could reinforce his lead of the men’s general ranking.
The FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup can be followed through live streaming of finals via FINA TV here.
WINNERS
|
MEN (M) |
WOMEN (W) |
|
|
50m free |
Sergei Fesikov (RUS) 21.45 |
Therese Alshammar (SWE) 23.67 |
|
100m free |
Brent Hayden (CAN) 47.06 |
Melissa Franklin (USA) 52.09 |
|
200m free |
Paul Biedermann (GER) 1:42.42 |
Allison Schmitt (USA) 1:52.08** |
|
400m free |
Paul Biedermann (GER) 3:41.19 |
Allison Schmitt (USA) 3:59.71 |
|
800m free (W) |
- |
Lotte Friis (DEN) 8:16.99 |
|
1500m free (M) |
Sebastien Roualt (FRA) 14:48.31 |
- |
|
50m back |
Feiyi Cheng (CHN) 23.79 |
Rachel Goh (AUS) 26.80 |
|
100m back |
Aschwin Wildeboer (ESP) 50.23 |
Melissa Franklin (USA) 56.73 |
|
200m back |
Michael Phelps (USA) 1 :50.34 |
Melissa Franklin (USA) 2:00.03* |
|
50m breast |
Glenn Snyders (NZL) 26.88 |
Valentina Artemyeva (RUS) 30.04 |
|
100m breast |
Glenn Snyders (NZL) 57.82 |
Jennie Johansson (SWE) 1:05.60 |
|
200m breast |
Marco Koch (GER) 2:04.61 |
Kanako Watanabe (JPN) 2:20.03 |
|
50m butterfly |
Geoff Huegill (AUS) 22.67 |
Therese Alshammar (SWE) 25.18 |
|
100m butterfly |
Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS) 50.04 |
Therese Alshammar (SWE) 55.62 |
|
200m butterfly |
Chad Le Clos (RSA) 1:50.15 |
Hye Ra Choi (KOR) 2:04.48 |
|
100m ind. medley |
Michael Phelps (USA) 51.65 |
Francesca Halsall (GBR) 58.73 |
|
200m ind. medley |
Michael Phelps (USA) 1:51.89 |
Erica Morningstar (CAN) 2:06.97 |
|
400m ind. medley |
Michael Phelps (USA) 4:01.49 |
Izumi Kato (JPN) 4:31.93 |
Provisional leaders of the World Cup after the 4th meet:
|
MEN |
||
|
Swimmer |
Country |
Points |
|
1. Chad Le Clos |
RSA |
86 |
|
2. Hidemasa Sano |
JPN |
70 |
|
3. Michael Phelps |
USA |
32 |
|
WOMEN |
||
|
Swimmer |
Country |
Points |
|
1. Melissa Franklin |
USA |
70 |
|
2. Therese Alshammar |
SWE |
45 |
|
3. Allison Schmitt |
USA |
40 |