FINA World Cup Berlin: Sjöström attacks 50 m butterfly world record

FINA World Cup – Berlin

• Sunday, August 06 – Monday, August 07, 2017
• Berlin, Germany – Schwimm- und Sprunghalle im Europa-Sportpark
• Short Course – 25 m
• Event site 
• New rules and prize money 
• Entries
• Start Lists
• Results

The second stop of the 2017 FINA World Cup tour is upon us, kicking off today in Berlin, Germany.

After the tour’s opening Moscow stop, Sarah Sjöström  lead the points and money lists on the women’s side. Sjostrom broke world records in the 50 free (23.10) and 100 free (50.77) while also winning the 100 fly and taking second in the 100 IM. That puts her at 109 points, a massive early lead over Katinka Hosszu, who sits at 57.

Chad Le Clos, who won this series in 2011, 2013 and 2014, won the 200 free, 50 fly and 100 fly at the Moscow stop, but missed the final of the 50 free. His countryman Cameron van der Burgh, who won World Cup titles in 2008, 2009 and 2015, won just a single event, but also used that event to earn the 24-point performance bonus. Meanwhile Kirill Prigoda took home a gold, a bronze and the second-place 18-point FINA bonus. All three men are tied with 36 apiece.

Points Leaders

Women:

Men:

The morning session at the World Cup Berlin 2017 started at 10 am local in the fast Berlin pool where Missy Franklin set her first world record at the Word Cup Series 2011 in the 200 m backstroke (SC). In 2011, also Michael Phelps showed up at the Berlin World Cup – very much to the delight of the German audience.

At the opening press conference, Sarah Sjöström said that perhaps she will be  able to break the 50 m fly SC world record if she hits the turn perfectly. Sjöström plans to compete at this year’s complete FINA World Cup series. And she added: “Even if the training is sometimes hard, it is just fun to race. And that’s exactly why I swim: I love it, that’s why I do it!”

Sjöström swam the fastest time in the 50 m butterfly in the morning heats with a time of 24,52. The 50 m SC butterfly world record (24,38) was set in 2009 by another Swedish swimmer, Therese Alshammer. Sjöström will also swim the 200 m freestyle final tonight alongside Femke Heemskerk (NED) who set the fastest time in prelims (1:53,05) and Federica Pellegrini (ITA) who is the 2017 FINA World Champion (LC).

Kira Toussaint (NED) touched in 26,29 in the 50 m backstroke for the #1 seed for finals. Katinka Hosszu (HUN)  will show up in only one race tonight, the 400 m IM. With also Mireia Belmonte (ESP) in lane 5,  the audience will watch the 2017 long course gold and silver medalist in this 400 IM final.

Top seed in the 100 m freestyle is Vladimir Morozov (RUS) in 46,26, also USA’s Tom Shields made it into the final in 47,33. Shields also starts in the 50 m butterfly final next to South Africa’s Chad le Clos. Both men could advance into the final without competing in prelims because of the new FINA World Cup rules.

The top seed in the women’s 200m breaststroke is Rikke Pedersen who hit the wall in a time of 2:21,87. The next-fastest swim in the morning heats came from Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson in 2:22,35.

Kirill Prigoda (RUS) set the fastest time in the men’s 100 m breaststroke in 56,53, followed by Ilya Shymanovich (BLR) in 57,03. Also SC world record holder (55,61, set in 2009) Cameron van der Burgh will join the final.

Prigoda was clocked with the second fastest time in the 200 m IM (1:55,52). Fastest into finals was Netherland’s Kyle Stolk in 1:54,33.