2019 FINA WORLD CUP #2 – JINAN, CHINA
- Thursday, August 8th – Sunday, August 10th
- Natatorium of the Jinan Olympic Sport Centre, Jingshi Donglu, Lixia District, Jinan, China
- LCM
- Heats at 9am local (9pm night before EDT)/Finals at 8pm local (8am EDT)
- SwimSwam Preview
- Day 1 Recap
- Entries
- Results
Russia’s Vladimir Morozov is a monster when it comes to World Cup racing, entering the 2019 season as the reigning Series Champion from 2018. He’s starting this new circuit off on the right foot, leading the entire men’s field after stop #1 last week in Tokyo, holding a 6-point advantage over American Andrew Wilson and Japan’s Yasuhiro Koseki leading into Jinan.
Last night Morozov produced a quick 21.50 time to top the men’s 50m freestyle, falling just .05 off his own World Cup Record in the event. Tonight while competing in the 2nd finals session, Morozov matched his own 50m backstroke World Cup Record of 24.43 he established at the Kazan series stop last year.
However, his breakthrough performance for this circuit so far came in the form of his sub-48 second 100m freestyle win toward the end of tonight’s finals. Splitting 22.85/25.14, Morozov produced a winning mark of 47.99 to finally get under the 48-second barrier for the first time in over a year.
The 27-year-old holds a personal best time of 47.62 in the event, a mark he produced way back in 2013. Since that time, Morozov hit 47.98 in 2015 and 47.75 last year in Moscow but hasn’t seen the 47 range since. He mustered a disappointing 49.09 to finish 24th in the men’s 100m free at this year’s World Championships despite holding a season-best of 48.04. Instead, it was his Russian teammate Vladislav Grinev who got on the podium in Gwangju, taking bronze in 47.82.
Typical example of a great swimmer that cannot perform to his best ability under real pressure ie a major championships, always good in the World Cups but that’s not when it matters, but I suppose when there is money on the table….
Total money might be more at the World Cup but the money/event is higher at Worlds.
Wonder it he puts to much pressure on himself?
I remember when he swam a 47.6 at WUGs and thought he was going to be good. He’s decent on the relays, but could never get it done individually.
Dang why doesn’t he ever swim this fast at worlds lol
He puts up great splits in relays, it’s the individual where there is a problem.