Missy Franklin Wins 4 at Moscow World Cup, Phelps Only 2

Missy Franklin continues to force her way into the world’s swimming conciousness with her four-peat (in four races) at the latest World Cup stop in Moscow, Russia. For those keeping tally of exactly how badly Franklin wants to swim NCAA’s, you can add another $5,750 dollars to the total prize money that she has given up after this meet.

Franklin’s biggest knock has been her underwaters (though, those didn’t seem to slower her down much at Worlds, ehh?). At this meet, she showed that she’s at least made some progress with them, given that underwaters are most easily exposed in short course swimming. The times weren’t dominant worldwide, but were overall very good marks for this time of year. If she can continue to improve that part of her race, she’s going to be even scarier in London.

In her first event, the 200 free, Franklin and fellow American Allison Schmitt tied for the victory in 1:53.72, which tied them for 3rd in the World Rankings this year. Franklin’s other winning times were 52.80 in the 100 free (2nd in the World Rankings), and 57.39 in the 100 backstroke (1st in the World Rankings). Though mid-October is not the time for posting best-marks, this is a great start to her short course season.

In the 200 back, she is so far ahead of the world right now, that underwaters are largely irrelevant, even in short course. She posted a 2:02.84, which clipped another one of the 200 backstroke baby bunch Daryna Zevina for the fastest time in the world this year.

Michael Phelps, the man that brought the Russian public out in droves for the meet, nabbed two wins for himself in 5 swims, though they’re probably not the two that he would have picked if he’d had his druthers. In the 200 back, he won in 1:53.24. While that is the best time in the world so far, the 200 backstroke field at this year’s World Cup has been very weak thus far. The runner-up (in 1:53.52) was Russian Artem Dubovskoy, if that’s an indicator.

In that same 200 back, Jacob Pebley, a part of the young American contingent (who, by the way, has not made his college decision yet), took 4th in 1:54.03. Converted to a yards course, that comes out to a 1:42.1, which should pump up his collegiate suitors even further.

Phelps also took a win in the 100 IM, a non-Olympic event, in 52.19. That puts him 2nd in the world this year behind Australia’s Kenneth To, though in this meet Phelps got the last laugh as To was 2nd in 52.82. Phelps was probably much happier with that time than he was the 200 backstroke (his 52.19 would’ve put him 6th at Short Course Worlds last year), which is a great time for October. But it’s not an Olympic event, and Phelps has little-to-no use for great 100 IM times at this point in his career with retirement less than 12 months away.

In Phelps’ 200 fly, he finished a disappointing 3rd behind Japan’s Hidemasa Sano (1:51.62) and Chad le Clos (1:51.95), who won the event at each of the previous two meets. Phelps was actually well behind, in 29.94, although he was close until the final 50 (he split a 29.94, as compared to 28.7/28.8 from Sano and le Clos).

In that 200 fly, Poland’s Pawel Korzeniowski finished 4th, in 1:54.15.

The good start and poor finish might indicate that Phelps’ chances were better in the 100 fly, and though he was closer to the leaders, his result was actually a touch worse, as he finished 5th (51.13). The top three were Russia’s Evgeny Korotyshkin (50.72), the USA’s Tyler McGill (50.86), and Serbia’s Milorad Cavic (50.90). Those marks stand as the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-best times in the world in 2012 so far (behind le Clos’ swim from Dubai). Le Clos finsihed 4th in this race in 50.97.

For McGill, the defending bronze medalist, that’s a career-best swim in short course meters (though only by .05).  Things still seem to be clicking for him down at Auburn.

And in Phelps’ other event, the 100 free, he finished 11th in 49.30. The winner there was Russian Nikita Lobintsev in 47.32, with Brent Hayden in 47.45 for 2nd.

Full meet results are available here.

Scoring Tables

Athletes are scored based on their best individual swim of each meet (per FINA scoring). The male and the female with the most points at the end of the series will receive $100,000 each, with the runners-up scoring $50,000. The third-place finisher gets $30,000.