SWIMMING: Morozov wins two, sets two World Cup records and in line for $50,000 cluster prize

Russia's two-time World Cup champ Vladimir Morozov (Photo: Bob Stanton)

Russia’s Vladimir Morozov knew what he needed to do on Friday to clinch the $50,000 first prize for the FINA Swimming World Cup’s three-meet cluster finishing in Singapore: win two races and swim fast.

He did both of those things and barring a world record from American Andrew Wilson in the 200 m Breaststroke on Saturday, Morozov should be in the money

Morozov won the 50 m Backstroke in a speedy 21.40, a World Cup record and a season’s best, vaulting him to no. 1 on the 2019 world list. That swim was worth 951 points on the FINA scoring tables, a mark which will be very hard to surpass and should give him the bonus points he needs to win the cluster.

He then won the 100 m Free in 47.88, moving to equal-10th on the year list and setting another World Cup record; it was worth 940 points.

Morozov’s top challenger, American breaststroker Andrew Wilson, finished fourth in the 50 m Breast, essentially ending his chances of catching Morozov. He would have to set a world record on Saturday in the 200 m Breast to have a chance to overtake Morozov.

In the very tight women’s race, Australia’s Cate Campbell came in with 105 points to 102 for Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu. Campbell swam a ridiculously fast 24.02 in the 50 m Free on Thursday and sits atop the bonus-points board at 956. However, she was second in the 50 m Fly and did not place in the 50 m Back, so her max point total is 141. Hosszu has won two events and will win the 200 m Medley on Saturday, moving her to 138 and if she has a performance in the top three of the meet, she can win the cluster. But that will all be known on Saturday,

Russia’s Vitalina Simonova swam in all five women’s events and has nine in after two days. She swam in 14 events in Tokyo and Jinan and looks to do the same in Singapore. Wow!

Summaries so far:

FINA World Cup no. 3
Singapore (SGP) ~ 15-17 August 2019
(Full results here)

Men

50 m Free: 1. Vladimir Morozov (RUS), 21.27; 2. Michael Andrew (USA), 21.78; 3. Santo Condorelli (ITA), 22.21.

100 m Free: 1. Morozov (RUS), 47.88; 2. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 48.53; 3. Condorelli (ITA), 48.72.

400 m Free: 1. Danas Rapsys (LTU), 3:45.59; 2. Henning Muhlleitner (GER), 3:52.12; 3. Ben Roberts (AUS), 3:53.27.

1,500 m Free: 1. Roberts (AUS), 15:21.58; 2. Muhlleitner (GER), 15:35.06; 3. Owen Ngan (SGP), 16:33.03.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Morozov (RUS), 24.40; 2. Andrew (USA), 24.66; 3. Tristan Hollard (AUS), 25.80.

200 m Back: 1. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 1:56.60; 2. Tristan Hollard (AUS), 1:58.39; 3. Jorden Merrilees (AUS), 1:59.98.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 27.23; 2. Felipe Silva (BRA), 27.27; 3. Andrew (USA), 27.28. Also: 4. Andrew Wilson (USA), 27.49; … 6. Jonathan Tybur (USA), 28.43.

100 m Breast: 1. A. Wilson (USA), 58.93; 2. Martinenghi (ITA), 59.58; 3. Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU), 1:00.08.

100 m Fly: 1. Grant Irvine (AUS), 51.26; 2. Szabo (HUN), 51.28; 3. Giles Smith (USA), 52.23.

200 m Fly: 1. Irvine (AUS), 1:56.77; 2. Nic Brown (AUS), 1:57.20; 3. Navaphat Wongcharoen (THA), 2:00.44.

200 m Medley: 1. Larkin (AUS), 1:57.43; 2. Rapsys (LTU), 1:59.14; 3. Thomas Fraser-Holmes (AUS), 1:59.98. Also: 8. Tybur (USA), 2:04.42.

Women

50 m Freestyle: 1. Cate Campbell (AUS), 24.02; 2. Michelle Coleman (SWE), 24.65; 3. Holly Barratt (AUS), 24.80.

200 m Free: 1. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN), 1:58.40; 2. Coleman (SWE), 1:58.74; 3. Camille Cheng (HKG), 2:00.20.

400 m Free: 1. Maddy Gough (AUS), 4:08.09; 2. Erica Sullivan (USA), 4:09.28; 3. Moesha Johnson (AUS), 4:13.55.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Barratt (AUS), 27.95; 2. Stephanie Au (HKG), 28.16; 3. Emily Seebohm (AUS), 28.18.

100 m Back: 1. Seebohm (AUS), 59.43; 2. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 59.48; 3. Au (HKG), 1:00.22.

100 m Breast: 1. Alia Atkinson (JAM), 1:07.35; 2. Breeja Larson (USA), 1:07.55; 3. Vitalina Simonova (RUS), 1:09.33.

200 m Breast: 1. Simonova (RUS), 2:25.65; 2. Larson (USA), 2:28.75; 3. Phiangkhwan Pawapotako (THA), 2:33.67.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Barratt (AUS), 25.31; 2. C. Campbell (AUS), 25.49; 3. Jeanette Ottesen (DEN), 25.92.

200 m Fly: 1. Hosszu (HUN), 2:07.07; 2. Jakabos (HUN), 2:07.48; 3. Jing Wen Quah (SGP), 2:10.26.

400 m Medley: 1. Hosszu (HUN), 4:39.76; 2. Jakabos (HUN), 4:45.28; 3. Simonova (RUS), 4:52.49. Also: 4. Sullivan (USA), 4:57.96.

Mixed

4×100 m Freestyle: 1. Australia (Fraser-Holmes, Larkin, Seebohm, C. Campbell), 3:26.45; 2. Singapore, 3:31.53; 3. China, 3:32.64. Also: 4. United States (Michael Andrew, Giles Smith, Breeja Larson, Erica Sullivan), 3:34.56.