World Cup Berlin: Kromowidjojo, Hosszu set new world records

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

Today’s headline about the prelims “Katinka Hosszu warms up with fast prelims performances” hits the nail on the head because Hosszu set a new world record in the 100m IM in the evening’s finals in 56,51, she improved her own WR of 56,67.

Less than 20 minutes later, she came back with a victory in the 200m backstroke with a time of 2:00,37. Silver went to Emily Seebohm in 2:00,65. Even if Katinka Hosszu can’t perform her normal “iron competition program” she finds a way to challenge herself and turn on an iron speed mode. According to the changed FINA World Cup rules, the swimmers are only eligible to compete in four events over a two-days World Cup stop. Additionally, the program is different at every stop, in Berlin for example, the women’s 200m IM, one of Hosszu’s best events, are not part of the competition program.

Chad Le Clos used his possibility to compete only in the 200m butterfly final and grabbed the win with a time of 1:49,08 ahead of USA’s Tom Shields in 1:49,26. Shields led the field at the 150m mark but Le Clos finishes faster on the last lane in 28,07 to Shield’s 28,44.

Also Cameron van der Burgh appeared only in the final to take the victory in the 50m breaststroke in 25,49 followed by Fabio Scozzoli (ITA, 25,77).

Netherland’s Ranomi Kromowidjojo is the first woman ever under 23 seconds in the 50m SC freestyle. With a perfect race and against the former world record holder Sarah Sjöström, she set this incredibly fast mark of 22,93 tonight in the fast pool in Berlin.

Sarah Sjöström also stayed under her own world record of 23,10, she set on August 2nd at the Moscow World Cup. She was clocked at 23,00 tonight.

Kromowidjojo’s former personal best time stood at 23,24. She is the 2012 Olympic Champion in both, the 50m and 100m freestyle (LC) and won the silver medal at the 2017 (LC) World Championships in the sprint distance.

Sjöström didn’t compete in the 100m butterfly race, Katinka Hosszu took the win in 55,86. Kromowidjojo hit the wall in a time of 56,97 for the fourth place.
Italy’s Ilaria Bianchi grabbed the silver medal in 56,42.

Poland’s Radoslaw Kawecki was the only man under 50 seconds in the 100m backstroke, he checked in with a time of 49,97 for the win.

Dominik Kozma (HUN) was the winner in the men’s 200m freestyle in 1:41,03.

The 400m SC freestyle world record holder Mireia Belmonte hit the wall first in 3:57,79 ahead of Germany’s Sarah Köhler who set a new German national record with a time of 4:01,03. She improved the more than 30 years old former record of Astrid Strauß (4:02,05, 1987).

After his win in the 200m IM, Germany’s Philip Heintz also was the fastest man in the 400m IM (4:05,16). Federico Turrini (ITA) came in second in 4:05,73.

The women’s 100m breaststroke were a start-finish victory for Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson. She finished her race in 1:03,16, 1,4 seconds ahead of Jenna Laukkanen (1:04,56).

And the Netherland’s 4 x 50m mixed freestyle relay grabbed the win with Thorn der Boer (21,40), Ranomi Kromowidjojo (22,87), Femke Heemskerk (23,29) and Jesse Puts (21,14).

The World Cup circuit now moves to Eindhoven, Netherlands. The competition will be held in the Pieter van den Hoogenband swim arena from August 11 – 12, next Friday and Saturday.