FROM LEFT: Sweden’s Michelle Coleman, QSA President Khaleel Al Jabir, FINA Vice-President Dale Neuburger, Russia’s Vladimir Morozov and Qatar’s Abdulaziz Al Obaidly during a press conference, yesterday.
Battle for women’s overall title, Russian star Vladimir Morozov’s duel with compatriot Anton Chupkov and young Qatari athletes will be in the spotlight as the FINA Swimming World Cup Doha 2019 begins at the Hamad Aquatic Centre today.
The three-day meet in the Qatari capital is the seventh and last event of the FINA World Cup 2019 series, attracting a total of 210 swimmers including 134 male and 76 female athletes from 44 countries. The competition will decide the overall champions and cluster 3 winners.
While Morozov looks set to clinch the overall title for second year in a row and win $150,000, the competition will be tough for same prize money in women’s field where Aussie Cate Campbell is the leader with 300 points, ahead of Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu by 24 points.
If both swimmers win three races here and earn the maximum of 24 points, the overall title will come down to bonus points.
Morozov, who is on top of men’s overall rankings with 297 points – 87 points clear of second-placed Danas Rapsys of Lithuania – is setting his sights on finishing second in cluster 3, which is led by Chupkov.
“I think it’s going to be very difficult to beat Anton Chupkov, my team-mate, because of his outstanding performance in the 200 breaststroke (in Kazan). I feel that he will win this cluster, but I can try to get second place. Other than that, I’m trying to win all three events as usual: 50 free, 100 free, and 50 back,” Morozov said at press conference at Hamad Aquatic Centre, yesterday.
The 27-year-old Russian expressed his delight to see Doha as the final stop, hoping to finish the series on a high note.
“This is my seventh time in Qatar. I was here in 2013 and since then I have been competing in Doha. Coming here is great as we get very good hospitality. I was here in 2014 World Championships and looking forward to 2023 World Championships. This year is the first time that the World Cup finishes in Doha and I am happy to finish it here,” said Morozov.
Sweden’s Michelle Coleman - placed third in women’s rankings after sixth meet in Kazan – predicted thrilling races in the next three days.
“It’s great to be in Doha. It’s my third time and I am very pleased to be back to this amazing complex. We are really excited for some fast racing in the last meet of FINA World Cup. It’s going to be neck and neck in a lot of events and I look forward to really going this time,” the Swedish star said.
The event will witness many other top stars including South Africa’s Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games champion, Chad Le Clos, Michael Andrew (USA), Arno Kamminga (NED), Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN) and Kira Toussaint (NED).
Qatari swimmers look to excel at home
As many as 17 young Qatari swimmers will also be seen in action at the Hamad Aquatic Centre.
The swimmers underwent extensive preparation for the competition and are looking to excel in front of home fans.
“It’s a great honour for all of us to compete at a home event. We trained hard for this meet and all of us are very excited to do well in this top class competition,” said Qatar’s teenage star Abdulaziz Al Obaidly.
“We are looking forward to some good races alongside the world’s best swimmers,” he added.
The three-day meet will have 34 sets of medal with the opening day featuring 10 finals. A total of 12 title races each will be held in the next two days. The heats will take place from 10:00am while the finals will start from 6:00pm.
