After two intense weeks in Asia, the world’s finest swimmers are again dwelling. It’s time to focus on the highest swimmers of your entire collection.
How does the World Cup Sequence work? (a fast recap)
Throughout every leg—this 12 months held in Shanghai, Incheon, and eventually Singapore—the taking part swimmers competed to earn as many factors as doable. Factors had been awarded primarily based on placement and efficiency, as outlined by World Aquatics. The highest-scoring swimmers at every cease acquired prize cash, and on the finish of the collection, a bigger prize pool awaited the highest 8 female and male swimmers on the general leaderboard, with the primary place in every class taking dwelling $100,000. Right here, we analyze the highest three female and male swimmers within the ultimate standings:
- Kate Douglass – Leon Marchand
- Regan Smith – Noe Ponti
- Siobahn Haughey – Duncan Scott
Moreover, the World Cup Sequence supplied a $10,000 bonus for any swimmer who achieved the celebrated Triple Crown—profitable the identical occasion in all three legs. This 12 months noticed a formidable 18 Triple Crowns earned by ten of the highest athletes within the competitors.
TOP 3 WOMEN
1. KATE DOUGLASS – 178.5 factors
| SHANGHAI – 59.1 (1) | INCHEON -59.2 (2) | SINGAPORE – 60.2 (1) | |
| 100 IM | 56.99 (gold) | 56.97 (gold) | 56.57 (gold) |
| 200 IM | 2:04.09 (gold) | DNS | DNS |
| 50 FLY | 24.54 (gold) | 24.73 (gold) | 24.42 (gold) AM |
| 200 BREAST | 2:15.96 (gold) | 2:14.16 (gold) WR | 2:12.72 (gold) WR |
| 100 FREE | / | / | 50.82 (gold) |
The most effective swimmer of your entire collection is undoubtedly (and it’s unbelievable contemplating the following athlete within the rankings) Kate Douglass. The American didn’t lose a single race she entered. She achieved three triple crowns, within the 50 butterfly, 200 breaststroke, and 100 particular person medley. Versatility, velocity, endurance, world data, American data—Kate Douglass didn’t miss a beat. Not solely that, as if it weren’t sufficient, along with claiming three triple crowns, she set two world data within the 200 breaststroke only a week aside, and delighted us with a flawless 200 IM in Shanghai and a 100 freestyle in Singapore. Evidently, she had no rivals in these races both, profitable the primary in 2:04.09 and the second in 50.82, spoiling Siobhan Haughey’s probability at her second triple crown, as she solely wanted gold within the 100 freestyle in Singapore to safe it. On one other degree totally.
2. REGAN SMITH – 178.4 factors
| SHANGAI | INCHEON | SINGAPORE | |
| 50 BACK | 25.70 (silver) | 25.71(gold) | 25.48 (gold) |
| 100 BACK | 54.89 (gold) WC | 54.41 (gold) WR | 54.27 (gold) WR |
| 200 BACK | 2:00.42 (gold) | 1:59.60 (gold) | 1:58.83 (gold) WR |
| 100 FLY | 57.56 (8) | / | DNS |
| 200 FLY | 2:01.85 (gold) | 2:03.21 (silver) | / |
Maybe essentially the most putting side of this collection, past the extremely excessive degree displayed, is the sheer variety of athletes who’ve carried out at such an elite normal. So excessive, in reality, that the second-place finisher among the many ladies, Regan Smith, missed the highest spot by simply one-tenth of a degree. The American swimmer achieved two triple crowns within the 100 and 200 backstroke, setting new world data in each distances—three if we rely that the document within the shorter race was lowered twice inside only one week. The brand new data for ladies are 54.27 and 1:58.83, breaking each of Kaylee McKeown’s earlier data. Notably, the fastest-ever time within the ladies’s 100 backstroke in brief course has been lowered 3 times prior to now month—what an period we live in!
It was, in reality, the Australian McKeown who spoiled Regan Smith’s probability at a triple triple crown, taking the gold within the 50 backstroke through the first stage in Shanghai, shortly earlier than withdrawing from the collection. To prime it off, Regan Smith additionally claimed two podium finishes within the 200 butterfly.
3. SIOBAHN HAUGHEY – 160.7 factors
| SHANGHAI | INCHEON | SINGAPORE | |
| 50 FREE | / | / | 24.00 (bronze) |
| 100 FREE | 51.89 (gold) | 51.73 (gold) | 51.56 (silver) |
| 200 FREE | 1:51.46 (gold) | 1:51.02 (gold) | 1:51.80 (gold) |
| 400 FREE | / | 3:58.06 (silver) | / |
| 50 BREAST | 29.74 (bronze) | DNS | / |
Behind the 2 American swimmers who’ve dazzled in Asia, there’s Siobhan Haughey, whose performances would possibly go unnoticed due to the 2 however deserve recognition. The Hong Kong swimmer additionally achieved her triple crown within the 100 freestyle, constantly sustaining a degree round 1:51. Though she missed the second crown within the 100 as a result of aforementioned Kate Douglass, we are able to see the athlete’s versatility. Haughey additionally received a bronze within the 50 breaststroke, stopping the clock at 29.74, a time on par with worldwide breaststroke requirements. Nonetheless, this efficiency won’t be appreciated correctly with out contemplating that Haughey is a freestyle specialist who additionally tried the 400 freestyle throughout this World Cup, incomes a commendable silver in 3:58.06.
TOP 3 MEN
1. LEON MARCHAND – 175.7 factors
| SHANGHAI | INCHEON | SINGAPORE | |
| 100 IM | 50.65 (gold) | 51.00 (gold) | 49.92 (gold)WC,ER |
| 200 IM | 1:50.30 (gold) WC,ER | 1:50.91 (gold) | 1:48.88 (gold) WR |
| 400 IM | 4:00.03 (gold) | 3:58.30 (gold) | 3:58.45 (gold) |
| 100 FREE | DNS | 47.46 (10) | DNS |
| 200 FREE | / | DNS | 1:40.91 (silver) |
| 200 BREAST | 2:02.99 (4) | DNS | DNS |
The French idol accomplishes what everybody anticipated: a triple triple crown within the medleys and first place within the total standings. Marchand decides to swim the 200 breaststroke, of which he’s the Olympic champion, solely in Shanghai, the place he finishes fourth, after which focuses on all distances of the medley, particularly the 100, a specialty the place he maybe discovered essentially the most rivalry. The French swimmer additionally brings dwelling a world document, breaking Ryan Lochte’s 12-year-old document within the 200 medley with a time of 1:48.88. Not solely that, the 22-year-old swimmer additionally units a European document within the 100 medley with 49.92, and he performs properly within the 200 freestyle, the place he dives into the ultimate stage to win silver behind Duncan Scott.
2. NOE PONTI – 171.9 factors
| SHANGHAI | INCHEON | SINGAPORE | |
| 100 IM | 50.66 (silver) | 51.00 (gold) | 50.39 (silver) |
| 200 IM | 1:51.78 (bronze) | DNS | / |
| 50 FLY | 21.68 (gold), 21.67 WR | 21.76 (gold) | 21.50 (gold)WR |
| 100 FLY | 48.40 (gold) WC, ER | 48.81 (gold) | 48.60 (gold) |
The most recent new world document holder is Noè Ponti. The Swiss swimmer has undoubtedly had the right meet, attaining two triple crowns within the 50 and 100 butterfly, a world document, a European document, and 4 further medals. Ponti set the brand new document within the quickest butterfly distance twice, bringing the mark down first to 21.67, then intently following with 21.68 in the identical meet, and once more swimming 21.50 in Singapore. If earlier than this World Cup the barrier of 21 s appeared unattainable for a human, now, due to Noè Ponti, that restrict appears doable.
The 23-year-old additionally examined himself within the medley distances, particularly the 100, the place he challenged the French powerhouse Marchand, who additionally managed to match him within the second stage in Incheon.
3. DUNCAN SCOTT – 167.8 factors
| SHANGHAI | INCHEON | SINGAPORE | |
| 100 IM | 51.14 (bronze) | DNS | / |
| 200 IM | 1:51.08 (silver) | 1:51.25 (silver) | 1:51.14 (silver) |
| 200 FREE | 1:40.92 (gold) | 1:40.29 (gold) | 1:39.83 (gold) |
| 400 FREE | 3:36.98 (gold) | 3:37.04 (silver) | 3:34.46 (gold) |
Quietly, quietly, quietly, and swim. The British champion Duncan Scott outclassed the competitors and secured third place in a decent battle for the decrease podium spots within the total standings. Scott achieved the triple crown within the 200 freestyle, decreasing his time step-by-step till reaching a superb 1:39.83 in Singapore. The dream of a second crown within the 400 freestyle was interrupted by the Chinese language swimmer Pan Zhanle through the Incheon stage, breaking his streak of two gold medals with a silver. Within the 200 medley, one other specialty of the Brit, he accomplished the trio of silvers, at all times ending behind Leon Marchand, clocking in at 1:51.
ALL THE TRIPLE CROWNS
PETER COETZE (4°)- 100,200 again
| SHANGHAI | INCHEON | SINGAPORE | |
| 50 BACK | 22.95 (silver) | 22.80 (gold) AF | 22.75 (silver) AF |
| 100 BACK | 49.35 (gold) AF | 49.93 (gold) | 49.36 (gold) |
| 200 BACK | 1:49.12 (gold) | 1:50.05 (gold) | 1:49.88 (gold) |
| 100 IM | 53.27 (10) | / | / |
| 50 FREE | / | 21.57 (10) | / |
| 100 FREE | 46.59 (bronze) | 46.74 (bronze) | / |
The “shock” of the occasion is undoubtedly the South African Peter Coetze. The swimmer, who had already made a splash with continental data through the Olympics, secured two triple crowns within the 100 and 200 backstroke. He additionally got here near his objective within the 50 backstroke, the place he received one gold and two silvers, together with an African document of twenty-two.75. One other shock was his versatility, which led him to compete within the 100 medley, the 50, and the 100 freestyle. Within the latter specialty, he earned two bronzes, with a finest time of 46.59, ending behind Thomas Ceccon and Pan Zhanle.
QIANTING TANG (6°) – 50,100 breast
| SHANGHAI | INCHEON | SINGAPORE | |
| 50 BREAST | 28.76 (gold) AS | 29.03 (gold) | 28.87 (gold) |
| 100 BREAST | 1:02.53 (gold) AS | 1:02.82 (gold) | 1:03.10 (gold) |
| 50 FREE | 24.52 (7) | / | 24.40 (5) |
| 100 IM | / | 58.84 (5) | / |
Qianting Tang additionally secures two triple crowns within the 50 and 100 breaststroke, setting new limits for quick Chinese language ladies’s breaststroke. The swimmer stops the clock twice within the 50 breaststroke at below 28 s, making life very tough for the race’s reigning queen, Benedetta Pilato. It’s fascinating to notice how Tang additionally carried out properly within the 50 freestyle and the 100 medley, ending in fifth place in each occasions.
KATARZYNA WASICK (8°) – 50 free
| SHANGHAI | INCHEON | SINGAPORE | |
| 50 FREE | 23.87 (gold) | 23.51 (gold) | 23.23 (gold) |
| 100 FREE | 52.56 (4) | 52.19 (silver) | 52.04 (bronze) |
| 200 FREE | 1:58.81 (4) | 1:56.99 (5) | 1:56.53 (5) |
| 50 FLY | 26.76 (10) | 26.71 (12) | 26.87 (18) |
Katarzyna Wasick additionally secures a triple crown, having no rivals within the 50 freestyle. The evolution of the Polish swimmer permits us to witness an ideal low 23 in Singapore, which earns her the crown. Her try to be aggressive within the 100 freestyle is semi-successful, as she finishes with a fourth place, a silver, and a bronze, stopping the clock at 52.04 s.
QIN HAIYANG (5°) – 50 breast
| SHANGHAI | INCHEON | SINGAPORE | |
| 50 BREAST | 25.38 (gold) AS | 25.76 (silver) | 25.47 (gold) |
| 100 BREAST | 55.73 (gold) | 56.22 (silver) | 55.61 (gold) AS,=WC |
| 200 BREAST | 2:01.92 (silver) | 2:02.57 (gold) | DSQ |
Lastly, the male breaststroke specialist from China, who shocked everybody final 12 months with new world data within the 50 and 200, wins the triple crown “solely” within the shorter distance. Qin Haiyang units a brand new Asian document in 25.38 at his dwelling stage, and once more breaks the Asian document within the 100 breaststroke within the ultimate stage in Singapore, clocking 55.61. Nonetheless, he narrowly misses the triple crown at this distance, having misplaced the gold within the second stage in Incheon with a time over 55″.
