SWIMMING WORLD CUP 2012, Moscow day 1: Smith (USA) and Donets (RUS) best performers

Elena Vaytsekhovskaya, FINA Press Commission Member

MOSCOW, RENANG INDONESIA-October 17, 2012 - The fourth leg of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup is being held at the Olympijsky Swimming pool in the Russian capital. Russian swimming fans like to say that this pool is very special: since the 1980 Olympics, which took place here also, 46 World and 40 European records were broken, evidencing that these waters are quite "fast". Moscow has played host to the short-course event a total eight times since 2002. For the 2012 edition, more than 330 swimmers entered the competition.

The president of the Russian Swimming Federation, four-time Olympic champion Vladimir Salnikov mentioned at the opening press conference that the competition gives outstanding experience to young Russian swimmers, underlining that for most of them, the World Cup in Moscow was where they made their first mark on the  international swimming stage.

The evening programme of day 1 started with a victory for Leah Smith (USA) in the 800m free (8:19.24), the day's top performance among women (914 points). The young talent was followed by compatriot Becca Mann, who was 0.09 behind while local Elizaveta Gorshkova took third in 8:29.45.

Tommasso D'Orsogna from Australia  started "slowly" but powered home in the last meters in the 100m free (47.11), beating South African Darian Townsend and Anthony Erwin (USA), who tied for second (47.43). 

There was a close finish in the women's 100m breast with Japanese Rie Kaneto and Mio Motegi going head-to-head for the touch. Kaneto was the swiftest by 0.01 (1:06.18) while Russia's Maria Temnikova completed the podium. 

Another 1-2 finish for Japan took place in the men's 200m fly: Kazuya Kaneda finished in front of team mate Daiya Seto, clocking 1:52.43. Russian Nikolay Skvortsov secured the bronze.

Two-time World champion Paul Biedermann (GER) was the easy winner in the men's 400m free (3:44.00). Robert Hurley (AUS) and Evgeny Kulikov (RUS) placed second and third, respectively.

The only victory for the home squad this evening was in the men's 100m back, where three-time World champion and holder of 11 European titles, Stanislav Donets, touched first (49.74), comfortably ahead of runner-up Robert Hurley (50.70). Donets was the best male performer on this evening, scoring 952 points for this race. The Russian, who failed to make the Olympic team due to recovery following a shoulder surgery, is back in shape.

Olympic silver medallist Evgeny Korotyshkin finished third (23.12) in the men's 50m fly, after Matthew Targett (AUS, 22.56) and Jason Dunford (KEN, 23.09).

Hungary's Katinka Hosszu captured two gold medals, in the women's 200m free and 200m IM.

(fina)