SWIMMING WORLD CUP 2013 : Tokyo Day 2: Three world records close the show in Tokyo (JPN)

Zhou Xin, FINA Media Committee Member

RENANG-Russian Yulia Efimova and Australians shot two World records at the FINA Swimming World Cup series in Tokyo (JPN) here on Sunday as Efimova renewed the women's 50m breaststroke and the Aussie team the mixed 4x50m freestyle relay.

Efimova breezed to win the sprint breaststroke in 28.71 seconds, 0.09 faster than the previous mark set by Jessica Hardy of the United States in 2009. Alia Atkinson of Jamaica took the silver in 29.06.

"The time surprised me! But I had very hard practice since I returned to training about one month ago. Yesterday I swam 28.61 in the medley. I thought I could do it in the relay, I did it here", said Efimova who later claimed the title in the 200m breaststroke (2:17.37).

Composed by Tomaso D'Orsogna, Travis Mahoney, Cate Campbell and Bronte Campbell, the Australian team set a new World in the mixed 4x50m freestyle relay in 1:29.61 (after having lowered it also in the heats, with a 1:31.13 effort). "It is always great to swim in a relay. It is exciting to swim together with teammates and stand on the top of the podium together", Mahoney said.

Hungarian World champion Katinka Hosszu chopped her first victory in the women's 400m individual medley in 4:25.97, followed by Mireia Belmonte of Spain (4:26.92) and Miyu Otsuka of Japan (4:29.53).

Hosszu continued her winning streak in the 200m butterfly (2:04.03), followed by Yai Watanabe of Japan (2:04.67) and Germany's Franziska Hentke (2:04.97). Hosszu snatched her third gold in the 100m individual medley, sharing the title with Alicia Coutts of Australia in 57.53.  

"My goal is to swim more than one event, I want to see how many times I can stand on top of the podium", said the so-called Iron Lady. "I think I am pretty strong and tough, so it feels good that people recognise how hard I work. It makes me feel good and I am trying to keep in mind to be tough as an Iron woman. I don't feel that tired though I am not fresh since I have been racing full day. I am feeling good."

Hosszu swam 31.12 and placed sixth in the 50m breaststroke heat in the morning, however she withdrew from the final where Efimova broke the World record. "I am happy with my breaststroke performance, because breaststroke is my weakest stroke and I broke the Hungarian national record", Hosszu said.

Hosszu was awarded the Best Female Swimmer at Tokyo while her teammate Daniel Gyurta the Best Male after he finished second in the 100m breaststroke in 57.37. Christian Sprenger of Australia topped the event in 57.14.

"My time in the last leg was 58, and here in Tokyo I swim in 57. Hopefully next stop in Beijing I will break my own World record", Gyurta said.

Kosuke Hagino of Japan was the most welcome swimmer to the local fans as he dominated the men's 1500m freestyle from start to finish, winning in 14:32.88, while Olympic champion Oussama Mellouli (TUN) was second in 14:38.09 and Gergely Gyurta of Hungary third in 14:39.06.

Hagino later broke the World Cup record (1:51.50) in the 200m individual medley, beating Chad Le Clos of South Africa (second in 1:52.31) and Wang Shun of China (1:52.82).
  
Le Clos secured his gold in the men's 100m butterfly in 49.01, ahead of American Thomas Shield (49.49) and Japanese Kohei Kawamoto (50.03).
  
In other events, Cate Campbell won the  women's 100m freestyle in 51.31; Lauren Boyle of New Zealand led the women's 400m freestyle in 3:57.68; Vladimir Morozov of Russia wrapped up victory in the men's 50m freestyle in 20.72; Thomas Fraser-Holmes and Robert Hurley gave Australia a one-two finish in the men's 200m freestyle in 1:42.56 and 1:43.12; Eugene Godsoe of the United States took the men's 50m backstroke in 23.07; Kaneko Masaki of Japan edged Mitchell Larkin of Australia in the men's 200m backstroke in 1:49.76 and 1:49.89 respectively; Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden prevailed in the women's 50m butterfly in 24.91.

The FINA Swimming World Cup will come to Beijing on November 13-14 for the last stop of the series.

THE BEST PERFORMERS IN TOKYO

Men
1. GYURTA Daniel (HUN): 2:01.30 - 984 pts - 200m breast
2. LE CLOS Chad (RSA): 1:50.33 - 967 pts - 200m fly
3. MOROZOV Vladimir (RUS): 45.65 - 954 pts - 100m free

Women
1. HOSSZU Katinka (HUN): 57.53 - 1010 pts - 100m IM
1. COUTTS Alicia (AUS): 57.53 - 1010 pts - 100m IM
3. EFIMOVA Yulia (RUS): 28.71 - 1009 pts - 50m breast

Provisional leaders of the World Cup after the 7th meet:

Men
1. LE CLOS Chad (RSA) - 511 pts
2. MOROZOV Vladimir (RUS) - 345 pts
3. HURLEY Robert (AUS) - 252 pts

Women
1. HOSSZU Katinka (HUN) - 759 pts
2. ATKINSON Alia (JAM) - 255 pts
3. BELMONTE Mireia (ESP) - 238 pts