Emily and Cate in golden return to Water Cube
Swimming Australia, September 30, 2015: On Sunday a 35-strong squad of Australia’s mosAustralia’s swimmers have continued on their winning ways in Beijing overnight winning four gold, four silver and two bronze medals on the first day of the World Cup meet in the Water Cube, the ionic venue of the 2008 Olympic Games.
World champions and Olympic gold medallists Emily Seebohm and Cate Campbell were joined on the top of the podium by fellow 2015 World Championship team mates Ashley Delaney and Dan Smith.
Seebohm, who won gold in the 4x100m medley relay in 2008 at just 16, again kept her high profile rivals Katinka Hosszu (HUN) and Olympic champion Missy Franklin at bay, winning the 200m back in 2:09.22 (1:04.44) in an eye-catching final 100m, in what was almost a negative split.
The triple 2015 world champion from Kazan powered home over the final 50 metres – splitting 30.99secs – the same time as her first 50m after Franklin had led through the first 150 metres - a similar tactic that won Seebohm the world title.
Hosszu came through to take the silver in 2:10.26 and Franklin the bronze in 2:10.36.
Earlier in the program Seebohm (27.68) finished second to China’s Fu Yuanhui (27.55) with another Chinese girl Chen Jie (28.25) third.
The Campbell sisters were also in action with Cate following on from her Singapore victory over reigning world champion sister, Bronte in another thrilling final, Cate clocking 24.30 to Bronte’s 24.53 with a third Australian Holly Barratt eighth in 25.85.
Cate Campbell said she “felt great” swimming back in the Beijing.
“The Water Cube is my favorite pool in the world. It is so beautiful and that makes me smile,” said Campbell, who won bronze in the 50m freestyle in the Olympic final in 2008.
“I am happy competing here again and happy with my result. It is a tough competition, the Chinese swimmers were very fast in the morning so I knew I had to be faster in the final, especially against Bronte who is always very tough.”
Meanwhile, London Olympic backstroker Ashley Delaney continued his World Cup successes, adding the 100m gold medal to his recent successes, winning in 54.36 after holding a narrow lead at the 50 metre turn in 26.44.
Delaney powered off the wall and edged away from Japan’s Yuki Shirai (54.71) with Britain’s Marco Loughran third in 55.96.
Australia’s fourth gold medal went to Gold Coast’s Dan Smith who chalked up his fourth World Cup win of the circuit, adding the 400m to his wins over 200m in Paris and the 200 and 400m freestyle double in Singapore and he had to pull out all stops to win the gold in a thrilling finish.
Smith, a member of Australia’s 4x200m freestyle relay team that won bronze in Kazan, won the 400m freestyle in 3:51.45 (55:10; 1:54.39; 2:53.92).
The Denis Cotterell-coached Smith led through the 300m before fellow Australian, Sydney’s Jacob Hansford laid down his challenge with 50m to swim.
But it was Smith who split 27.95 for his eighth lap who edged out Austria’s David Brandl (3:51.61) and Hansford (3:51.62) – just 0.17 separating the top three and with Japan’s Masato Sakai fourth in 3:51.81 – only 0.36 between first and fourth.
In the 400m individual medley Sydney pair Tomas Elliott and Kazimir Boskovic continued their solid World Cup form finishing with silver and bronze in the 400m individual medley final.
Elliott touching in 4:20.90, just ahead of Boskovic in 4:21.70.
In other events, Smith was fourth in the 100m freestyle in 49.93; Tommy Sucipto (27.79) kept up his consistent World Cup results, finishing second to Olympic champion Cameron Van Der Burgh (27.03) in the 50m breaststroke final; Holly Barratt fourth in the 50m backstroke (28.33); Nic Brown fourth in the 200m butterfly in 2:00.42;Te Haumi Maxwell fifth in the 50m butterfly in 245.28.
Issued on behalf of Swimming Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia Managing Director
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