JONES V HARDY IN MOSCOW WORLD CUP SHOWDOWN

Posted in Swimming

leisel jones 2008 telstra trials photo delly carr.jpgNovember 6: One of the most talked about showdowns that didn't eventuate at last year's Beijing Olympics will take centre stage during the second leg of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup at the Olympiskii complex  in Moscow (RUS), this weekend, November 6-7.

Australia's Olympic champion over 100m breaststroke Leisel Jones and the USA's Jessica Hardy, banned from the Games after a positive drug test at the US Olympic Trials will go head-to-head in the 50 and 100m breaststroke events.

Jones took a break from international competition this year, which saw her miss the controversial Rome World Championships and her coach Rohan Taylor says the Moscow meet will be the beginning of a specific campaign for the world's dominant breaststroker.

"It's basically five competitions in four weeks, and the aim is to have her ready at the back end of November by improving her fitness through racing, rather than training," said Taylor.

Jones will also compete at consecutive World Cup meets in Stockholm, Berlin and Singapore before returning to Australia for the 2009 Speedo AIS International to be held from November 25-27. 

"Despite having a break from major international competition she hasn't really stopped training and has been in a maintenance stage for some time now, "said Taylor.

 "The racing will also give us a clear indication of the things we need to focus in on, and she will probably do more volume of work away, than she would have if she was just training at home."

Australia and the US will be among 25 nations who will send some of their best athletes for the two-day competition.

Jones will join defending World Cup champion Marieke Guehrer and round one star Felicity Galvez in a slick Telstra Dolphins team which also includes Olympic backstroker Ashley Delaney.

George Du Rand, Katheryn Meaklim, Cameron van der Burgh and Roland Schoeman will form a strong South African outfit; while Hardy will continue her comeback to international competition alongside US team mate and world record breaking backstroker Peter Marshall.

Another world beater, butterflyer Therese Alshammar, will join Stefan Nystrand and Sarah Sjostrom in a small but strong Swedish outfit; Aurore Mongel and Sophie De Ronchi are the swimmers to follow from France; while Finland's Hanna-Maria Seppala and  Hinkelien Schreuder from the Netherlands are stand outs alongside Markus Rogan from Austria.

After the first leg of the series, held in Durban (RSA) on October 16-17, the provisional leaders of the 2009 FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup overall ranking are Marshall (USA) among men, and Alshammar (SWE) in the women's field.

Four new world records were established in the South African meet - Marshall in the men's 50m backstroke (22.75), Alshammar in the women's 50m butterfly (24.75) and 100m individual medley (58.51) and Hardy (USA) in the women's 50m breaststroke (29.45). Moreover, eight new World Cup records were bettered in Durban.

van der Burgh (RSA) and Marieke Guehrer (AUS) are the defending 2008 men's and women's winners of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup.

Calendar of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup 2009:
  • October 16-17 in Durban (RSA)

NEXT MEET: November 6-7 in Moscow (RUS)

  • November 10-11 in Stockholm (SWE)
  • November 14-15 in Berlin (GER)
  • November 21-22 in Singapore (SIN)