Written by:Andy Ross, FINA
Correspondent
Eleven athletes were on pace to win
the World Cup triple crown across 21 events - touching first in the same race
in three different cities at the 2022 Swimming World Cup. On Thursday on the
first day of the final stop in Indianapolis, five athletes achieved the hat
trick, while two were dethroned.
Poland’s Kasia Wasick had perhaps the
best swim of the entire day in Indianapolis, winning the 50m freestyle final
with a 23.10. It was her third win in three weeks, and it was also a lifetime
best, putting her third on the all-time list behind only Ranomi Kromowidjojo
(22.93) and Sarah Sjostrom (23.00).
“I am very happy,” Wasick said. “I
surprised myself today when I looked at the clock and said ‘whew’. My family is
here watching tonight. It was a lot of fun.
I swam at the world cups for the first time in my career. I would like
to come back and race in the world cup series again.
Wasick, who is based in the United
States in Las Vegas, has been getting faster each week, improving her Polish
record each week.
“I didn't expect I'd go that fast,”
Wasick said. "I wish I could compete next weekend and another week and
just keep getting faster and faster. We still have World Champs and I hope I
will be the fastest over there.”
She had initially retired from the
sport in 2018, but returned with the dream of qualifying for her fourth Olympics
in Tokyo. Since then, she has been swimming faster than ever, placing fifth in
the Tokyo final in the 50m freestyle, and winning World Championships silver in
June of this year.
“I am just really blessed to be here.
Every time I get a chance to step on the blocks I am really happy and excited
to get the chance, but also my family...when I see them in the stands, I always
go fast,” Wasick said.
Another one who nearly broke a world
record was American Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle. She was out under Li
Bingjie’s world record pace for 250 meters, before falling off on the last six
lengths of the pool, touching at 3:54.04. It was the sixth fastest time ever
swum in the event, as Ledecky won handily over fellow American Bella Sims
(3:58.85).
“It's really fun to swim at this pool
and to be in Indianapolis,” Ledecky said. “I love this pool and this crowd. I
really hope to have a great weekend. It's a different challenge getting used to
the turns but it’s been fun.”
Ledecky’s attention turns to the 800m
freestyle tomorrow where many will be expecting to watch her break the world
record that stands at 7:59.34 to Spain’s Mireia Belmonte that has stood since
2013. Ledecky went out in an 8:00.58 en route to her world record in the 1500m
freestyle last week.
American Shaine Casas was the first
men’s triple crown winner, taking the 200m backstroke final with a 1:48.40,
which was a best time to put him 11th on the all-time list. Later on in the
session, Casas won the 100m IM with a 51.04. It wasn’t a best time (he was
51.03 in Toronto), nor was it a triple crown event for him, but his two
victories on Thursday night put him first overall in the men’s World Cup
standings with two days to go.
I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty tired,”
Casas said after his second swim on the night in the 100m IM. “I don't feel
fresh like I did in the other World Cup events. I would have liked to swim
faster but you can't always get what you want. I have a bad problem of looking
around too much and I need to stop that. I took one or two breaths and just put
my head down.”
This was a good set-up for Casas, who
was on the outside looking in for the overall title. His two wins put him in
the lead as he is in the driver’s seat to take home the overall title as
Saturday might be his best day with the event line-up.
Casas has 145.6 points, while fellow
American Nic Fink currently sits second with 134 points, as he collected an
official triple crown in the 100m breaststroke, winning at 56.15. He has been
faster in his career, but this swim gave him that third win as he hasn’t lost a
breaststroke final yet during this circuit.
“I am happy to earn the crown,” Fink
said. “Even if you think you are ahead in the last lap you have to be prepared
for someone else. I am also happy that I was able to save my best for last. I
hope that this is a good indicator of my next two events. I like to race a lot
and sometimes we compete more than our coaches want us to.”
Fink was expected to be challenged by
Italian World champion Nicolo Martinenghi, but the American held his own in his
own country, leading from the outset. Now his attention shifts to the 50m
tomorrow, and the 200m on Saturday - two events that he won gold in at last
year’s Short Course World Championships. Martinenghi was hardly a factor,
placing fourth at 57.39.
Trinidad & Tobago’s Dylan Carter
successfully completed his first triple crown attempt with a win in the 50m
freestyle at 20.72 over Kyle Chalmers (20.81) of Australia. Carter will next go
for hat tricks in the 50m backstroke tomorrow and the 50m butterfly on Saturday
as he hasn’t lost a 50m final yet this series.
It was a super close one,” Carter
said. “I could see Kyle on my right side. I just had to get my hand on the
wall. I really like racing against these guys.
Pressure? No pressure for me, I have ice in my veins.
South Africa’s Chad Le Clos also
completed his hat trick - this one in the 100m butterfly as he was hardly
challenged during the short race, winning at 48.85. Le Clos, who has won a
myriad of World Cup races in his long career, is currently fourth overall in
the men’s standings with 129.5 points behind Carter (133.7) in third.
“It’s great to have won the three
World Cup titles,” Le Clos said. “I want to give a shout out to my friends and
to my family watching back home, especially to my father. I told people in
Berlin that I was back in a good place and that I was focused on winning these
three events and I am pleased with the result.
“I really love racing in the USA and
it's nice to have USA fans. I enjoy racing in Indianapolis. In addition to my
training I work to be a positive role model and I appreciate this
responsibility as well.”
One that also loves racing in
Indianapolis is Lilly King, who has been coming to meets at the IU Natatorium
since she was a young age grouper. On Thursday, she won the 200m breaststroke
at 2:17.56, and will look to challenge Ruta Meilutyte tomorrow in the 100m as
King is hoping to end her triple crown hopes.
“It’s a confidence booster to win on
the first day,” King said. “I always swim well in Indy. I really had no idea
how I was going to swim. The 100 and the 200 are definitely two different
events so it will require a different preparation.”
Two swimmers that already dethroned
triple crown hopes were USA’s Kieran Smith in the 400m freestyle, and Beata
Nelson in the 100m IM. Smith won the final at 3:35.99, putting him 13th
all-time as he finished ahead of Matthew Sates, who was never really a factor
in the race and placed fifth at 3:41.02.
Nelson finally got the better of
Beryl Gastaldello in the 100m IM final, touching at 57.81 to Gastaldello’s
57.82. Gastaldello had won the first two matchups in Berlin and Toronto but
could not find that magic once more as she finished runner-up, just missing
that triple crown.
Nelson currently leads the women’s
overall standings with 134.9 points ahead of Siobhan Haughey (126.7) and Louise
Hansson (124.1).
Canada’s superstar duo of Kylie Masse
(50m backstroke) and Summer McIntosh (200m butterfly) also won their respective
events in Indianapolis, with Masse claiming the 50m backstroke at 25.96 while
McIntosh won the 200m butterfly at 2:03.40.
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