Pal Joensen clinches Men’s 1500m freestyle gold: Day Two – 2011 Swimming World Cup, Stockholm
Pal Joensen of France proved his mettle for the gold medal by overpowering his challengers in Men’s 1500m freestyle playoff on the concluding day of the 2011 Swimming World Cup in Stockholm, on October Sunday, 16.
Stockholm is the second leg of seven-stage series, which is organised by the international aquatics sport governing body, Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA).
The 20-year-old Joensen seemed determined to spoil the party of his competitors in the sixty-lap freestyle event. With his outstanding start, he remained marginally away from his rivals in the initial round by posting a 26.50 seconds effort for the first
50 metres of the swim while his strongest opponent, Stefan Sorak clocked 26.88 seconds for the same distance.
The champion went rampant in the following laps of the swim and kept on expanding his lead from his opponents. With his persistent efforts, he completed his first half of the race in 7 minutes and 19.53 seconds while Serbia’s Sorak remained almost seven
seconds slower from him, producing a time of 7 minutes and 26.78 seconds.
Joensen’s astonishing effort was highly appreciated by the arena as he sustained his fastest spot in the second half of the swim and hurried towards the finishing end by submitting a time of 14 minutes and 52.00 seconds for gold medal.
With his impressive timing, he not only won the gold medal of the event but also elevated to the tenth spot on FINA’s Short Course 1500m Male ranking behind Yohsuke Miyamoto of Japan, who is on the ninth spot with 14 minutes and 51.44 seconds.
In the meantime, Sorak remained 14.57 seconds behind the gold medallist and stepped on the podium for silver medal, by reporting a time of 15 minutes and 06.57 seconds. Marcos Oliveira of Brazil occupied third position as he appeared on the finishing end
by clocking a time of 15 minutes and 13.19 seconds.
After clinching gold medal of the 1500m event, Joensen expressed happiness and articulated his desire of continuing the same in long course events.
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