Therese Alshammar and Marco Koch shine in Berlin: 2011 FINA World Cup
Therese Alshammar of Sweden and Marco Koch of Colombia produced wonderful swims to impress the arena on day one of the seven stop 2011 FINA World Cup series in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, October 22. The session of the competition organised two interesting
events, the Women’s 50m freestyle and Men’s 200m breast-stroke.
In the first race, Alshammar knocked out double Olympic medallist, Germany’s Britta Steffen and Commonwealth medallist, Great Britain’s Francesca Halsall by touching the finishing wall in a mouth shattering time of 23.67 seconds to win the Women’s 50m freestyle
title over her rivals.
Meanwhile, Steffen won silver medal by posting a stunning time of 24.07 seconds. Brita was a double gold medallist in 50m and 100m freestyle events at the 2008 Olympic Games, in Beijing. She has also won many titles at the World, European and Summer Universiade
championships throughout her career. The bronze title went to Halsall in an inspiring mark of 24.17 seconds. Francesca was the gold medallist in 50m butterfly at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, in Delhi.
Colombian athlete, Daniela Schreiber gave her best attempt in the respective meet and picked fourth place in a time of 24.28 seconds, while Australia’s Angie Bainbridge settled for fifth position in a time of 24.64 seconds. Germany’s Dorothea Brandt finished
sixth in 24.73 seconds, whereas, Amy Smith of Great Britain claimed seventh position by posting a time of 24.76 seconds. Finally, Maria Seppala Hanna settled for eighth spot by submitting a time of 24.95 seconds.
The Men’s 200m breast-stroke title was taken over by Colombia’s Marco Koch in a time of 2 minutes and 04.61 seconds. Marco Koch’s rivals including Naoya Tomita of Japan picked silver medal by hitting the finishing wall in a time of 2 minutes and 05.11 seconds,
whereas, Naoya Tomita’s compatriot, Kazuki Otsuka claimed bronze title in a time of 2 minutes and 05.29 seconds.
In addition, Michael Brown of Canada powered the finishing wall in an impressive time of 2 minutes and 07.06 seconds to gain fourth position. Glenn Snyders of New Zealand claimed fifth position by submitting a time of 2 minutes and 08.27 seconds, while Kyuwoong
Choi of Korea settled for sixth place in a spot of 2 minutes and 09.29 seconds.
The seventh position went to Canada’s Paul Kornfeld in a time of 2 minutes and 10.03 seconds, whereas, Tomas Klobucnik of Slovakia claimed eighth spot in a time of 2 minutes and 11.38 seconds. Owing to their impressive performances, both Therese Alshammar
and Marco Koch were awarded accolades and cash prizes after the session’s completion. The fifth round of the World Series is scheduled to take place in Singapore, from November 4-5.
Tags: