PR 57 - Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu shines in Dubai (UAE)

Lausanne (SUI), October 4, 2012 – Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu was the most successful swimmer in the first leg of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup 2012, held in Dubai (UAE) on October 2-3, earning eight gold medals – seven in individual events and the title in the mixed 4x50m free relay, a new race in the programme of this competition.

Hosszu was the best in the 200m, 400m and 800m free, touching also first in the 200m butterfly and in the three medley events (100m, 200m and 400m). For her winning time in the 400m IM – 4:31.34 – she got the best performance of the meet among women, 890 points. Veteran Therese Alshammar (SWE, 35 years old) triumphed in the 50m free, 50m and 100m butterfly, while her compatriot Jennie Johansson got the gold in the 50m and 100m breaststroke. Rachel Goh (AUS, 50m and 100m back) and Britta Steffen (GER, 100m free and mixed 4x50m medley relay) also left Dubai with two titles.

In the men’s field, Olympic champions Chad Le Clos (victories in the 100m and 200m butterfly) and Cameron van der Burgh (50m and 100m breaststroke), from South Africa, were also in good shape. Their teammate Darian Townsend got the gold in the 200m free and 200m IM. Kenneth To, from Australia, was the best in the 100m free and 100m IM – in the latter, touching in 51.43, To got the best male performance (961 points) of the competition.

The FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup 2012 is marked by the entry of a new organiser in the circuit – Doha (QAT), on October 6-7 – and by the introduction of two new events in a FINA competition, the mixed 4x50m free and medley relays, in which a national team is represented by two male and two female swimmers. In Dubai, the first medalists of these events were Hungary (gold), Ukraine (silver) and Hong Kong (bronze) for the free relay and Germany (1st), Hungary (2nd) and Ukraine (3rd) in the medley event.