United States’ David Plummer (centre) and Australia’s Mitchell Larkin (left) were tied for first place in the men’s 50m backstroke event in the FINA Swimming World Cup at Hamad Aquatic Centre in Doha yesterday. Great Britain’s Liam Tancock finished third. Picture at the right: South Africa’s Chad le Clos (centre) won the men’s 100m butterfly ahead of Tom Shields (left) of the United States and Geoffrey Wright of Australia. PICTURES: Anas Khalid

By Sahan Bidappa/Doha

It was a tale of two Australians last night at the Hamad Aquatic Centre as Mitchell Larkin and Emily Seebohm stole the limelight at the Doha leg of the FINA World Cup.
South African sensation Chad Le Clos finished with four gold medals, the highest of the meet, to continue his love affair with Doha. But it was Larkin and Seebohm’s impressive swims that caught the eye as both the Aussies finished with three gold medals each.
Larkin is world swimming’s backstroke specialist, and had won the 100m backstroke event on the first day and he added two more, one albeit tied with USA’s David Plummer in 50m, before pocketing the 200m too.
The 50m backstroke was a sensational race, with Larkin and Plummer swimming their way to a time of 24.70 seconds for a tied first-place finish. Thirty-year-old Liam Tancock of Great Britain took bronze in a time of 25.65.
Not satisfied with sharing a top spot, Larkin came roaring back in the 200m backstroke. There was simply no stopping the world champion as he registered his third fastest 200m backstroke time of 2015 to take gold. It was also the Australian and Commonwealth records as he timed 1:53.80. Such was Larkin’s domination that the second-placed Japan’s Masaki Kanek was far behind – 4 seconds –  as he clocked a 1:57.83 for silver, with Britain’s European Games superstar Luke Greenbank another second behind for bronze. Le Clos finished 4th in 1:59.39.
The 22-year-old gold medallist was delighted with the Doha outing. “It was a good race tonight, that’s for sure. I tried to focus on my turns and skills in the heat in the morning, and let it all loose in the final. And it worked. I had gunned for three gold, so I am pretty satisfied,” he said.
One of the most anticipated races of the evening was the women’s 100m backstroke with Katinka Hosszu looking to avenge her previous night’s loss to Seebohm in the 50m and 200m events. But Seebohm, like her fellow Aussie Larkin, made sure she swept the backstroke events in Doha.
Seebohm’s times in the event were incredible, as the Australian mastered last night’s edition of the race in a time of 58.34, the second-fastest mark of 2015 only behind her gold in Kazan World Championship.
Hosszu was a full second behind for her second silver on the night and third of the meet in a time of 59.35. The bronze medal went to American Natalie Coughlin, who logged 59.72.
“I was definitely chasing a third gold here in Doha. That’s all the motivation I needed. The final was spectacular. I’m quite happy with my time in the heats and was pleased that I could go even faster in the final,” Seebohm said.
“It’s testament that I’m doing the right training and I keep improving. To be up against someone like Katinka is a massive challenge. She is such a fantastic competitor and really hard to beat. She obviously does a lot of events but I still think that it’s not easy to beat her, and I’m pleased to do just that,” the 23-year-old double world champion added.
Hosszu by her standards had a disappointing meet. The prolific Hungarian was out of pace most night, but she still took the 400m individual medley to keep her World Cup winning streak alive in the event.
Hosszu won in a time of 4:36.39 as the World Cup points leader finished with a medal tally of seven in just Doha alone. The 26-year-old had won two gold, one silver and bronze on the first night.
Silver in the race went to Japan’s Sakiko Shimizu in 4:37.95, while USA’s Caitlin Leverenz earned bronze in 4:39.74.
In what could have been a monstrous battle, the men’s 100 butterfly was simply owned by Le Clos, who touched in at 51.44 to tie the 10th-fastest time in the world and beat America’s Tom Shields by over half a second.
Shields finished in a very respectable 52.10 for silver. Bronze went to Australian Chris Wright, who finished in 52.50.
South Africa’s Cameron Van der Burgh remained unbeaten in the 2015 World Cup Series across both the 50m and the 100m breaststroke events, as the Olympian claimed gold yet again in a time of 59.68. Van der Burgh was the only finalist to dip beneath the one minute threshold, as runner-up Daniel Gyurta from Hungary settled for silver in 1:00.60, followed by Great Britain’s Ross Murdoch who finished in 1:00.84 for bronze.
The Doha meet was the penultimate leg of the World Cup series, with the last event scheduled to be held in Dubai this weekend.
Speaking on the final night of the competition, Qatar Swimming Association president and Local Organising Committee chairman Khaleel al-Jabir said: “Over the last two days, we have seen almost 350 of the world’s best athletes competing here in Doha, as we continue our commitment to support and develop the sport of swimming. These athletes have once again treated the people of Qatar, and the world, to some stunning performances, and we wish them luck for the final World Cup meet of the season and beyond. I would also like to thank FINA for their continued partnership in supporting us in staging what has been another amazing two days of action.”
 
RESULTS
Women’s 100m freestyle
1. Melanie Wright (Australia) 53:86
2. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary) 54:40
3. Felicia Lee (USA) 55:22
Men’s 200m freestyle
1. George Guy (Great Britain) 1:47:06
2. Velimir Stjepanovic (Serbia) 1:47:56
3. Maxime Rooney (USA) 1:48:15
Women’s 50m breaststroke
1. Alia Atkinson (Jamaica) 30:55
2. Molly Hannis (USA) 31:12
3. Leiston Pickett (Australia) 31:13
Men’s 100m breaststroke
1. Cameron Van Der Burgh (South Africa) 59:68
2. Daniel Gyurta (Hungary) 1:00:60
3. Ross Murdoch (Great Britain) 1:00:84
Men’s 100m butterfly
1. Chad Le Clos (South Africa) 51:44
2. Tom Shields (USA) 52:10
3. Geoffrey Wright (Australia) 52:50
Women’s 100m backstroke
1. Emily  Seebohm (Australia) 58:34
2. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary) 59:35
3. Natalie Coughlin (USA) 59:72
Men’s 50m backstroke
1. David Plummer (USA) 24:70
1. Mitchell Larkin (Australia) 24:70
2. Liam Tancock (Great Britain) 25:65
3. Wen Zheng Quah (Singapore) 25:66
Women’s 200m butterfly
1. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (Hungary) 2:08:47
2. Martina Van Berkel (Switzerland) 2:09:59
3. Cassidy Bayer (USA) 2:09:98
Men’s 200m individual medley
1. Keita Sunama (Japan) 2:00:48
2. Julian Michael (South Africa) 2:01:63
3. Zoltan David (Hungary) 2:01:90
Women’s 400m freestyle
1. Lauren Boyle (New Zealand) 4:06:58
2. Jaz Carlin (Great Britain) 4:07:42
3. Coralie Balmy (France) 4:07:56
Men’s 50m freestyle
1. Bruno Fratus (Brazil) 22:28
2. Anthony Ervin (USA) 22:47
3. Douglas Erasmus (South Africa) 22:50
Women’s 200m breaststroke
1. Rie Kaneto (Japan) 2:23:45
2. Runa Imai (Japan) 2:24:24
3. Moller Rikkie (Denmark) 2:24:47
Men’s 200m backstroke
1. Mitchell Larkin (Australia) 1:53:80
2. Masaki Kaneko (Japan) 1:57:83
3. Luke Greenbank (Great Britain) 1:58:83
Women’s 50m butterfly
1. Sasha Touretski (Switzerland) 28:81
2. Felicia Lee (USA) 26:85
3. Svenja Stoffel (Switzerland) 26:96
Men’s 1500m freestyle
1. Mykhailo Romanchuk (Ukraine) 15:07:06
2. Damien Joly (France) 15:07:97
3. Alistair Milne (Great Britain) 15:12:13
Women’s 400m individual medley
1. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary) 4:36:39
2. Sakiko Shimizu (Japan) 4:37:95
3. Caitlin Leverenz (USA) 4:39:74