Doha (QAT), 3 November 2015: Two days of spectacular swimming action came to a stunning crescendo on the evening of November 3rd to a packed arena of fans at Hamad Aquatic Centre.
Speaking on the final night of competition, Mr Khaleel Al Jabir, President of Qatar Swimming Association and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, 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 supporting and developing 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.”
On the final day of competition, golden boy and crowd thriller Chad Le Clos left no doubt over his butterfly dominance, claiming first place in the 100m to take the triple – winning gold across all three butterfly distances. It marked his fourth gold medal in total over two days of fierce racing in the Qatari capital.
“I’m really happy with my fourth gold here in Doha. It’s been a great few days and it’s setting my form up nicely for Rio,” Le Clos concluded.
The arena came alive when two more triples were claimed, this time by Australia’s dominant backstroke duo, Emily Seebohm and Mitch Larkin, who both continue to build on their World Champion titles. Seebohm saw off competition from Hungary’s Iron Lady, Katinka Hosszu, to take gold in the 100m backstroke in a time of 58.34, closing in on the world record time of 58.12. She said:
“This is the first real FINA World Cup that I’ve done and it’s been a really cool experience. I thought the race went really well from the off, and I realise that I’m edging closer to that World Record. It’s not my focus, I just really try to go as fast as I can but it would be great to get it!”
Hungary’s Iron Lady was not left disappointed on the final day of competition, collecting one gold (400m medley) and two silvers (100m freestyle and 100m backstroke) to give her a total medal haul of seven in Doha. Speaking after a fitting final race of the meet where she took gold in the 400 medley, she said:
“I’m really happy with my time, and the race. It’s always tough to race late at night but it went well. Doha has once again been a fantastic experience for me, and I really love coming here. I can’t wait for the Olympics and of course to get back in this pool in Doha again.”
South Africa continued its winning streak when Cameron Van Der Burgh brought home the gold in the 100m breaststroke, leaving Hungary’s Daniel Gyurta in second. Speaking after his final race of the night. Van Der Burgh commented:
“Doha is always a great place to come, the crowd is amazing and I’m happy with my time and the race. It’s been the fastest I’ve started a season ever and I really want to protect my title in Rio. Winning gold in Doha helps me get my groove back. Being South African, we export a lot of gold so it’s always nice to bring the gold back home!”
2014 marked Qatar’s year of swimming as it became the first nation to host both a World Cup and a FINA World Swimming Championships in the same year. In 2015, it hosted its fourth FINA Swimming World Cup, November 2-3. As a proud sporting nation, Qatar is committed to supporting the global development of aquatic sports, which these two exhilarating days of elite swimming showcase.
