Swimmers ready for World Cup
▶ Xu aims at ‘practicing through competition’ in Beijing
Chinese swimmers are ready for the FINA World Cup shortcourse event at the Beijing National Aquatics Center, also known as the Water Cube, from Friday to Sunday.
The star-studded Chinese team, led by reigning backstroke world champion Xu Jiayu, is also preparing for the FINA short-course worlds to be held in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang Province next month.
“My goal for the event is to practice through competition,” said Xu, who bagged five gold medals at the Asian Games in August.
Xu said he hopes his competing in the short-course event could help him hone his flipturn skills as he also eyes to extend his gold medal haul at the long course worlds and Tokyo Olympics. Xu will compete in the 50-meter backstroke and 200-meter backstroke, as well as in the 200-meter freestyle in Beijing.
“It will be my first time to compete in the 200-meter freestyle at a short course event. I want to challenge myself a little bit,” Xu said.
After the Beijing event, Xu will also compete in the World Cup events in Tokyo and Singapore.
Female swimmer Liu Xiang, who set a new world record in the women’s 50-meter backstroke, which is not her specialty, said she expects her performance not to drop.
“I took a break after the Asian Games,” Liu said, adding she just got back from a training session in the US.
Deemed not in her peak form, Liu will only compete in the 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter backstroke, both of which will be held on Friday.
Online sensation Fu Yuanhui and 2012 London Olympic gold medalist Ye Shiwen will also compete in the three-day event.
The Beijing event has attracted several international stars, including Swedish sensation Sarah Sjostrom, who leads this year’s women’s prize money list.
“I enjoy being a swimmer, competing, training and traveling. That’s why I can keep improving,” said Sjostrom, who has won eight of the last 10 women’s 100-meter freestyle events at World Cups. “I love the 50-meter event, but so far the 100-meter freestyle event is my best event in the short course.”
“I hope I can retain my position in Beijing,” Sjostrom told the Global Times.
Hungarian “Iron Lady” Katinka Hosszu is chasing Sjostrom on the prize money list, as she will compete in 14 disciplines over three days in Beijing.
The Water Cube, which has hosted nine editions of the FINA World Cup, will undergo renovation as it will be hosting the curling competitions at the 2022 Winter Olympics.