CTS 4th World Swimming Championships

Australia Rules, Winning Most Golds and Most Medals

Eight World Records Bettered

 

Nick Thierry


HONG KONG - The fourth CTS Short Course World Championships will be rated as a mixed success.

Eight world records were established, with Australia with the most golds and most total medals winning the competition.

The top race was between Grant Hackett and Ian Thorpe in the men's 400 freestyle. It was an epic battle between two Australian superstars of middle distance freestyle. Hackett prevailed, lowering the world record by four seconds.

Top performers were Jenny Thompson (USA) winning the 100 freestyle, 50 and 100 butterfly, placing second in the 50 freestyle, and putting the 100 individual medley world record out of reach with her 59.30 prelim swim. She subsequently scratched from the event as the many rounds of swimming (prelims, semi-finals, and finals) were taking their toll.


The Hong Kong Coliseum, site of the 4th CTS World Short Course Championships
Click image for larger photo. Photo © Patrick Kramer


There was a strong showing from Sweden's Lars Frolander, winner of the men's 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly, and the overall performance of the Swedish team with strong relays.

Japan finally made its breakthrough in the women's events. Masami Tanaka swept the three breaststrokes with a world record in the 200, and Mai Nakamura was near the records in the 100 and 200 backstroke. They combined with Ayari Aoyama and Sumika Minamoto to better the 4x100 medley relay world record-the first ever women's relay record for Japan.

The schedule suffered with the addition of four new events for men and women, bringing the total to 40 from 32 two years ago, and it suffered with the addition of semi-finals for the 50s and 100s. The 50s had three rounds on the same day, with two of them during the finals-exhausting for all.

The finals sessions were confusing. The mixture of semi-finals and finals seemed to go by in a blur-there was hardly enough time to savour some of the great final performances.

With a bit of adjustment the program will be made to work.


Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 AUS 9 11 7 27
2 JPN 6 2 1 9
3 GBR 4 5 4 13
4 SWE 4 4 3 11
5 USA 3 1 0 4
6 SVK 3 0 0 3
7 NED 2 3 5 10
8 UKR 2 1 1 4
9 CUB 2 0 0 2
10 CHN 1 3 2 6
11 GER 1 1 0 2
12 RUS 1 0 3 4
13 DEN 1 0 2 3
14 FIN 1 0 0 1
15 CAN 0 3 5 8
16 RSA 0 3 0 3
17 POL 0 1 2 3
18 ITA 0 1 1 2
19 ARG 0 1 0 1
20 SUI 0 0 2 2
21 ESP 0 0 2 2
40 40 40 120

At the European short course championships, with no semi-finals, four of the seven world records were done in the 50s. In Hong Kong, with US $15,000 up for grabs for a world record, none were set in the 50s. No doubt the gruelling daily grind of three rounds tired everyone.

The lack of a full house didn't help the atmosphere. The organizing committee went to a great deal of effort and financial outlay to bring the prefabricated stainless pool used in Goteborg two year ago. The venue was spectacular, with a seating capacity of 8,000. But only about 1,000 seats were occupied, by the competitors, their coaches, support staff, some interested parents, and only a few hundred local fans.

Lessons have been learned and the next Short Course World Championships are scheduled for March 16-19 in Athens, Greece in 2000. They will be followed by Moscow in 2002. The USA is interested in hosting in 2004 in Indianapolis.