COUNTRY TIDBITS Editor’s Note: Unless otherwise indicated, the performances for each of the following swimmers were swum at last summer’s World Championships in Shanghai, China (July 24-31, 2011).
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Bangladesh Shajahan Ali, who has been on the Bangladeshi scene for quite some time, swam in the men’s 50 breast (40th/30.88) and 100 breast (75th/1:10.22).
until the opening ceremonies of the XXXth Olympic Games. Beginning in its January
Bahrain (BRN)
issue and running through ER
Khalid Ismaeel Alibaba was the top finisher for Bahrain, placing 48th in the men’s 50 fly (29.95) and 63rd in the 200 fly (1:05.40).
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World Magazine will
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Anderson Lim placed 59th in the men’s 200 free (2:06.40) and 47th in the 400 free (4:34.95).
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regional Olympic previews.
Cambodia (CAM) Ponloeu Hemthon took 42nd in the men’s 50 breast (33.48) and 81st in the 50 free (27.22).
This month: Asia.
China (CHN) China had an outstanding meet in Shanghai, finishing third behind USA and Australia in the Championships Trophy standings with a total of 14 medals (five gold, two silver, seven bronze). Sun Yang made an indelible mark on the sport by breaking Grant Hackett’s world record in the men’s 1500 free (14:34.14). He also won the 800 (7:38.57) and took second in the 400 (3:43.24). His efforts earned him second place in Swimming World’s World Swimmer of the Year award, and first in the Pacific Rim Swimmer of the Year category.
Hong Kong (HKG) Hannah Wilson, who trains at the University of California, competed in four events, placing 24th in the 50 free (25.82), 27th in the 100 free (55.71), 26th in the 50 fly (27.38) and 26th in the 100 fly (59.78).
Indonesia (INA) Indra Gunawan took 34th in the men’s 50 breast (28.81) and 58th in the 100 breast (1:03.80).
India (IND) Virdhaval Khade is the top swimmer in India, finishing 32nd in the 50 fly (24.65), 40th in the 50 free (23.21) and 41st in the 100 free (50.34).
Iran (IRI)
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Mohammed Alirezaei Dizicheh took 22nd in the men’s 50 breast (28.18). However, Iran’s position of not competing against Israeli athletes cost Dizicheh a chance to swim in the 100 breast, as he scratched when he was scheduled to swim in the same heat as Israel’s Gal Nevo.
Iraq (IRQ) Iohanad Dheyaa placed 42nd in the men’s 50 fly (27.51) and 59th in the 100 fly (1:01.10).
Jordan (JOR) Awse Ma’aya took 30th in the men’s 200 back (2:12.22) and 48th in the 100 back (1:00.64).
Japan (JPN) Kosuke Kitajima, the only man to win back-to-back Olympic medals in the 100 and 200 breast, will — continued on 22 January 2012
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50 FREE 100 FREE 200 BREAST 100 FLY 200 FLY 200 IM 400 IM 400 FR
MEN WOMEN
● GOLD (24.79) ● SILVER (25.08) ● GOLD (54.64) ● GOLD (2:26.65) ● SILVER (2:26.85) ● GOLD (58.62) ● SILVER (2:09.01) ● GOLD (2:11.65) ● SILVER (4:36.73) ● SILVER (3:40.12)
1996 ATLANTA 50 FREE 100 FREE 100 FLY 200 IM 400 MR 400 FR
LE JINGYI, CHN LE JINGYI, CHN LIU LIMIN, CHN LIN LI, CHN CHINA CHINA
● SILVER (24.90) ● GOLD (54.50) ● SILVER (59.14) ● BRONZE (2:14.74) ● BRONZE (4:07.34) ● SILVER (3:40.48)
NONE 2000 SYDNEY 100 BACK 200 BACK 400 IM 400 MR
MAI NAKAMURA, JPN MIKI NAKAO, JPN YASUKO TAJIMA, JPN JAPAN
● SILVER (1:00.55) ● BRONZE (2:11.05) ● SILVER (4:35.98) ● BRONZE (4:04.16)
NONE 2004 ATHENS
WOMEN
AI SHIBATA, JPN REIKO NAKAMURA, JPN LUO XUEJUAN, CHN YUKO NAKANISHI, JPN CHINA
● GOLD (8:24.54) ● BRONZE (2:09.88) ● GOLD (1:06.64) ● BRONZE (2:08.04) ● SILVER (7:55.97)
100 BACK 100 BREAST 200 BREAST 200 FLY 400 MR
TOMOMI MORITA, JPN KOSUKE KITAJIMA, JPN KOSUKE KITAJIMA, JPN T. YAMAMOTO, JPN JAPAN
● BRONZE (54.36) ● GOLD (1:00.08) ● GOLD (2:09.44) ● SILVER (1:54.56) ● BRONZE (3:35.22)
MEN
T H E
WOMEN
2008 BEIJING
400 MR 800 FR 200 FREE 400 FREE 100 BREAST 200 BREAST 200 FLY 400 MR
PANG JIAYING, CHN REIKO NAKAMURA, JPN LIU ZIGE, CHN JIAO LIUYANG, CHN CHINA CHINA TAE HWAN PARK, KOR TAE HWAN PARK, KOR KOSUKE KITAJIMA, JPN KOSUKE KITAJIMA, JPN TAKESHI MATSUDA, JPN JAPAN
● BRONZE (1:55.05) ● BRONZE (2:07.13) ● GOLD (2:04.18) ● SILVER (2:04.72) ● BRONZE (3:56.11) ● SILVER (7:45.93) ● SILVER (1:44.85) ● GOLD (3:41.86) ● GOLD (58.91) ● GOLD (2:07.64) ● BRONZE (1:52.97) ● BRONZE (3:31.18)
OLYMPIC PREVIEW - ASIA — continued from 21
now be looking to become the only man to win the same event in three straight Olympiads. The 100 breast is scheduled before Michael Phelps’ 100 and 200 fly and 200 IM, where he will be looking to accomplish the same feat. Phelps won the last two 400 IMs, but retired from the event after his win at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Kazakhstan (KAZ) Vlad Polyakov and Yekaterina Rudenko represented Kazakhstan in Shanghai last summer, with Polyakov 22
January 2012
Kyrgystan (KGZ) Talanova Daria led Kyrgystan by finishing 30th in the women’s 200 breast in 2:38.07.
Korea (South Korea) (KOR) Tae Hwan Park, who won Swimming World’s Pacific Rim Swimmer of the Year award in 2006, finished third behind China’s Sun Yang and James Magnussen in 2011. Meanwhile, Choi Hye Ra and Kim Hye Jin earned $14,500 and $10,500, respectively, on the 2011 FINA World Cup circuit by finishing fourth and fifth in the overall race winnings for women.
Kuwait (KUW) Abdullah Altuwaini took 29th in the men’s 200 back (2:07.63) and 41st in the 100 back (56.94). Vilayphone Vongphachanh claimed 32nd in the women’s 50 breast (46.37) and 79th in the 50 free (35.99).
Lebanon (LIB) Nibal Yamout took 34th in the women’s 200 breast (2:45.35) and 35th in the 200 IM (2:27.93).
Macau, China (MAC)
800 FREE 200 BACK 100 BREAST 200 FLY 800 FR
200 FREE 200 BACK 200 FLY
making the semifinals of the men’s 50 breast (14th in 27.81). He also placed 33rd in the 200 breast (2:15.70) and 38th in the 100 breast (1:01.85). Rudenko placed 38th in the women’s 50 back (29.76) and 40th in the 100 back (1:03.78).
Laos (LAO)
MEN
P A S T
YANG WENYI, CHN ZHUANG YONG, CHN ZHUANG YONG, CHN KYOKO IWASAKI, JPN LIN LI, CHN QIAN HONG, CHN WANG XIAOHONG, CHN LIN LI, CHN LIN LI, CHN CHINA NONE
MEN
2 0
WOMEN
MEN
WOMEN
Y E A R S
1992 BARCELONA
Lei On Kei and Antonio Tong were the top female and male for Macau in Shanghai. Lei finished 31st in the women’s 200 breast (2:41.62) and 24th in the 50 breast (32.90), while Tong took 32nd in the men’s 50 back (28.46) and 47th in the 100 back (1:00.34).
Malaysia (MAS) Christina Loh led Malaysia with a 20th-place effort in the women’s 50 breast (32.29).
Maldive Islands (MDV) Husam Ahmed provided the top swim for his country with a 35th-place 33.44 in the men’s 50 back.
Mongolia (MGL) Ouyngerel Gantumur paced Mongolia with a 44th-place time of 1:28.86 in the women’s 100 breast.
Myanmar (MYA) Did not send anyone to Worlds.
Nepal (NEP) Shreya Dhital produced the top swim for Nepal with a 32.44 to finish 72nd in the women’s 50 free.
North Korea (People’s Democratic Republic of Korea) (PRK) Did not send anyone to Worlds.
Oman (OMA) Did not send anyone to Worlds.
Philippines (PHI) Jessie Lacuna led the Philippines with a 36th-place time of 2:04.23 in the men’s 200 fly.
Palestine (PLE) Hazboun Sabine paced Palestine with a 31.12 in the women’s 50 fly for 41st place.
Qatar (QAT) Ahmed Atari placed 34th twice for Qatar with a 32.37 in the men’s 50 back and a 5:16.80 in the 400 IM.
place finishes. Anis hit the wall in 26.22 in the men’s 50 fly, while Jumah clocked a 2:09.08 in the women’s 200 free.
Thailand (THA) Nuttapong Ketin topped Thailand’s efforts with a 24th-place 4:26.41 in the men’s 400 IM.
Tajikstan (TJK) Ruslan Oliftaev posted a 37.56 in the men’s 50 breast for 45th to lead Tajikstan.
Turkmenistan (TKM) Jennet Saryyeva’s 5:41.09 in the women’s 400 free earned her a 37th-place finish, the top showing for her nation.
Taipei (TPE)
Did not send anyone to Worlds.
Hsu Chi-Chieh provided the top time for Taipei in Shanghai with a 1:59.33 for 26th in the men’s 200 fly.
Singapore (SIN)
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Li Tao, the longtime top swimmer in Singapore, nearly finaled in the women’s 50 fly. She finished ninth with a 26.34 during semis. She also took 15th in semis of the 100 fly with a 58.78.
Mubarak Al Besher claimed the top finish for the UAE with a 38th-place 30.02 in the men’s 50 breast.
Sri Lanka (SRI)
Ranohon Amanova touched in 2:16.75 to take 22nd in the women’s 200 IM.
Saudi Arabia (KSA)
Matthew Abeysinghe and Reshika Udagampola posted matching 42nd-place efforts to lead Sri Lanka. Abeysinghe clocked a 4:09.45 in the men’s 400 free, while Udagampola touched in 31.15 in the women’s 50 fly.
Syria (SYR) Rami Anis and Bayan Jumah led Syria with 41st-
Uzbekistan (UZB)
Vietnam (VIE)
While China’s Sun Yang, Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima and Korea’s Tae Hwan Park are clear favorites among the men from Asia, and China’s Liu Zige, Jiao Liuyang, Zhao Jing and Ye Shiwen have made noise among the women, watch for China’s Wang Shun to perform well in London and contend for an Olympic medal.
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hina’s Wang Shun, a 17-year-old youngster who stands just 5-6 and weighs only 110 pounds, finished among the world’s top 10 in three events, with strong swims at China’s long course nationals in September. The only question remains whether he can turn up his performance on the grand stage in London. His best shot at an individual medal will likely come early in the meet in the men’s 400 IM. Wang clocked 4:11.61 in September that ranked him No. 4 in the world, putting him in contention for an Olympic medal. Besides going up against the favorite, Ryan Lochte, Wang will have to compete against the likes of Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh and potentially Tyler Clary, depending on the outcome of the U.S. Trials. Hungary’s David Verrastzo and China’s Wang Chengxiang are also within striking distance for a medal. Wang also could support an assault on the men’s 800 free relay podium, potentially even battling for gold, as China ranked three men in the top 13 of the men’s 200 free in 2011. Wang ranked seventh with a 1:46.14, and could vie for an individual medal, while Sun Yang posted a fifth-ranked 1:44.99. Li Yunqi was 13th with a 1:47.02 in October. Zhang Lin likely will become the fourth member of the relay team—as he was for China’s third-place squad in Shanghai—though Jiang Haiqi is also primed to win the fourth spot on the relay. Wang also has an outside shot at the men’s 200 IM, having ranked eighth in the event last year with a 1:58.56. He’ll need to improve his time by about a second to match the third-ranked performer of 2011 (Brazil’s Thiago Pereira, 1:57.63). Of course, the USA’s Lochte (1:54.00) and Michael Phelps (1:54.16) are in a world of their own. ❖
[PHOTO BY DAVID GRAY, REUTERS]
Anum Bandey clocked a 5:37.11 in the women’s 400 IM to finish 36th, the top finish for Pakistan.
Vo Nguyen placed 33rd in a pair of events with a 2:01.25 in the men’s 200 fly and a 4:41.02 in the 400 IM.
Yemen (YEM) Did not send anyone to Worlds.
» China’s swimmers—from left, Sun Yang, Wang Shun, Zhang Lin and Li Yunqi—won bronze medals in the men’s 4 x 200 freestyle relay at last summer’s World Championships. ABOVE
January 2012
DARKHORSE MEDAL CONTENDERS
Pakistan (PAK)
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