World Cup Singapore, Day 3: Leon Marchand And Kate Douglass Crowned Overall Champions
Leon Marchand and Kate Douglass were crowned overall champions as the World Cup wrapped up in Singapore.
Marchand won the 400IM on the final day to claim the triple crown following victories in Shanghai and Incheon as he swept the IM events.
That saw him finish top of the overall rankings with 175.7pts followed by Noè Ponti (171.9pts) and Duncan Scott (167.8).
Douglass finished her programme with an American record of 50.82 in the 100 free as she claimed her 10th win of the World Cup tour.
She finished with 178.5, 0.1 ahead of teammate Regan Smith who accumulated a total of 178.4 following her second world record in as many days as she downed Kaylee McKeown’s 2020 standard in 1:58.83. Siobhan Haughey was third with 160.7.
- Regan Smith Takes Down 200m Backstroke World Record
- World Cup Singapore Day 1 Recap
- World Cup Singapore Day 2 Recap
- Meet Results
Men’s 400m Individual Medley
Leon Marchand has dominated the IM and came into the final day of the World Cup tour having rewritten the world and European record books.
The four-time Olympic champion had already claimed the triple crown in the 100 and 200IM and was one win away from the treble in the longest race.
The Frenchman – wearing a cap bearing the name of Florent Manaudou – shot off from the start with only Alberto Razzetti for company before extending his lead on the backstroke leg.
He picked up the tempo from the 250m mark and came home in 3:58.45 to claim his third triple crown and the overall title with 175.7pts.
Razzetti was second in 4:00.59 with Trenton Julian of the USA third in 4:04.46.
In a poolside interview with World Aquatics, Marchand said: “It’s so cool, I love this. That was a pretty good race: I think I should have done better on the freestyle at the end but it’s a pretty good time so I am happy with it. Three weeks of racing and I’m really tired so that’s cool.”
Marchand – who will compete at next month’s short-course worlds in Budapest – said of his tour debut: “It was awesome. Just travelling around, racing overseas, meeting new people, racing in front of a crazy crowd every time. It’s been really cool.”
Women’s 800m Freestyle
Katie Grimes dominated to win in 8:14.36 for her third victory in Singapore following the 400 free and 400IM.
Moesha Johnson – the Paris 2024 open water silver medallist competing a week after winning the Open Water World Cup leg in Hong Kong – held off a late charge from Claire Weinstein as the pair finished in 8:18.24 and 8:18.41.
Women’s 100m Butterfly
Laura Lahtinen was just one win away from claiming the triple crown and all the action came in the three lanes in the centre of the pool.
Mizuki Hirai of Japan led at the first turn with Louise Hansson, the 2022 European champion, going ahead at halfway.
The Swede retained the lead at the head of the field by 0.03 from Hirai with Lahtinen in third as 0.19 separated the trio.
Hansson pulled away to touch in 55.46 ahead of Hirai (55.81) and Lahtinen (55.96).
Men’s 50m Butterfly
Just nine hours and 11 minutes after smashing his world record in 21.50 in prelims, Noè Ponti took to the blocks once more.
The Swiss athlete turned in 9.84 – 0.02 inside world record pace – before coming home in 21.64, the second-fastest time in history giving him the four swiftest all-time
It earned Ponti his second triple crown following his 100 fly treble.
Nyls Korstanje lowered his Dutch mark in 21.74 to move second all-time with Teong Tzen Wei third in 22.11.
Ponti said: “Tonight was important to win the race and that’s it. I think I made some mistakes in the first breakout and second breakout. So it wasn’t the perfect race as it was morning, but still, 21 seconds and before (his 21.5) it would have been the world record again. So simply amazing and I’m very happy.
“Next goal, of course, we have short-course worlds, and I’m going try to prepare for them as well as possible even though I have some commitments and I won’t be able to train properly for the next week and then Singapore 2025.
“It’s never easy to reset after such a race, because there is so much adrenaline, you’re so awake, you have so much energy that it’s hard to go to the hotel, take a nap and reset and everything. But I think I’m just relaxed. I’m doing what I’m doing. I know that right now I’m the best one, so there isn’t much to worry about.”
Men’s 100m Backstroke
Pieter Coetze stepped up for his final race of the World Cup tour on the brink of the triple crown following his 200 back treble.
The South African led throughout to come home in 49.36, 0.01 off the African record he set at the opening leg in Shanghai.
Thomas Ceccon of Italy (49.68) and Poland’s Kacper Stokowski (49.87) took second and third.
Commonwealth champion Coetze said of the tour: “I just learned a lot about how to race. The more you race, the better you become at it, so I think that’s what I learned. Also to to not expect too much and just take it as it comes.
“I’ll just go back into training now for a few months, and then my next goal is actually the World Champs here in Singapore next year. So I’m going to go work for that now and that’s probably the next big thing. I’m going to get some solid training in for the long-course season.”
Women’s 50m Breaststroke
Tang Qianting swam away on the second 25 to take the win in 28.87 and in the process claim her second triple crown following her 100m treble.
Benedetta Pilato was second in 29.42 with Alina Zmushka third in 29.79 in a repeat of the Incheon podium.
Men’s 200m Breaststroke
There was drama all the way here as Qin Haiyang appeared to have claimed a sensational win despite trailing Caspar Corbeau for 195m.
The Chinese initially clocked a time of 2:02.29 for victory by 0.04 over the Dutchman. However, no sooner had the crowd celebrated Qin’s apparent win when DSQ flashed up by his name on the scoreboard.
Corbeau was promoted to first in 2:02.33 followed by Joshua Yong (2:02.85) and Ilya Shymanovich (2:03.90).
Women’s 100m Freestyle
Siobhan Haughey was one win away from adding the 100 free triple crown to her 200 treble.
Kate Douglass however shot off from the start with Haughey unable to match her. The American was ahead throughout and turned at 75 with a 0.36 lead which she extended on the final 25 to touch in 50.82, an American record.
Haughey was second 51.56 with Kasia Wasick third in 52.04.
Douglass said: “I’m happy with that. I was kind of excited thinking about swimming the 100 free today. I haven’t really done this
event, in short course metres, so I had no expectations. But I wanted to try to break the American record tonight, so I’m really happy with that. I wanted to get under 51 so I was very happy with that.”
Of her overall tour experience, she added: “It was a lot of fun. This is something I’ve never really done before. I like this experience. There’s no other meet you get all these other international swimmers and just do this whole experience together. And I think it makes swimming a little bit more fun than usual. I’m looking towards short-course worlds, hoping to throw down some good times there. It’ll be fun.”
Men’s 200m Freestyle
Duncan Scott was one win away from the triple crown and the eight-time Olympic medallist went out like a rocket down the first 25.
Edward Somerville and Pan Zhanle moved past the Briton on the second 25 with the Australian 0.35 inside Paul Biedermann’s world record pace at 50.
Scott regained the lead by the 75m mark and reached halfway 0.46 inside the WR and with 50m to go he was still 0.39 inside.
Biedermann set the WR of 1:39.37 back in the supersuited era of 2009 and the line started to get away from Scott who came home in 1:39.83, the fifth-swiftest performance all-time. With that Scott lowered his British and Commonwealth records that had stood at 1:40.25 from the ISL final in December 2020.
Marchand was second in 1:40.91 with Pan Zhanle third in 1:41.59.
Scott finished 0.46 off Biedermann’s record with the Briton’s time surpassed only by the German, Yannick Agnel (1:39.70) and Hwang Sunwoo (1:39.72).
“It was good,” he said. “It’s difficult [to break the world record]. It’s obviously different because it was in a body suit.
“But I felt great and it’s just going to spur me on for years to come with trying to chase that little bit more. But really happy that it is the first time I went sub 1:40 for it.”
Of getting the triple crown and his World Cup overall, he added: “Obviously it’s good. But I just love racing at the end of the day. The money’s obviously an added bonus and it’s great that World Aquatics put on events and a bit more cash [in prize money]. Nice to see maybe a little bit more but the world records have been great to see and witness. I just love racing and to have those boys in there, it was good fun.”
Women’s 200m Individual Medley
In the final race of the World Cup 2024, Yu Yiting led throughout to win in 2:03.99 ahead of Mary-Sophie Harvey (2:04.82) and Beata Nelson (2:05.00).
