Hosszu and Le Clos, the best in Canada

Windsor, Canada, Dec 11, 2016: Katinka Hosszu (HUN) and Chad Le Clos (RSA) were respectively the best female and male athletes of the 13th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), held from December 6-11, 2016 in Windsor (CAN). The Magyar star finished the competition with 42 points, while the South African champion totalled 20.

For Katinka Hosszu, this was the Championships of all superlatives, with an unprecedented seven gold – 100m and 200m back, 100m and 200m fly, 100m, 200m and 400m IM – and two silver medals, in the 200m free and 50m back. Concerning Le Clos, the Windsor rendezvous was also a successful one, with world titles in the 50m, 100m and 200m fly, and a silver in the 200m free. Moreover, he established the only individual World Record in the WFCU pool, 48.08 in the 100m butterfly.

USA won the Trophy for the Best Team of the Championships. The North Americans were the first ranked in the medal’s table, with a total of 30 podium presences (8 gold, 15 silver and 7 bronze). They were also responsible for the second WR of the competition, in the women’s 4x50m medley, in a time of 1:43.27. Hungary (7+2+2) and Russia (6+5+3) completed the medal’s table top-3, while Japan with a total of 15 awards (2+2+11) was eighth.

The final day of the Championships couldn’t start better, with the second Canada’s gold of the competition, in the women’s 4x50m free relay. Anchored by the incredible Penny Oleksiak (the first three swimmers were Michelle Williams, Sandrine Mainville and Taylor Ruck), the local quartet completed the race in 1:35.00, leaving the defending champions, the Netherlands, with the silver in 1:35.37. Italy got the bronze in 1:35.61, with final swimmer Federica Pellegrini adding another medal to her rich roll of honour. In Doha 2014, USA (fourth this time) had been second, while Denmark (only fifth in Windsor) had earned bronze. —- FINA