FINA Newsletter from Barcelona #8

In the last final on the programme, the number-1 nation in the sport delivered a flawless performance at the Palau Sant Jordi, obtaining their fourth title in the event with a total 97.060. Proving imperial in all seven routines, Russia completed their second sweep of gold in-a-row at World Championships (also pocketing the competition’s best team Trophy).

Spain, whose team took a disappointing fourth in Shanghai in 2011 behind Canada, regained second spot, 10 years after their first success in the free combination, also a silver, at the inaugural edition of the event at home. In 2005 and 2009 respectively, Spain completed a set of world medals in the event, winning bronze in Montreal and gold in Rome.

Performing on a medley of Elvis Presley, the host squad presented a superb routine, offering an astonishing array of lifts and throws, frequently punctuated by bursts of applause and wild cheering, for a total score of 94.620.

Martina Grimaldi of Italy won her first title in the 25km in Moll de la Fusta harbour narrowly beating Angela Maurer of Germany. In the 10km distance Grimaldi owns a complete set of open water medals. She was the 10km champion in the 2010 Open water world championships in Roberval, Canada, finished second in the 2011 edition of the FINA World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, and earned a bronze in her own country during the Rome World Championships in 2009.

Maurer hoped to celebrate her 38th birthday today with a gold medal but will have to settle for her second consecutive silver medal in this event. The German swimmer won her first medal in the 25km, a bronze in the very first edition of the FINA Open Water Swimming Championships in Honolulu. Maurer was the world champion in this distance four years ago in the 2009 FINA World Swimming Championships in Rome. Two years ago she earned a silver medal in this event in Shanghai. In this same harbour 10 years Maurer earned a silver medal finishing another Italian swimmer, Viola Valli in the 10K.

Germany's Thomas Lurz, 33 years old, won his first title in the 25km event to become the only male swimmer to have won a gold medal in every open water discipline. "I'm really satisfied with this gold. Now I have been at the top of the podium at every distance in the open water world championships," said the swimmer, who raced a total of 45km, winning a medal in each of four open water events in the last seven days.

Brian Ryckeman of Belgium finished four tenths of a second behind the German swimmer. Russia's Evgeniy Drattcev earned a bronze medal. Russia has won a record 16 world championship medals in 16 editions of FINAopen water swimming championships.

Zi He claimed her second gold medal of the FINA World Championships when she added the 3m springboard title to the 1m crown she won five days earlier. He emerged triumphantly from the shadows of her illustrious predecessors Jingjing Guo and Minxia Wu and swooped to China's eighth Barcelona diving title out of nine so far contested, with one final still to come. It was China's seventh successive win in the event, following Guo's unique set of five and the 2011 victory of Wu, who did not defend her individual title in Barcelona but won a 3m synchro gold medal for the sixth time.

He, world and Olympic 3m silver medallist behind Wu in 2011 and 2012, amassed 383.40 points from her five finaldives for a clearcut victory ahead of Chinese team-mate Han Wang (356.25) and Canada's Pamela Ware (350.25). Wang, who already had a 1m silver and two 1m bronzes in her world championship medal collection, claimed her first medal on the 3m board in China's fifth one-two in the event.

There can only be one winner and even champions have to fall by the wayside some time. This was the case during quarterfinal qualification matches on the fourth day of the FINA Women’s Water Polo World Championships at the Bernat Picornell Pool.

In the final match of the night, European champion Italy bowed out in controversial fashion, losing a penalty shootout 13-12 to world champion Greece.

China, fresh from a heroic World League Super Final victory in Beijing, was toppled by Netherlands, 2008 Olympic champion.In a must-win match for the Dutch women’s water polo programme, the women in orange emerged triumphant 11-10, a three-goal burst by Lieke Klaassen late in the match proving the difference. The hat-trick took her total to 16 for the championship, proving her worth to the team and the programme. A loss today could have had brutal ramifications back home.

In 2009, World League champion Montenegro arrived in Rome as the recently crowned king and also missed the top eight. The Dutch were in raptures, as if they had already won the title, while China struggled with the moment and will now head home to rethink their future.

The last match of the day also saw drama and excitement missing from some other encounters, as was the nature of this year’s championship where the bottom eight fly home halfway through. European champion Italy came from behind to lead in the final stages against Greece but the world champion levelled and forced the match to extra time. Both teams scored in the first period but not in the second. Italy missed three shots and Greece scored three for the victory.

The controversial part was where Roberta Bianconi failed to shot when the whistle sounded for the final shot, gifting the match to Greece.

Other matches went to form with Russia dispatching South Africa 22-3, Australia downing Uzbekistan 25-2, Spain bundling out New Zealand 18-6, Olympic champion United States of America beat Brazil 14-3, Canada defeated Kazakhstan 14-8 and Hungary had the better of Great Britain 14-5.

Most interest on Monday in quarterfinals, probably focuses on the clash between Olympic finalists USA and Spain.

Monday programme:

15:30 RUS vs CAN
17:00 AUS vs GRE
20:15 NED vs HUN
21:45 ESP vs USA