Doha (QAT), 23.10.2021: Overall ranking leader in women’s field, Emma Mckeon won heat of women's 100m freestyle, which will see a star-studded field competing for the title at the Hamad Aquatic Center.
On Saturday – the last day of the FINA Swimming World Cup Doha 2021 – Aussie star Mckeon raced to win in 51.82, edging team-mate Madison Wilson (52.12). Also vying in the final would be Michelle Coleman (SWE), who clocked 53.49 for a third place in the heat.
Dutchwoman Ranomi Kromowidjojo, who is having a fine run in Doha with two gold medals, will also feature in the final as she qualified in fourth place with a time of 53.76.
The men's 50m butterfly heat on Saturday saw Australian star Kyle Chalmers finishing first with a time of 22.83, ahead of American Tom Shields (22.88) and Dutchman Jesse Puts (22.88).
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Matthew Sates (1:44.54) stormed to victory in the men's 200m freestyle heat, beating Danas Rapsys (LTU), who completed the race in 1:45.38. South Korea’s Sunwoo Hwang (1:45.68) was third as Qatar’s Nour Eddine Kheddache posted a time of 2:03.84 in the heat.
The men’s 200m breaststroke final will also be a must-watch event this evening after Kamminga Arno (NED), Anton Chupkov (RUS) and Daiya Seto (JPN) set the stage for an exciting race with shining performance in the heat.
Arno (2:05.00) was fastest in the heat followed by Chupkov (2:06.26) and Seto (2:07.44). Qatar’s Hamza Shalan was put in the reserve list after he completed the race in 2:37.05.
Also on Saturday morning, Qatar’s Ibrahim Al-Hilal (1:04.39) and Abdulla Al-Khanji (1:11.40) qualified for the final after impressive times in men's 100m backstroke heat, won by Pieter Coetze (RSA), who clocked 53.25.
Coetze’s team-mate Martin Binedell (53.52) and South Korea’s Juho Lee (53.94) finished second and third respectively.
A total of nine finals in the evening will wrap up the three-day meet.