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Tribune News Network
Doha
Swimmers are ready for thrilling action as Doha is all set to host the final meet of FINA Swimming World Cup 2019 series, which will begin on November 7 at the Hamad Aquatic Centre (HAC).
The Qatar Swimming Association (QSA) has finalized all preparations for the event, and hosted a press conference ahead of the spectacular three-day meet on November 6 at HAC.
QSA President, FINA Bureau Member and Organizing Committee Chairman, Khaleel al Jabir, and FINA Vice President Dale Neuburger addressed the media.
Swimmers – Vladimir Morozov (RUS), Michelle Coleman (SWE) and Abdulaziz Al Obaidly (QAT) – also spoke. Qatar’s two-time Olympian Nada Mohamed Wafa conducted the press conference.
Doha, which staged the 2014 World Swimming Championships, and will host the 2023 FINA World Aquatics Championships, is organizing the World Cup meet for the eighth year in a row.
This year, the event is witnessing a significant rise in the number of participating athletes and countries, as 210 swimmers – 134 male and 76 female swimmers – from 44 countries are competing. Last year, 130 swimmers from 23 countries came for the Doha stop.
QSA President Mr. Al Jabir said: “I would like to welcome all the swimmers and wish them success. We are happy to host the final meet of the FINA World Cup and cluster 3. The QSA is delighted that the number of participants has increased than the last year. This is what we were looking for.”
Mr. Neuburger hailed FINA’s partnership with Qatar and praised the QSA for successfully hosting major swimming events.
FINA Vice President said: “It’s a great pleasure to be here. We have always been treated here with great dignity, great respect, great care and attention by Khaleel (Al Jabir) and his colleagues, QSA, Qatar Olympic Committee and all the authorities.”
Mr. Neuburger added: “I came here for the first time in 2005 and since then Doha events have been blessed with great organization and fantastic facilities. It’s been 15 years of great swimming competitions in Doha. In 2023, FINA World Championships will be held in Doha again, representing great partnership between FINA and QSA. It’s been a pleasure to watch the evolution in development of aquatics sports in Qatar.”
Swimmers eye
exciting races
Doha - the seventh and final stop – will officially complete the FINA World Cup 2019 series, following which the cluster 3 winners and the overall champions will be announced.
After the sixth meet in Kazan, which concluded on November 3, Morozov is ahead in the men’s overall rankings with 297 points, followed by Danas Rapsys (LTU) with 210 points. Andrew Michael (USA) is third with 162 points.
Morozov said: “This is my seventh time in Qatar, I was here in 2013 and since then I have been competing in Doha. Coming here is great as we get very good hospitality. I was here in 2014 World Championships and looking forward to 2023 World Championships. This year is the first time that the World Cup finishes in Doha and I am happy to finish it here.”
“My main target in Doha will be to try and catch the final cluster. I think it will be very difficult to beat Anton (Chupkov) my team-mate because of his outstanding performances in the 200m backstroke. I think he will win the cluster. I can try to come in second place. Other than that, I will try to win three events as usual,” the Russian star added.
Cate Campbell (AUS) is leading the women’s overall rankings with a total of 300 points, with Katinka Hosszu (HUN), who completed her 301 World Cup victory in Kazan, is second with 276 points. Sweden’s Coleman is in third place with 153 points.
Coleman said: “It’s great to be in Doha. It’s my third time and I am very pleased to be back to this amazing complex. We are really excited for some fast racing in the last meet of FINA World Cup. It’s going to be neck and neck in a lot of events, and I look forward to really going this time.”
Qatari swimmers eye impressive performance
Apart from watching the top athletes, home fans will have much more to cheer for as 17 Qatari swimmers are also competing at the Hamad Aquatic Centre.
“It’s a great honour for all of us to compete at a home event. We trained hard for this meet and all of us are very excited to do well in this top class competition,” said Al Obaidly.
The three-day meet will have 34 sets of medal, with the opening day featuring 10 finals. A total of 12 title races each will be held in the next two days. The heats will take place from 10am while the finals will start from 6pm.
Doha
Swimmers are ready for thrilling action as Doha is all set to host the final meet of FINA Swimming World Cup 2019 series, which will begin on November 7 at the Hamad Aquatic Centre (HAC).
The Qatar Swimming Association (QSA) has finalized all preparations for the event, and hosted a press conference ahead of the spectacular three-day meet on November 6 at HAC.
QSA President, FINA Bureau Member and Organizing Committee Chairman, Khaleel al Jabir, and FINA Vice President Dale Neuburger addressed the media.
Swimmers – Vladimir Morozov (RUS), Michelle Coleman (SWE) and Abdulaziz Al Obaidly (QAT) – also spoke. Qatar’s two-time Olympian Nada Mohamed Wafa conducted the press conference.
Doha, which staged the 2014 World Swimming Championships, and will host the 2023 FINA World Aquatics Championships, is organizing the World Cup meet for the eighth year in a row.
This year, the event is witnessing a significant rise in the number of participating athletes and countries, as 210 swimmers – 134 male and 76 female swimmers – from 44 countries are competing. Last year, 130 swimmers from 23 countries came for the Doha stop.
QSA President Mr. Al Jabir said: “I would like to welcome all the swimmers and wish them success. We are happy to host the final meet of the FINA World Cup and cluster 3. The QSA is delighted that the number of participants has increased than the last year. This is what we were looking for.”
Mr. Neuburger hailed FINA’s partnership with Qatar and praised the QSA for successfully hosting major swimming events.
FINA Vice President said: “It’s a great pleasure to be here. We have always been treated here with great dignity, great respect, great care and attention by Khaleel (Al Jabir) and his colleagues, QSA, Qatar Olympic Committee and all the authorities.”
Mr. Neuburger added: “I came here for the first time in 2005 and since then Doha events have been blessed with great organization and fantastic facilities. It’s been 15 years of great swimming competitions in Doha. In 2023, FINA World Championships will be held in Doha again, representing great partnership between FINA and QSA. It’s been a pleasure to watch the evolution in development of aquatics sports in Qatar.”
Swimmers eye
exciting races
Doha - the seventh and final stop – will officially complete the FINA World Cup 2019 series, following which the cluster 3 winners and the overall champions will be announced.
After the sixth meet in Kazan, which concluded on November 3, Morozov is ahead in the men’s overall rankings with 297 points, followed by Danas Rapsys (LTU) with 210 points. Andrew Michael (USA) is third with 162 points.
Morozov said: “This is my seventh time in Qatar, I was here in 2013 and since then I have been competing in Doha. Coming here is great as we get very good hospitality. I was here in 2014 World Championships and looking forward to 2023 World Championships. This year is the first time that the World Cup finishes in Doha and I am happy to finish it here.”
“My main target in Doha will be to try and catch the final cluster. I think it will be very difficult to beat Anton (Chupkov) my team-mate because of his outstanding performances in the 200m backstroke. I think he will win the cluster. I can try to come in second place. Other than that, I will try to win three events as usual,” the Russian star added.
Cate Campbell (AUS) is leading the women’s overall rankings with a total of 300 points, with Katinka Hosszu (HUN), who completed her 301 World Cup victory in Kazan, is second with 276 points. Sweden’s Coleman is in third place with 153 points.
Coleman said: “It’s great to be in Doha. It’s my third time and I am very pleased to be back to this amazing complex. We are really excited for some fast racing in the last meet of FINA World Cup. It’s going to be neck and neck in a lot of events, and I look forward to really going this time.”
Qatari swimmers eye impressive performance
Apart from watching the top athletes, home fans will have much more to cheer for as 17 Qatari swimmers are also competing at the Hamad Aquatic Centre.
“It’s a great honour for all of us to compete at a home event. We trained hard for this meet and all of us are very excited to do well in this top class competition,” said Al Obaidly.
The three-day meet will have 34 sets of medal, with the opening day featuring 10 finals. A total of 12 title races each will be held in the next two days. The heats will take place from 10am while the finals will start from 6pm.
