BEIJING, Nov. 4 -- Three-time Olympic champion Katinka Hosszu and top-ranked men's swimmer Vladimir Morozov finished full-handed with four gold medals each at the FINA Swimming World Cup after the Beijing leg came to an end at the National Aquatic Center on Sunday. Team China claimed a total of ten golds.
Katinka Hosszu added another gold to her collection in women's 200m individual medley with a winning time of 2:05.25. After the Beijing leg, the Hungarian world champion remained on top of the medal tally at the World Cup with 37 medals.
Five-time world champion Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden finished women's 100m butterfly in 55.58. But the World Cup record holder was edged by Ronomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands by 0.05 seconds in women's 100m freestyle, seeing the Dutch bagging her second gold in 51.51.
"I'm really happy with the win and racing against Sarah is very hard. Yesterday she won (in 50m butterfly), and today I win," Kromowidjojo said.
After deciding to concentrate on her study in Tsinghua University last year, London Olympic champion Ye Shiwen manifested her return to international swimming competitions with a bronze in women's 200m individual medley.
"It all comes back to me," Ye said. "I kept training for an hour and half every day even when I was in university. I feel like my heart has never left the pool."
"It will be a hard time to get back to my top form, but I still have dreams to realize; I'm not willing to give up yet," the 22-year-old added.
In other events, Vladimir Morozov snatched his fourth gold in men's 50m butterfly in 22.27. Blake Pieroni of the United States was crowned in men's 200m freestyle with the timing of 1:42.65. Mitchell Larkin of Australia finished first in men's 100m backstroke in 49.97. Home favorite Xu Jiayu spearheaded Team China to mixed 4x50m medley relay victory in 1:38.69. Jamaica's Alia Atkinson snatched gold in women's 50m breaststroke in 29.16
Beijing is the first leg of the last cluster of FINA Swimming World Cup 2018. The event will next move to Tokyo and wrap up in Singapore.
After the World Cup, the National Aquatic Center will be transformed from a 'Water Cube' to an 'Ice Cube' in preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics.