Final Stop of World Cup Headed for Kazakhstan; Who Will Claim Triple Crowns?
The final stop of this year’s World Cup series will take place from Thursday through Saturday, with the Silk Road tour making its way to Astana, Kazakhstan. The first two legs of the short-course circuit have provided plenty of excitement, highlighted by a trio of world records. Will that total grow as some of the sport’s best athletes continue their preparation for December’s World Short Course Championships at the Water Cube in Beijing?
While Russia’s Egor Kornev equaled the world record in the 100-meter freestyle during the opening stop in Baku, Azerbaijan, he took sole possession of the world mark in the 50 butterfly when racing in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. There, Kornev went 21.28, and he was joined as a world-record setter by South African Pieter Coetze, who covered the 50 backstroke in 22.09. Coetze also just missed the world record in the 100 backstroke.
Beyond the prospect of additional world records, the visit to Astana will determine the circuit’s Triple Crown winners – athletes claiming victory in the same event at three World Cup stops. Heading into the tour’s finale, 26 events feature Triple Crown potential. Leading the way is Dutch star Marrit Steenbergen, who has the chance to complete sweeps in the 100 freestyle, 50 backstroke, 100 backstroke and 100 individual medley. Triple Crowns will be rewarded with $10,000 bonuses.
Here is a look at the athletes who can convert Triple Crowns:
Luke Barr
- 200 Breaststroke
- 100 IM
Evgeniia Chikunova
- 200 Breaststroke
Gan Ching Hwee
- Distance Freestyle
Pieter Coetze
- 100 Backstroke
- 200 Backstroke
Carson Foster
- 400 Freestyle
- 400 Medley
Siobhan Haughey
- 200 Freestyle
Lucas Henveaux
- Distance Freestyle
Chen Juner
- 100 Butterfly
- 200 Butterfly
Egor Kornev
- 100 Freestyle
- 50 Butterfly
Cam McEvoy
- 50 Freestyle
Mona McSharry
- 100 Breaststroke
Kirill Prigoda
- 100 Breaststroke
Marrit Steenbergen
- 100 Freestyle
- 50 Backstroke
- 100 Backstroke
- 100 Medley
Roos Vanotterdijk
- 50 Butterfly
- 100 Butterfly
Kasia Wasick
- 50 Freestyle
Yu Yiting
- 200 Medley
- 400 Medley