Qin Haiyang, Kaylee McKeown Lead World Cup Standings After First Stop in Berlin

2023 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – BERLIN

• October 6-8, 2023
• Berlin, Germany
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Full Entry List
• Live Results
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Finals Recap

Chinese breaststroke specialist Qin Haiyang and Australian backstroke ace Kaylee McKeown lead the men’s and women’s World Cup standings after the first stop in Berlin. The competition continues next weekend in Athens and the following weekend in Budapest with $100,000 at stake for the overall series crowns.

Qin, 24, set World Cup records in the 100 breast (57.69) on Friday, 50 breast (26.29) on Saturday, and 200 breast (2:07.45) on Sunday. He totaled 58.7 points — 30 for his three 1st-place finishes and another 28.7 for how close his performances were to the current world records. Qin broke the 200 breast world record (2:05.48) at the World Championships in July to  become the first swimmer to sweep the 50, 100, and 200 in any stroke at Worlds.

Men’s World Cup Standings

1. Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 58.7
2. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 57.7
3. Danas Rapsys (LTU) – 54.8
4. Michael Andrew (USA) – 54.5
5. Matthew Sates (RSA) – 54.4

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to race in Berlin,” Qin said. “I felt that I might be able to win the three events and perhaps I will be able to swim fast in the next two weeks.”

Qin’s toughest competition for the overall World Cup crown appears to be Italy’s Thomas Ceccon, who reached the wall first in the 200 back (1:56.64), 100 free (47.97), and 100 back (52.27).

“My time 52.2 was almost the same time as at Worlds this summer,” Ceccon said. “It’s fast. I made some mistakes, but they are always fixable.  The first leg of the three is over and I swam almost my personal best in each race, so I am pretty happy.  We will see how I do at the next two stops.”

Qin earned $12,000 for finishing 1st in Berlin, Ceccon took home $10,000, and Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys made $8,000 for his 3rd-place effort.

“The time and the result was really good today and this win puts me into third place overall,” said Rapsys, 28. “It’s always motivating to be in the overall series race. On the first day I thought I could go really fast, maybe a 44, but a 45 for this time of the season is really good.  I expect to swim faster along the series.”

Women’s World Cup Standings

1. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 58.6
2. Zhang Yufei (CHN) – 55.2
3. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 54.1
4. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 53.8
5. Erika Fairweather (NZL) – 53.6

McKeown opened up a sizable 3.4-point lead over China’s Zhang Yufei by sweeping the 50 back (27.24), 100 back (57.95), and 200 back (2:06.47) — all in World Cup records. McKeown also showed off her range by winning the 200 IM (2:10.76) on Sunday, but only her top three swims counted toward her official score of 58.6.

“My coach whispered in my ear that I might be in contention, but I really hadn’t thought about it,” McKeown said. “It’s not about the money or coming first or second.”

McKeown earned $12,000 from the Berlin stop, Zhang made $10,000, and Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey secured an $8,000 payday for placing 1st in both the 100 free (52.02) and 200 free (1:55.10) and 3rd in the 400 free (4:05.30).

“If I did this for the money,” she added, “I would not be in the sport of swimming but maybe tennis.”

Zhang, 25, collected victories in the 200 fly (2:07.11) and 100 fly (56.74) along with a runner-up finish in the 50 fly (25.14) behind Swedish world record holder Sarah Sjostrom (25.06).