T&T swimmer Dylan Carter will be out for redemption when he competes in the men's 50 metres freestyle, the first of his four events at the second leg of this year's FINA World Aquatics Swimming World Cup at the Athens Olympic Aquatic Centre in Greece from 5.04 am (T&T time), on Friday.
This is Greece's first-ever Swimming World Cup event which will mark the birthplace of the modern Olympiad return of major international sports events to the Greek capital city.
The 27-year-old, a recent three-time gold medal winner at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games along with a silver and bronze medal will compete in the seventh of nine morning heats from lane five against Australian trio, Cody Simpson, Dylan Andrea and Isaac Cooper, the winner of the title in Berlin last week, Holland's Sean Niewold, Norway's Bjoemar Laskerud, and Philippine's Jarod Hatch.
For Carter, today's 50m freestyle event will be a quick chance at erasing his eighth-placed finish in the final at the Europa Sports Park, SSE Arena in Berlin, Germany in 23.79 seconds after slipping on the starters' block as he splashed off the defence of his men's overall title won last year when he captured a treble of gold medals in the 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke events to claim US$160,000 in prize money.
Taking the gold medal in Berlin in the 50m freestyle was Cooper in 21.93, the lone man under the 22 seconds barrier in the final, with veteran USA's Michael Andrew, securing the silver in 22.03 and Holland’s Stan Pijnenburg, bronze in 22.04.
The others to finish ahead of Carter in the final were Holland’s Kenzo Simons (22.10), Hungary’s Nandor Nemeth and Szebasztian Szabo, both in 22.12, and Japan’s Shinri Shioura in 22.46.
Earlier in the morning session heats, Carter contested the eighth of nine heats from lane five and sounded a warning to all rivals to his 2022 FINA World Cup overall men’s overall title winner by clocking the fastest time of 22.20 seconds in his heat for the third fastest qualifying time overall, while Cooper was the top qualifier after he won in heat seven in 21.95 seconds while Simons had the second best time heat qualifying time of 22.18.
However, Carter after placing 17th in the 50m backstroke with a top time of 26.08 rebounded to take silver in the 50m butterfly in 23.17, and 100m freestyle in 48.73 to leave Berlin on a high
Following today's 50m freestyle event, Carter will also contest the 50m backstroke (2.16 am TT time), and 100m freestyle (4.36 am TT time) on Saturday, before ending with the 50m butterfly on Sunday from 2.29 am (TT time) with the finals of all three events scheduled for later the same day.
In 2022, when the series was being contested in short course metres, Carter and USA's Nick Fink dominated, but after one leg in long course metres, we’re already seeing the change come into effect in terms of who the top performers are, with Fink and Carter finding themselves back in 13th and 14th place, respectively, for the men with 40.3, and 39.3 points, respectively, for US$4,700 and US$4,600 in prize money.
China's Qin Haiyang swept the breaststroke events in Berlin in World Cup record fashion to score 58.7 points and earn the $12,000 total, notching three of the top-four FINA point swims for the men, led by his 200 breast effort (965) for a tally of 58.7 points and US$12,000 in prize money.
Italian Thomas Ceccon was a close runner-up after he went three-for-three in Berlin, winning the men’s 100m free, 100m back and 200m back. His 100m back showing of 52.27 scored 962 FINA points, good for second among men with 57.7 and US$10,000 in earnings.
Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys had two wins and one runner-up finish to rank third among the men with 54.8 and claim $8,000, while American Michael Andrew swam in five finals and ended up ranking fourth after securing two wins in the 50m backstroke, and 100m butterfly for 54.4 points and US$6,000. The third and final leg takes place in Budapest Hungary from October 20-22, at the Danube Arena.