Swimming worlds open post-Michael Phelps era
Updated: 2013-07-22 07:53
(Agencies)
|
||||||||
BARCELONA, Spain - The biennial FINA world championships begin Saturday and for the first time in more than a decade Michael Phelps won't be competing.
Instead, the spotlight should fall on athletes like Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen of China, Chad le Clos of South Africa, Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin of the United States, and 16-year-old Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania.
"We will see how many stars come up, I have no doubt. Life goes on and on," FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu told The Associated Press.
Olympic and world champion Sun Yang prepares for his upcoming 400m and 1,500m freestyle events in the World Swimming Championships in Barcelona, Spain, on July 23, 2013. It is the first training session for the Chinese swimming team since they arrived in Barcelona. [Photo/Xinhua] More photos on Sun Yang |
The first week of the championships is highlighted by diving - with that spectacular view of the city from the same Montjuic pool used for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics - plus open water swimming in the harbor.
Swimming and synchronized swimming will be held inside the Palau Sant-Jordi arena, which was also built for the 1992 Games, while water polo will be contested outside in the nearby Bernat Picornell.
All of the venues are the same from the 2003 worlds which Barcelona hosted, except for temporary towers that have been built for the debut of high diving, with men set to leap from 27 meters (30 yards) and women from 20 meters (22 yards).
"The facilities are excellent, each one with its merits, conditions, and history, and not only with an excellent history, they are facilities that have been updated so they are first rate," FINA president Julio Maglione said.
Prize money spread across the six disciplines amounts to $3.1 million and a record 2,293 athletes have entered.
The biggest crowds could come for high diving, which is free for fans, with organizers hoping that 25,000-30,000 spectators show up for the daring display which sees athletes fly through the air for three seconds at speeds of up to 90 kph (55 mph).
- Olympic star Sun Yang gears up in Barcelona
- Sun Yang looks for form ahead of swimming worlds
- Sun Yang waiting for new coach
- Sun Yang wins first match after reuniting with coach
- Sun Yang suspended from commercial activities
- Chinese swimming stars swarmed at airport
- Chinese swimming lovers to swim in Li River
- Russia's hegemony remains in technical duet at swimming worlds
- Barcelona opens swimming worlds with an appeal to preserve water
- Gwangju to host swimming worlds in 2019, Budapest in 2021
- 'Despicable' minions upset Depp's 'Lone Ranger' at box office
- 'Taken 2' grabs movie box office crown
- Rihanna's 'Diamonds' tops UK pop chart
- Fans get look at vintage Rolling Stones
- Celebrities attend Power of Women event
- Ang Lee breaks 'every rule' to make unlikely new Life of Pi film
- Rihanna almost thrown out of nightclub
- 'Dark Knight' wins weekend box office
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Safety worries mount |
Giving ancient Lhasa a facelift |
Families feel the pull of 'gravity' |
Party seeks to boost ties with the public |
Conundrum over sexual bribery |
Bar street heaven for expats, hell for locals |
Today's Top News
'Few hundred' at Manila anti-China rally
Obama, Congress both losing public support
Abe seeking to 'contain' Beijing
Li points way for railways reform
VP visits Pyongyang for 60th truce anniversary
Palace: Royal baby named George Alexander Louis
Snowden is not planning to leave Russia for now
China issues trade facilitation measures
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |