Swimming: World stars set to descend on Sports School

SINGAPORE - Olympic medallists Michael Jamieson, Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Aleksandra Gerasimenya are among the world-class names who will star in the Singapore leg of the Fina Swimming World Cup (short course) next month.

The competition, which will take place at the Singapore Sports School on Nov 5 and 6, is the sixth of eight stops and the first of the Asian cluster.

This year's series has undergone a change in format, with prize money catered to each of three clusters: Europe, Middle East and Asia. The overall winner of each cluster will be decided by the most points accumulated in the particular cluster.

The total prize money up for grabs in the Asian cluster - which also includes stops in China and Japan - is a cool US$306,000 ($384,000).

That figure, which is three times last year's amount, will be equally shared among the first six ranked men and women.

In addition to Great Britain's Jamieson, Holland's Kromowidjojo and Belarus' Gerasimenya, the likes of Hungarian Katinka Hosszu - who emerged as the top woman swimmer at last year's World Cup - will also be in action at the Sports School.

The 24-year-old has carried on her impressive form in this year's competition, sweeping golds in the 100m, 200m and 400m individual medley (IM), and 200m butterfly events at the two European short course legs, in Eindhoven and Berlin, so far.

The three-time Olympian set world records in the 100m and 200m IM events in Eindhoven in August.

Local swimmers like Tao Li, Amanda Lim, Mylene Ong and Danny Yeo will also take part in the World Cup, as a tune-up for the 2013 South-east Asia Games, which will be held in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, from Dec 11 to 22.

Ang Peng Wee, organising chairman of the Singapore leg, said: "The three-fold increase in the prize money is indicative of the intense competitiveness the Fina Swimming World Cup has attracted.

"Year on year, for the past seven years, the event has always delivered exceptional and topclass swimming action bringing Olympic medallists, world champions and world-record holders under one roof."

Tickets are priced at $20 per day or $30 for both days.

More information can be found at www.finaworldcup.com.sg.

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