World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 Shanghai: Noe Ponti shines as Leon Marchand seals hat-trick of wins

There were big wins for Leon Marchand and Noe Ponti on the third and final day of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 Shanghai on Sunday (20 October).

The duo secured gold in the People’s Republic of China in an exciting day of action, which included a newly set world record.

Regan Smith and Duncan Scott of the USA and Great Britain also added to their medal tally in the final day of competition in Shanghai.

Ponti competed in the final heats of the men’s 50m butterfly where he set a new 25m-pool world record of 21.67 seconds, beating the previous record by 0.08 seconds and cruising through to the final later that day.

He would unsurprisingly go on to win the event, winning a third medal of the championship and just a hundredth of a second off his new world record.

This is Ponti’s second World Cup gold and his sixth at a Swimming World Cup, continuing his rise through the ranks and setting records along the way.

• Leon Marchand sets World Cup and European record in 200m medley

Leon Marchand wins third gold in three days

New day, same story: Marchand wins gold.

On Friday he won his maiden World Cup medal in the men’s 100m medley, on Saturday it was a new World Cup and European record in the men’s 200m medley.

Marchand completed his hat-trick on Sunday in the men’s 400m medley, a new challenge but one which the French Olympic hero relished.

The five-time Paris 2024 Olympic medallist won by almost 1.5 seconds and was just three-hundredths of a second shy of swimming a sub-four minute race.

Curiously, Marchand swam earlier on Sunday in the cap of French teammate Florent Manadou. This is the third differently named swimming cap he has worn at the World Cup; on Friday, he donned Caeleb Dressel's cap in the men’s 100m medley heats.

Regan Smith reaches double figures

Following her superb victory in the women’s 100m backstroke on Saturday, where she won gold with a new World Cup record, Smith made sure it would be a championship to remember with the 10^th World Cup medal of her career.

The American was victorious in the women’s 200m backstroke with a time of 2:00.42, cruising to a fantastic win and a fourth medal at this World Cup event.

Smith has won three golds, five silvers and two bronzes in her World Cup career, while she claimed an impressive five medals at Paris 2024 to take her Olympic tally up to eight medals.

Duncan Scott storms to freestyle victory

Scott pulled off a comprehensive win in the men’s 200m freestyle, dominating the field for his fourth World Cup medal achieved in China.

No one could challenge the Brit out in front, pulling further away from the field with every turn as he finished in 1:40.92.

Scott also won two medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics and now has 22 medals around his neck.

Results from the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 in Shanghai, the People’s Republic of China - Day 3:

Men’s 400m medley

1. Leon Marchand (FRA) – 4:00.03
2. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) +01.48
3. Lewis Clareburt (NZL) +05.00

Women’s 800m freestyle

1. Tang Muhan (CHN) – 8:15.34
2. Gao Weizhong (CHN) +00.83
3. Kong Yaqi (CHN) +11.87

Women's 100m butterfly

1. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) – 55.58
2. Yu Yiting (CHN) +00.36
3. Louise Hansson (SWE) +00.49

Men’s 50m butterfly

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 21.68
2. Nyls Korstanje (NED) +00.32
3. Marius Kusch (GER) +00.58

Women's 200m backstroke

1. Regan Smith (USA) – 2:00.42
2. Anastasiya Shkurdai (NIA) +00.89
3. Beata Nelson (USA) +02.14

Men’s 100m backstroke

1. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 49.35
2. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) +00.68
3. Kacper Stokowski (POL) +00.98

Women’s 50m breaststroke

1. Tang Qianting (CHN) – 28.76
2. Benedetta Pilato (ITA) +00.97
3. Siobhan Bernadette Haughey (HKG) +00.98

Men’s 200m breaststroke

1. Joshua Yong (AUS) – 2:01.67
2. Qin Haiyang (CHN) +00.25
3. Caspar Corbeau (NED) +00.75

Women’s 100m freestyle

1. Siobhan Bernadette Haughey (HKG) - 51.89
2. Yang Junxuan (CHN) +00.22
3. Mila Jansen (AUS) +00.54

Men’s 200m freestyle

1. Duncan Scott (GBR) - 1:40.92
2. Edward Sommerville (AUS) +01.22
3. Danas Rapsys (LTU) +01.43

Women’s 200m medley

1. Kate Douglass (USA) - 2:04.09
2. Yu Yiting (CHN) +01.30
3. Rebecca Meder (RSA) +03.33