World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 Singapore: Kate Douglass breaks own world record, Leon Marchand makes history at short course event

Kate Douglass and Leon Marchand were crowned king and queen of the pool - literally - at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 Singapore on Thursday, 31 October.

The third and final stop in the short course (25m) swimming series got underway in Singapore, where swimmers who completed the 'triple crown' of wins in the distance over all three World Cup events were awarded with crowns upon victory.

This was fitting for Douglass, who broke a world record that she had set herself just a week ago in Incheon, Republic of Korea.

Douglass cruised to gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:12.72, smashing her own world record of 2:14.16 and setting the fastest times in 15 years.

“I think after the unexpected world record last weekend, I came into this being like, I feel like I have a lot more potential in this event,” she said on reflection post-race. “I just kind of came in with a mission tonight.”

Douglass has opened up a 20-point lead atop the women’s individual ranking at the World Cup, also winning the women’s 100m medley in the Asian city state.

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Another win and World Cup record for Marchand

Fresh off his three gold medals at the previous round in Incheon, Marchand won the seventh World Cup gold of his career – and of the month.

The Frenchman entered the men’s 100m medley wearing the cap of countryman Florent Manadou, who announced that he will be taking a break from swimming.

Despite Olympic men’s 100m backstroke champion Thomas Ceccon emerging in a skeleton mask in the pre-race introductions, there would be no Halloween frights for Marchand as he produced a comfortable win almost two seconds ahead of the Italian.

His time of 49.92 seconds made him the second fastest ever at the distance, behind Caeleb Dressel. By breaking the World Cup record the four-time Olympic gold medallist also ensured he picked up the coveted golden crown for the distance.

Noe Ponti goes top of men’s rankings with triple crown

Despite Marchand’s victory in the men’s 100m medley, it is the Swiss star Noe Ponti who now leads the men’s individual rankings.

Ponti has moved 15.8 points clear of his French rival after recording two medal performances on the opening day of Singapore, including silver behind Marchand’s record-breaking win.

However, it is Ponti’s triple crown victory in the men’s 100m butterfly that gives him breathing space at the top, beating Dutchman Nyls Kortstanje by just over half a second to take gold.

Ponti has become the first European to win the same race at each stop of this year’s Swimming World Cup, laying down his dominance on the butterfly event.

His World Cup career medal tally has now shot up to 12 and he will certainly be chasing more in Singapore, as Ponti turns his attention to the men’s 200m butterfly on Friday (1 November).

Results from the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 in Singapore

Women’s 400m freestyle

1. Katie Grimes (USA) – 3:57.61
2. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) +00.60
3. Claire Weinstein (USA) +02.56

Men’s 400m freestyle

1. Duncan Scott (GBR) - 3:34.46
2. Kieran Smith (USA) +02.51
3. Pan Zhanle (CHN) +04.33

Women’s 50m backstroke

1. Regan Smith (USA) – 25.48
2. Iona Anderson (AUS) +00.47
3. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) +00.50

Men’s 200m backstroke

1. Pieter Coetze (RSA) - 1:49.88
2. Lorenzo Mora (ITA) +01.19
3. Jack Dahlgren (USA) +02.92

Women’s 200m butterfly

1. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) - 2:03.44
2. Bella Grant (AUS) +00.48
3. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) +03.39

Men’s 100m butterfly

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) - 48.60
2. Nyls Korstanje (NED) +00.52
3. Teong Tzen Wei (SGP) +00.77

Women’s 200m breaststroke

1. Kate Douglass (USA) - 2:12.72
2. Alina Zmushka (NIA) +06.07
3. Tara Kinder (AUS) +06.36

Men’s 100m breaststroke

1. Qin Haiyang (CHN) - 55.61
2. Ilya Shymanovich (NIA) +00.11
3. Caspar Corbeau (NED) +01.06

Women’s 50m freestyle

1. Katarzyna Wasick (POL) - 23.23
2. Yang Junxuan (CHN) +00.66
3. Siobhan Bernadette Haughey (HKG) +00.77

Men’s 50m freestyle

1. Dylan Carter (TTO) - 20.82
2. Isaac Cooper (AUS) +00.19
3. Marius Kusch (GER) +00.22

Women’s 100m medley

1. Kate Douglass (USA) - 56.57
2. Yu Yiting (CHN) +00.87
3. Beata Nelson (USA) +00.96

Men’s 100m medley

1. Leon Marchand (FRA) - 49.92
2. Noe Ponti (SUI) +00.47
3. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) +01.43