We are now one week into the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar. Here are five headlines from the event so far.
5) Open Water Swimming
It was an outstanding World Championship for Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands. The 10 kilometre open water swimming Olympic gold medalist from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, not only won the gold medal in Qatar in the women’s five kilometres, but the women’s 10 kilometres as well. Van Rouwendaal now has won 10 medals in the history of the World Aquatics Championships.
4) Artistic Swimming
China won seven of a possible 11 gold medals in Qatar. There is no doubt that China benefitted by Russia’s absence. Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian athletes were not permitted to attend. China has never won a gold medal in the history of synchronized swimming/artistic swimming at the Olympic Games. That could change this summer in Paris.
3) Water Polo
The quarterfinalists are set in men’s action in waterpolo. Spain will play Montenegro, Greece will play Italy, Serbia will play Croatia, and Hungary and France. The four undefeated teams to date have been Spain, Greece, Hungary and Serbia. Arguably the best game of the tournament came in Group D as Hungary beat Italy 15-14 in a penalty shootout. It was one of two games in group play that went to a shootout. The other game saw Montenegro beat the United States 16-15.
2) Diving
The Chinese have been dominant in diving in recent memory, and that dominance continued at the World Championships. In the Olympic events, China not only sweeped the gold medals in Qatar, but won four silver medals too.
1) Swimming
The highlight of the swimming event so far is the fact a world record was set in the men’s 100 metre freestyle. It should be noted that China’s Pan Zhanle’s time of 46.80 seconds came in the men’s 4×100 metre freestyle relay, where China easily won gold.
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