«Even if you don’t become a medal winner, you have to go ahead and raise your competence», says Mitchell Larkin
On the eve of the first leg of the 2018 FINA World Swimming Cup scheduled for 7-9 September one more workshop was conducted for students of youth athletic training centres in Kazan. Mitchell Larkin – two-time medal winner of the 2016 Olympic Games and multiple world champion (he won this title in 2015 in Kazan) – was chosen for the role of a workshop tutor.
“Such workshops are very useful for young swimmers. When experienced athletes shared their knowledge with me, I was so grateful and excited. It was important to me. And now I'm glad that I have a wonderful chance to share my experience with others”, noted Mitchell during the autograph session, which took place after the workshop. He talked with young athletes and answered all their questions. “The most valuable medal in my life is the one I won at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Also, I do appreciate my medals which I managed to win at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships here in Kazan. Of course, the medal is great, but it doesn't define you. Even if you don't become a medal winner, you have to go ahead and raise your competence”, said Larkin.
Kazan hosts the FINA Swimming World Cup Series – prestigious tournament annually organized by the International Swimming Federation – for the first time. The FINA World Cup features 7 legs divided into 3 clusters. The first cluster includes events in Kazan and Doha. The second will be held in Eindhoven and Budapest. The tournaments of the third cluster in Beijing, Tokyo and Singapore will wrap up the World Cup. The tournament will bring together about 200 finest swimmers from around the world. Representatives of 23 countries applied for the FINA Swimming World Cup Series. The tournament’s line-up features a strong list of athletes such as Katinka Hosszu (Hungary), Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden), Chad Le Clos (RSA), Yulia Efimova (Russia), Vladimir Morozov (Russia), Anton Chupkov (Russia), Kirill Prigoda (Russia), Mitchell Larkin (Australia) and other stars.
The first cluster events take place in the 50m pools where 32 sets of medals in individual and 2 sets in relay events are on stake. The next two clusters include 34 individual and 2 relay events in 25m pools. Unlimited events can be swum by a swimmer and only the best 3 results (per meet points) will count towards the ranking/scoring.
Tickets are available for purchase at the website of ANO Directorate for Sports and Social Projects. During the competition, tickets can be also bought at the Aquatics Palace (70 Sibgata Khakima St.). Ticket price: 200-300 rubles.