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lshammar eyes Dubai glory

DUBAI — The undisputed queen of the World Cup will be in Dubai next week to contest the first round of the Fina/ARENA Swimming World Cup on October 2-3, a press release said.

Therese Alshammar of Sweden may be 35 years old and what most would consider past retirement age but she is still a powerhouse in international swimming, having taken the overall World Cup crowns for the past two years.

Alshammar has been collecting international medals and world records since she broke into the top ranks at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney where she won silver medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle. She continues to surprise and outclass her younger rivals, winning the gold in the 50m freestyle at last year’s World Championships, making her the oldest female world champion in the history of swimming.

After winning the last two overall World Cup crowns Alshammar will be looking to reinforce her place at the top of the standings, particularly leading into this year’s World Swimming Championships (25m) where she will be defending the 50m butterfly title she won at the last World Championships (25m) in Dubai with a world record swim in December 2010. Following her success in Dubai and in the 2010 World Cup she was named female swimmer of the year by Fina.

“We are very excited to be welcoming Therese Alshammar back to Dubai after her triumphant visit in 2010,” said Dr Ahmad Saad Al Sharif, General Secretary of the Dubai Sports Council and Chairman of the Organising Committee. “The competition for the World Cup this year is going to be very tough and the crowds are in for a spectacular two days of world class action with athletes of the calibre of Alshammar will thrill the fans,” he added.

The women’s 50m freestyle and butterfly are shaping up to be two of the most hotly contested events on the Swimming World Cup programme in Dubai, with both Inge Dekker and Britta Steffen also in the race for gold. Germany’s Britta Steffen won Olympic gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle in 2008, and finished fourth ahead of Alshammar in the 50m freestyle at the London Olympics, while Inge Dekker is current world champion in the 50m butterfly, pipping Alshammar for the gold in last year’s World Championships.

“With so many current World record holders competing this year we are hoping to see some world record times,” said Mr Ahmed Al Falasi, President of UAE Swimming Federation.