The start list for the Sydney (AUS) leg, the third of the 2007 FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup on November 2-3, predicts the competition will be an exciting international showdown. The Australian swimmers, who just finished collecting 43 medals at the second meet of the series in Singapore, will surely be focused on continuing to dominate at home. However, they will face intense pressure from a range of big name foreign competitors, including top-seeded French freestyler's Alain Bernard and Alena Popchanka, as well as Sophie Huber and Coralie Balmy. American Randall Bal, for both the 50 and 100m backstroke, is formidable opponent for Australian's Robert Hurley and Matt Welsh in the same events.
Nevertheless, racers in the women's pool must contend with Australia's regular record-breakers Lisbeth Lenton (top-seeded in three events) and breaststroker-to-beat Leisel Jones, as well as teenagers Kylie Palmer and Barratt Bronte, both favourites for several of the freestyle events. But the presence of Finland's Hanna-Maria Seppala, top-seeded in the 100m IM, is another force to be reckoned with. Not to be forgotten are the British, including well-ranked Fran Halsall, Elizabeth Simmonds (as yet only 16 years old), freestyler Joanne Jackson, and breaststroker Kirsty Balfour, who are never far behind.
Highlights of the meet include the battle for the 50 and 100m freestyle events between Bernard and Eamon Sullivan, Australia's fastest swimmer ever. The men's pool includes others worth mentioning, like Russian backstroker Arkady Vyatchanin, a formidable obstacle for Bal, who will face him in the 200m. Another Russian, Nikolay Skvortsov, leads the pack for the 200m butterfly, but he is closely trailed by New Zealand's Moss Burmester and Australian Nick D'arcy. Moss and Skvortsov meet again in the 100m butterfly, along with Evgeny Korotyshkin and Corney Swanepoel, also from Russia and New Zealand, respectively.
Last but not least, Australia's Nick Ffrost and Andrew Thompson, appearing in the 400 and 1500m freestyle events respectively, must combat Tae Hwan Park, the relentless distance freestyler and Korean national hero.
