Despite Saving America From Disappointment, Michael Andrew Misses Podium Finish in Berlin at Swimming World Cup 2023

The first leg of the Swimming World Cup 2023 successfully rounded up in Berlin last night. The swimming paragons had one more chance yesterday to make history and display their exceptional athletic skills. At the start of the finals, America’s Michael Andrew had the place of honor at the top of the men’s ranking leaderboard. But, much like the water he swam in, the leaderboard was in ever-changing motion.

Michael Andrew had earned 54.5 points by competing in three races at the start of the final day’s finale. With that, he was the strongest contender for the “Berlin Champion” title. But after the incredible and nail-biting races yesterday, a Chinese rival took away the crown and the $12,000 that came with it.

Qin Haiyang displaces Michael Andrew at the Swimming World Cup 2023

The men’s team of the United States had a tough pill to swallow at the Swimming World Cup 2023. None of the legendary swimmers performed the way they were expected to. Even five-time world champion Nic Fink failed to win his signature 100-meter breaststroke event. In the midst of these tragedies, only Michael Andrew inspired hope with three remarkable races. According to World Aquatics, only the three best-scoring races will go towards determining the overall winner of the Swimming World Cup. With one gold each in the 100-meter butterfly and 50-meter backstroke, Michael Andrew was halfway there. He also added two silver medals in the 50-meter freestyle and the 50-meter butterfly.

Michael Andrew was not ready for the complete dismantling of his hopes on the final day of the Berlin meet. But, China’s iconic swimmer stole the top rank from Andrew on the last day, leaving him utterly disappointed. To make things worse, the American swimming ace did not just drop one rank but finished fourth by a narrow margin. His opponent from Lithuania, Danas Rapsys, pocketed the $8,000 cash prize as the third-ranking man at the Swimming World Cup 2023. Rapsys had scored 54.8, which was 0.3 points better than Andrew’s 54.5. But, overall, Haiyang’s performance stole the show and earned the Asian many fans in Europe.

Qin Haiyang earns Europe’s heart with remarkable swimming

Qin Haiyang had a full sweep in the backstroke events in the German capital. He earned a gold in each of the 50-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter backstroke events during the three days of the Swimming World Cup 2023. He posted extremely fast times and made three World Cup records. Based on his incredible performance, Qin Haiyang earned very high Aqua Points, which brought his total score to 58.7. He is one step closer to the World Cup trophy and the whopping $100,000 cash prize.

Read More: Despite Posting a ‘Record-Breaking’ Win in a New Event, Michael Andrew Fails to Qualify for World Championships Over ‘Bizarre’ Rule

The next meet is in Athens, where Michael Andrew will try to outdo his opponents, especially the Chinese firecracker. With bold ambitions for the 2024 Paris Olympics, he will try to climb back to the top of the men’s ranking. Will he be able to find success and hold onto it till the final day of the Athens meet? Comment with your thoughts below.

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