Cate Campbell shares honours with key rival after lucrative weekend

May 6, 2019 By BLOGDAELLI

Cate Campbell has split the returns with her great rival Sarah Sjostrom after the pair went head to head in the FINA Champions Swim Series in China over the weekend.

Campbell was among a select group of Australians competing in the invite-only event, which was created in response to the rival International Swimming League (ISL) set to begin later in the year.

The two-day meet in Guangzhou would prove lucrative for Campbell, who managed to bank $US26,000 ($36,839) in her events, seeing her finish sixth on the prizemoney table. Sjostrom would top the ladder with $US51,000 ($72,263).

The Queenslander, now training in Sydney following a move with sister Bronte and coach Simon Cusack at the start of the year, took out the 50 freestyle in a season-best 24.00s despite dawdling on the blocks and being last into the water.

But she was able to overpower Sjostrom late in the race and hit the wall in front, although the star Swede was able to turn the tables in the 100m, which both would consider their pet freestyle event.

Campbell has the quickest time in the world this year (52.35s) but Sjostrom is the world record holder with a dazzling 51.71s. This time, she was the one with more power late in the race as she took it out in 52.82s, with Campbell second in 53s.

It was a fascinating early season meeting between the pair, who have been close out of the pool but remain fierce rivals once they are in the water. Sjostrom was one of the first to console Campbell after her heartbreaking swim in the final of the Rio Olympic Games.

They shape as two of the major players once again in Tokyo and at this year's FINA World Championships in Korea in July. A world title doesn't hold much currency in the Olympic pool but for Campbell, a victory over Sjostrom in the 100m would represent another important mental marker in her preparations.

Backstroker Emily Seebohm was another of the high-profile Australians to make the trip to China but her weekend did not go as well as planned.

She would reveal that she suffered a bout of food poisoing before the first day although she was still able to return home with a handy $US18,000 ($22,500) on account of a third and two fourth placings.

Jack McLoughlin was the only other Australian on the prizemoney list, picking up $US6000 ($8500) for his third in the 400m freestyle, which was won by controversial Chinese star and Olympic champion Sun Yang.

Cate Campbell shares honours with key rival after lucrative weekend

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