Voice of London

Spectators of the International Swimming League in London saw the two clubs win enough points to finish as the top two clubs in the European leg, seeing them through to the final in Las Vegas.

Wins from Minna Atherton, Duncan Scott and Adam Peaty meant London Roar took the lead early on Sunday in front of a home crowd, who finished second behind Energy Standard on Saturday.

London Roar teammates Atherton and Emma McKeon also lead the MVP (Most Valuable Player) table in front of Chad Le Clos and Sarah Sjostrom, to name a few.

But Energy Standard’s Chad Le Clos clinched the title by the end of the weekend as he helped his club finish undefeated at the top of the table.

The weekend was not without drama as Energy Standard were disqualified after winning the 4x100m freestyle relay due to a poor changeover.

The atmosphere at the event was unlike any other swimming competition, with the fast-paced races and team-based format a clear crowd-pleaser.

The male and female skins races also made for a thrilling end to the weekend, with eight swimmers racing each other over 50m for a place in the top four, before the top two from the second round battle it out in a final showdown to determine the winner.

The brand-new event has been praised by athletes for its fresh take on the sport, after FINA controversially prevented the event from going ahead in 2018.

The final in Las Vegas will take place from 20th to 21st December at Mandalay Bay Resort, and will include US teams LA Current and Cali Condors alongside Energy Standard and London Roar.

For more information, read Voice of London’s guide to the International Swimming League.

Words: Alysia Georgiades | Featured Images: Serena Repice Lentini on Unsplash