2009 World Aquatics Championships

Now that the pool waters are calm in Roma, it’s time to assess how the sporting nations performed in the 2009 FINA World Aquatics Championships.

1. The USA: they dominated the Swimming ranking, improving on their 2007 leadership against their chief aquatic rivals, Australia. But they also improved in Diving, where they ranked second to China (they were 4^th in 2007) and in Water Polo, which they won (second in 2007).
2. Australia: Swimming is their only real asset: they scored 95% of their points there, and were 5^th in Diving and 10^th in Water Polo, pretty much the same as in 2007.
3. China: their leap ahead was engineered by trebling the amount of points scored in Swimming, where they ranked 6^th (they were 14^th in 2007!). But they also won the Diving Championships (again) and were up one position in Synchro. Swimming (4^th), thus achieving a very strong result overall.
4. Russia: they lost 100 points in Swimming vs 2007, and despite winning Synchro. Swimming and finishing well both in Diving (6^th) and Water Polo (7^th) they couldn’t match their 2007 result.
5. Germany: they built their result with a strong 3^rd place in Swimming, up one position vs 2007, and were in the backwaters in the other sports, their best result being 9^th in Diving.
6. Great Britain: a sparkling performance, up 3 positions from 2007, confirming the progress already made in the 2008 season (3^rd overall in Swimming). Swimming was of course their strongest suit, with 4^th place, ahead of Russia and China, but good results also came from Diving (7^th) and Synchro. Swimming (10^th), confirming the strength of the British aquatics movement.
7. Italy: despite Federica Pellegrini’s world-record clinching victories, the hosts dropped 2 positions from 2007: they came only 7^th in Swimming (5^th in 2007) and a 4^th place in Diving and a 5^th in Synchro. Swimming weren’t enough to sustain them.
8. Spain: a mighty leap up the table from 2007 (plus 7 positions), and only 55% of the points came from Swimming: what propelled Spain were in fact the 2^nd place in Synchro. Swimming behind Russia and 3^rd place in Water Polo.
9. France: a lacklustre performance to drop one position vs the 2007 World Aquatics Championships: 8^th in Swimming, 16^th in Diving, 8^th in Synchro. Swimming and nowhere in Water Polo.
10. Brazil: fantastic performances by Cielo Filho in the men’s 50m and 100m Freestyle rocketed Brazil 10 positions higher than 2007. 98% of Brazil’s points belong to Swimming, though the South Americans did make a showing in Diving (13^th) and Synchro. Swimming (12^th) too.