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Seebohm, Larkin cash in on swim World Cup

Australians Emily Seebohm and Mitch Larkin have wrapped up lucrative swimming World Cup series campaigns with gold medal performances.

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Source: AAP


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Australia's dynamic duo Emily Seebohm and Mitch Larkin are significantly wealthier as they turn their attention to the Rio Olympics after wrapping up swimming's 2015 World Cup series in style.

The two dual 2015 world backstroke champions both won gold medals on the final night of the nine-meet series in Dubai.

Seebohm added to her tally of sub-59 seconds swims when she took out the women's 100m backstroke final in an impressive 58.51.

The 23-year-old's finishing power was again too good for her Hungarian rival Katinka Hosszu who had to settle for silver in 59.15.

On top of her individual race prizemoney, Seebohm collected a total of $US155,000 ($A217,000) in bonus prizemoney from her busy season, including $US50,000 ($A70,000) for finishing as second-ranked woman overall behind Hosszu, after contesting all nine World Cup meets around the world.

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Larkin again broke his Commonwealth record for 200m backstroke as he clocked 1:53.17 and won by almost five seconds from Japan's Masaki Kaneko (1:58.06).

The 22-year-old Queenslander only contested the last three World Cup events in Tokyo, Doha and Dubai but won six gold medals and was the top performer for the three-meet cluster, pocketing $US50,000 ($A70,000) for that plus another $US30,000 ($A42,000) for being third overall in the series behind South Africans Cameron Van Der Burgh and Chad Le Clos.

"It was an amazing season," said Larkin, who also took silver in the men's 50m backstroke. "It was mentally tough to get up for this race, my third 200 in two weeks. I knew this was the last swim and the last leg so I got up for that.

"I'm looking forward to getting home and getting into training."

After winning gold in the 50m freestyle on the first night of finals in Dubai, Australia's Melanie Wright was once again in fine form, clocking 53.79 to take gold in the women's 100m freestyle.

Hosszu demonstrated her versatility and took the silver medal, just a touch behind in 53.81 with Italy's Federica Pellegrini taking third place in 55.15.

Gold Coaster Leiston Pickett wrapped up her World Cup series with a bronze medal in the women's 50m breaststroke.


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