Soni to refresh ‘very good rivalry' with Jones

Dubai: Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Soni of the US is looking forward to renewing her "very good" rivalry with Australia's Leisel Jones when the two go head-to-head at the Fina World Swimming Championships (25 metres) in Dubai this month.

Soni won her gold medal in Beijing in 2008 when she edged out Jones in the 200-metre breaststroke final and beat the Australian in the 100-metre and 200-metre events in this year's Pan-Pacific Championships in Irvine, California in August.

Turning the tables

But Jones turned the tables on Soni to win the 100-metre breaststroke final in Beijing and was also part of the 4x100-metre medley relay team that beat the US, including Soni, to gold.

That level of competition between the pair sets things up beautifully for another confrontation at the spectacular new Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Sports Complex along the Dubai Bypass Road when the Championships take place from December 15 to 19.

And Soni, last month named US Swimming's Female Athlete of the Year for the second seccessive year, cannot wait for another great battle with her friend and rival from Australia.

"It's a very good rivalry," she said. "I really respect Leisel and I think she respects me so that's always a good thing.

"I hadn't got to race her very much at all outside the Olympics so being able to get to know her a bit more at the Pan-Pacs in California this past summer was a great thing."