2017 World Junior Championships: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

6TH FINA WORLD JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, August 23 – Monday, August 28, 2017
• 50-Meter Course
• Indianapolis (USA)
• Heats 9:30 am EDT / Semifinals and Finals 6 pm EDT (GMT-5)
• Meet Central
• Meet info
• Schedule
• Entries book
• Omega results
• TV/Webcast schedule (USA)
• Live stream NBC Sports
• Live stream FINA (Heats and finals, for subscribers only. Not available in USA, Guam, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Brazil, South Africa, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brunei, China)
• Live stream FINA YouTube (Heats only, free of charge)

After an exciting opening day, the 2017 World Junior Championships resume today from Indianapolis with seven events on the schedule for day 2 prelims.

We’ll have three 200s: the men’s IM, women’s fly and men’s free, where the top-8 swimmers will advance directly to tonight’s final. The same will be the case in the mixed medley relay, while the women’s 100 free and men’s 100 fly will advance the top-16 to tonight’s semis. The first four heats of the women’s 800 free will also be contested this morning, with the top seeded heat swimming with finals.

For the second straight day, Russian Kliment Kolesnikov was the only scratch for day 2 prelims, opting out of the 200 IM where he was seeded 3rd.

A pair of junior world record holders will be in action this morning, with Japan’s Suzuka Hasegawa in the women’s 200 fly and World Championship silver medalist Kristof Milak of Hungary in the men’s 100 fly.

Men’s 200 IM Prelims

• WJR: 1:57.06, Qin Haiyang (CHN), 2017
• Meet: 1:59.44, Gunnar Bentz (USA), 2013
• Start list M200IM

1. Kieran Smith, USA, 2:00.15
2. Johannes Hintze, GER, 2:00.79
3. Michael Andrew, USA, 2:00.92
4. Caio Pumputis, BRA, 2:01.58
5. Alberto Razzetti, ITA, 2:01.91
6. Marton Barta, HUN, 2:02.35
7. Hugo Gonzalez, ESP, 2:02.77
8. Deng Ziqi, CHN, 2:02.82

American Kieran Smith lowered his personal best by nearly a second and a half in heat 6 of the men’s 200 IM, registering the top time of the prelims in 2:00.15. Out in a quick 55.99 at the 100, Smith led the heat by over two seconds but German Johannes Hintze began to close on him over the final 100, finishing with splits of 34.7 and 27.9 on breast and free to come in at 2:00.79, good for 2nd in the heat and overall.

Smith’s U.S. teammate Michael Andrew, the former junior world record holder, won the final heat in a time of 2:00.92, good for 3rd overall. Andrew was the fastest swimmer in the field by almost two seconds at the 150m mark, but faded on the free in 31.1. Brazilian Caio Pumputis was solid on all four strokes and came in just behind Andrew in 2:01.58, qualifying 4th overall.

Italian Alberto Razzetti won the first circle-seeded heat in 2:01.91, good for 5th overall, while the #2 seed coming in Hugo Gonzalez (2:02.77) of Spain ended up squeaking into the final in 7th from Smith’s heat. Hungarian Marton Barta (2:02.35) and China’s Deng Ziqi (2:02.82) round out the finalists.

Women’s 100 Free Prelims

• WJR: 52.70, Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 2016
• Meet: 53.92, Taylor Ruck (CAN), 2015
• Start list W100free

1. Rikako Ikee, JPN, 54.41
2. Rebecca Smith, CAN, 54.84
3. Freya Anderson, GBR, 54.88
4. Barbora Seemanova, CZE, 55.22
5. Kayla Sanchez, CAN, 55.25
6. Vasilissa Buinaia, RUS, 55.39
7. Lucie Nordmann, USA, 55.54
8. Grace Ariola, USA, 55.70
9. Neza Klancar, SLO, 55.85
10. Julie Kepp Jensen, DEN, 56.01
11. Eliza King, AUS, 56.15
12. Sayuki Ouchi, JPN, 56.16
13. Camila Mello, BRA, 56.61
14. Isabel Marie Gose, GER, 56.61
15. Selen Ozbilen, TUR, 56.70
16. Maria Ginevra Masciopinto, ITA, 56.78

Rikako Ikee of Japan powered her way to the win in the 11th and final heat of the women’s 100 free, posting a time of 54.41 which stands up as the fastest of the morning. Barbora Seemanova (55.22) of the Czech Republic and Vasilissa Buinaia (55.39) of Russia finished 2nd and 3rd in the heat and qualify for the semi-finals in 4th and 6th.

In the heat prior Canadian Rebecca Smith held off Great Britain’s Freya Anderson by four one-hundredths, as they came in at 54.84 and 54.88 respectively for the 2nd and 3rd fastest times of the prelims. Anderson, a semi-finalist in this event at the World Championships, even-split her race on the button, out and back in 27.44.

Kayla Sanchez, who joined Smith on the Canadian 4×200 relay last night that broke the junior world record, won the first circle-seeded heat in 55.25 and advances 5th overall. Americans Lucie Nordmann (55.54) and Grace Ariola (55.70) qualified in 7th and 8th.

Men’s 100 Fly Prelims

• WJR: 50.62, Kristóf Milák (HUN), 2017
• Meet: 52.28, Daniil Pakhomov (RUS), 2015
• Start list M100fly

1. Egor Kuimov, RUS, 52.38
2. Kregor Zirk, EST, 52.83
3. Kristof Milak, HUN, 53.07
4. Eric Friese, GER, 53.10
5. Shen Jiahao, CHN / Shinnosuke Ishikawa, JPN, 53.28
6. –
7. Jacob Peters, GBR, 53.32
8. Jordan Brunt, AUS, 53.36
9. Yuya Sakamoto, JPN, 53.38
10. Andrei Minakov, RUS, 53.51
11. Federico Burdisso, ITA, 53.55
12. Umitcan Gures, TUR, 53.61
13. Nicolas Albiero, USA, 53.70
14. Antani Ivanov, BUL, 53.83
15. Drew Kibler, USA / Matheus Gonche, BRA, 53.85
16. –

Russia’s Egor Kuimov threw down the top time in the men’s 100 fly, coming within a tenth of the meet record in 52.38. Joining him under 53 seconds in heat 7 was Estonia’s Kregor Zirk (52.83), as they advance to the semis 1st and 2nd.

Junior world record holder Kristof Milak was on cruise control in the final heat, just doing enough to touch 1st in 53.07 over Germany’s Eric Friese (53.10).

The first circle-seeded heat was won by China’s Shen Jiahao in 53.28, and he ends up tying Japan’s Shinnosuke Ishikawa for 5th overall.

Americans Nicolas Albiero and Drew Kibler both made it through in 13th and t-15th, but will have their work cut out for them if they want to advance to the final tonight.

Women’s 200 Fly Prelims

• WJR: 2:06.29, Suzuka Hasegawa (JPN), 2017
• Meet: 2:08.10, Natsuki Akiyama (JPN), 2008
• Start list W200fly

1. Suzuka Hasegawa, JPN, 2:09.90
2. Emily Large, GBR, 2:09.94
3. Mabel Zavaros, CAN, 2:10.57
4. Keanna MacInnes, GBR, 2:10.87
5. Ye Huiyan, CHN, 2:11.59
6. Boglarka Bonecz, HUN, 2:12.11
7. Julia Mrozinski, GER, 2:12.60
8. Victoria Kwan, CAN, 2:12.83

Junior world record holder and 2017 World Championship finalist Suzuka Hasegawa of Japan slid under Emily Large‘s time from the previous heat to take over the top time of the morning in the last heat of the women’s 200 fly, as they qualify 1-2 in times of 2:09.90 and 2:09.94 respectively.

Canadian Mabel Zavaros (2:10.57) and Great Britain’s Keanna MacInnes (2:10.87) each took 2nd in those heats and move on in 3rd and 4th.

The top six times all came from the last two heats, as the top two in heat 3, Julia Mrozinski of Germany and Victoria Kwan of Canada, squeak into the final in 7th and 8th.

Men’s 200 Free Prelims

• WJR: 1:47.00, Alexei Sancov (MOL), 2017
• Meet: 1:47.55, Mack Horton (AUS), 2013
• Start list M200free

1. Ivan Girev, RUS, 1:47.65
2. Patrick Callan, USA, 1:48.02
3. Nandor Nemeth, HUN, 1:48.10
4. Richard Marton, HUN, 1:48.48
5. Elijah Winnington, AUS, 1:48.52
6. Trey Freeman, USA, 1:48.92
7. Breno Correia, BRA, 1:49.06
8. Elliot Clogg, GBR, 1:49.30

Trey Freeman of the U.S. set the standard in the first circle-seeded heat of the men’s 200 free, running down Brazil’s Breno Correia and Great Britain’s Elliot Clogg with a 27.79 final 50 to win the heat in 1:48.92.

After that it was a dogfight between the final two heats to establish a time good enough for the top eight, and both stepped up and were faster than the first.

Heat 8 of 9 saw Russia’s Ivan Girev post a very impressive 1:47.65 while looking comfortable, leading Hungary’s Richard Marton (1:48.48) and Australia’s Elijah Winnington (1:48.52). Girev’s time is the fastest of the morning, while Marton and Winnington advance in 4th and 5th.

The last heat saw Patrick Callan (1:48.02) of the U.S. hold off Nandor Nemeth (1:48.10) of Hungary, as they move on in 2nd and 3rd.

Freeman, Correia and Clogg’s showings from heat 7 got into the final in 6th, 7th and 8th, with five more swimmers sub-1:50 nipping at their heels.

Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay Prelims

• WJR: 3:45.85, Russia, 2015
• Meet: 3:45.85, Russia, 2015
• Start list Mixed4x100MR

1. Canada, 3:51.24
2. United States, 3:52.09
3. Russia, 3:53.91
4. Great Britain, 3:53.97
5. Ireland, 3:54.12
6. Germany, 3:54.26
7. Italy, 3:54.27
8. Brazil, 3:54.80

The Canadians won the third and final heat of the mixed medley relay in 3:51.24, establishing the top time of the morning. The team of Jade Hannah, Gabe Mastromatteo, Mabel Zavaros and Ruslan Gaziev all had strong legs, and we’ll likely see Taylor Ruck and Penny Oleksiak sub-in tonight on the female legs.

The Americans won heat 1 and qualify 2nd in 3:52.09, and will likely exchange out all four legs tonight. This morning they used Lucie Nordmann, Daniel Roy, Cody Bybee and Julia Cook.

Behind those two it was very close, with the next six teams all within a second of each other. Russia sits 3rd in 3:53.91, and Great Britain is 4th in 3:53.97 after a monster 54.69 anchor from Freya Anderson. Nicolo Martinenghi split 1:00.83 for Italy on breaststroke, given he was 59.0 last night there’s two seconds they could potentially drop which would put them firmly in the medal picture.

Women’s 800 Free Timed Final (Slow Heats)

• WJR: 8:11.00, Katie Ledecky (USA), 2014
• Meet: 8:27.55, Sierra Schmidt (USA), 2015
• Start list W800free

Top times out of the morning session:

1. Chase Travis, USA 8:39.56
2. Lani Pallister, AUS 8:39.86
3. Andrea Galisteo Zapatero, ESP 8:40.31
4. Sharni Robinson, AUS 8:41.23
5. Katja Fain, SLO 8:45.02
6. Rebecca Meder, RSA 8:53.81
7. Lili Horvath, HUN 8:53.92
8. Nikki Miller, GBR 8:54.94

The top time of the morning came from USA’s Chase Travis, who took nearly 3 full seconds off her seed time to touch in 8:39.56. Swimming in the fourth and final heat of the morning, Travis trailed behind Australians Lani Pallister and Sharni Robinson, who traded leads throughout the first 600 meters. Travis began her descent at the 500 and started to outsplit the Australians, taking over the lead at the 700. The fastest final 200 meters belonged to Spain’s Andrea Galisteo Zapatero, as she crept up on all three of the leaders and nearly caught them at the end with her 30.89 over the final 50.

Lili Horvath of HUN had won the penultimate heat of the morning, coming from behind over last 100 to snatch victory from GBR’s Nikki Miller, 8:53.92-8:54.94.