2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships: Day 7 Prelims Recap

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
• Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
• The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
• Meet site
• Competition Schedule
• FinaTV Live Stream
• Entry Lists
• Results

The day 7 morning session will feature the prelims of the women’s 50 free, men’s 50 back, women’s 50 breast, mixed 4×100 free relay, and the men’s 1500 free.

Women’s 50 Freestyle- Prelims

• World Record: Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden), 2017, 23.67
• World Junior Record: Rikako Ikee (Japan), 2017, 24.33
• World Championships Record: Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden), 2017, 23.67
• 2017 Defending World Champion: Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden), 23.69

Swedish world record holder Sarah Sjostrom led the prelims with a 24.26, two-tenths ahead of Aussie Cate Campbell and American Simone Manuel. The lead trio will be joined by respective countrywomen Michelle Coleman (SWE), Bronte Campbell (AUS), and Abbey Weitzeil (USA).

Danish defending Olympic champ Pernille Blume tied with Russian Maria Kameneva with a 24.44 to qualify 4th into semifinals. Blume will be joined by Danish teammate Julie Jensen in the semifinals as well.

Dutch sprinters Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Julie Jensen will swim side-by-side as well in semifinals. Great Britain’s Anna Hopkin, China’s Liu Xiang, and Spain’s Lidon Munoz del Campo also highlight the top 16.

Top 16- Semifinals Qualifiers

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE)- 24.26
2. Cate Campbell (AUS)- 24.40
3. Simone Manuel (USA)- 24.41
4. Pernille Blume (DEN) // Maria Kameneva (RUS)- 24.44
5. –
6. Abbey Weitzeil (USA)- 24.47
7. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED)- 24.56
8. Liu Xiang (CHN)- 24.61
9. Bronte Campbell (AUS)- 24.74
10. Femke Heemskerk (NED)- 24.80
11. Anna Hopkin (GBR)- 24.85
12. Michelle Coleman (SWE)- 24.95
13. Lidon Munoz del Campo (ESP)- 24.96
14. Katarzyna Wasick (POL)- 24.97
15. Julie Jensen (DEN)- 25.02
16. Julie Meynen (LUX)- 25.07

Men’s 50 Backstroke- Prelims

• World Record: Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia), 2018, 24.00
• World Junior Record: Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia), 2018, 24.40
• World Championships Record: Liam Tancock (Great Britain), 2009, 24.04
• 2017 Defending World Champion: Camille Lacourt (France), 24.35

20-year-olds Russian Kliment Kolesnikov (24.61) and American Michael Andrew (24.70) lead an experienced 50 back field into the semifinals. WUGs champ Zane Waddell put himself in 4th behind multi-Worlds finalist Jeremy Stravius. 100 back champ Xu Jiayu and Olympic champ Ryan Murphy also lead the semifinalists.

Mohamed Samy of Egypt set a new national record time of 24.95 to claim the 7th place seed into semifinals. Representing Team Israel in the semifinals as well are teammates Jonatan Kopelev and Michael Laitarovsky.

Top 16- Semifinals Qualifiers

1. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS)- 24.61
2. Michael Andrew (USA)- 24.70
3. Jeremy Stravius (FRA)- 24.78
4. Zane Waddell (RSA)- 24.84
5. Xu Jiayu (CHN)- 24.87
6. Ryan Murphy (USA)- 24.93
7. Mohamed Samy (EGY)- 24.95
8. Guilherme Guido (BRA)- 24.98
9. Robert Glinta (ROU) // Apostolos Christou (GRE)- 25.00
10. –
11. Shane Ryan (IRL)- 25.10
12. Jonatan Kopelev (ISR) // Mikita Tsmyh (BLR)- 25.11
13. –
14. Richard Bohus (HUN)- 25.12
15. Evgeny Rylov (RUS)- 25.16
16. Michael Laitarovsky (ISR)- 25.26

Women’s 50 Breaststroke- Prelims

• World Record: Lilly King (USA), 2017, 29.40
• World Junior Record: TARGET TIME, 2013, 29.86
• World Championships Record: Lilly King (USA), 2017, 29.40
• 2017 Defending World Champion: Lilly King (USA), 29.40

14-year-old Italian prodigy Benedetta Pilato new a new national record time with a 29.98, the first Italian woman to break 30 seconds in the event and only swimmer under the barrier in prelims. Pilato is now the 8th-fastest performer in event history. Italian teammate Martina Carraro qualified third into semifinals behind world record holder Lilly King.

Short course world champion Alia Atkinson and 2013 event world champ Yulia Efimova will join the semifinalists as well. More notable names into semifinals are Aussie Jessica Hansen and Sweden’s Sophie Hansson.

Top 16- Semifinals Qualifiers

1. Benedetta Pilato (ITA)- 29.98
2. Lilly King (USA)- 30.18
3. Martina Carraro (ITA)- 30.38
4. Alia Atkinson (JAM)- 30.53
5. Yulia Efimova (RUS)- 30.63
6. Jessica Hansen (AUS)- 30.69
7. Alina Zmushka (BLR)- 30.71
8. Ida Hulkko (FIN)- 30.72
9. Sophie Hansson (SWE)- 30.96
10. Rosey Metz (NED)- 30.99
11. Tes Schouten (NED)- 31.03
12. Anna Sztankovics (HUN)- 31.13
13. Anna Belousova (RUS) // Ran Suo (CHN)- 31.20
14. –
15. Anna Elendt (GER)- 31.24
16. Fleur Vermeiren (BEL)- 31.36

Mixed 4×100 Free Relay- Prelims

• World Record: USA, 2017, 3:19.60
• World Junior Record: Canada, 2017, 3:26.65
• World Championships Record: USA, 2017, 3:19.60
• 2017 Defending World Champion: USA, 3:19.60

All top 8 countries qualifying into this evening’s final utilized a MMFF gender relay line-up. The Americans led the way with a 3:22.70, a second ahead of the #2-seeded Aussies (3:23.77). Canada and France both swam 3:24s to swim out of lanes 3 and 6 respectively in the final.

Top 3 Countries’ Splits:

1. USA- Blake Pieroni (48.15), Nathan Adrian (47.67), Katie McLaughlin (53.96), Abbey Weitzeil (52.92)
2. Australia- Cameron McEvoy (48.69), Alexander Graham (48.40), Brianna Throssell (53.46), Madison Wilson (53.22)
3. Canada- Markus Thormeyer (48.98), Yuri Kisil (48.25), Kayla Sanchez (53.10), Maggie MacNeil (53.76)

Top 8- Finals Qualifiers

1. USA- 3:22.70
2. Australia- 3:23.77
3. Canada- 3:24.09
4. France- 3:24.27
5. Italy- 3:25.06
6. Russia- 3:25.38
7. Japan- 3:25.41
8. Netherlands- 3:27.29

Men’s 1500 Free- Prelims

• World Record: Sun Yang (China), 2012, 14:31.02
• World Junior Record: Mack Horton (Australia), 2014, 14:51.55
• World Championships Record: Sun Yang (China), 2011, 14:34.14
• 2017 Defending World Champion: Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italy), 14:35.85

Gregorio Paltrinieri is on the path to winning his 3rd-consecutive event title as he leads with a 14:45.80. The rest of the top 4, Florian Wellbrock, Mykhailo Romanchuk, and Alexander Norgaard, were all separated by two-tenths of a second. Romanchuk was the 2017 runner-up while Wellbrock took home a world title in the 10k.

Top 8- Finals Qualifiers

1. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA)- 14:45.80
2. Florian Wellbrock (GER)- 14:47.52
3. Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR)- 14:47.54
4. Alexander Norgaard (DEN)- 14:47.75
5. Henrik Christiansen (NOR)- 14:50.28
6. Domenico Acerenza (ITA)- 14:52.03
7. David Aubry (FRA)- 14:53.38
8. Sergii Frolov (UKR)- 14:55.06