2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships: Day 8 Prelims Live 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 eighth and final preliminary session of the 2019 FINA World Championships will feature the men’s and women’s 400 IM, as well as the 4 x 100 medley relays.

Men’s 400 IM – Prelims

• World Record: 4:03.84, Michael Phelps (USA), 2008
• World Championship Record: 4:05.90, Chase Kalisz (USA), 2017
• World Junior Record: 4:14.00, Sean Grieshop (USA), 2016
• Defending 2017 World Champion: Chase Kalisz (USA), 4:05.90

Top 8 – Finals Qualifiers

1. Daiya Seto (JPN) – 4:12.27
2. Arjan Nipping (NED) – 4:13.46
3. Jay Litherland (USA) – 4:13.78
4. Max Litchfield (GBR) – 4:14.35
5. Lewis Clareburt (NZL) – 4:14.56
6. Maksym Shemberev (AZE) – 4:14.62
7. Jonallu Pons (ESP) – 4:15.14
8. Phillip Heintz (GER) – 4:15.24

Daiya Seto took his race out speedily in the second to last of the circle seeded heats, putting a considerable distance between him and the rest of the field. He was on pace for a sub 4:10 swim through the breast, but he eased off the gas on the free leg, cruising to a 4:12.27 to take the top seed heading into finals. He’ll look to earn his third world title in the event later tonight.

Netherland’s Arjan Nipping had a monster back-half to win the final circle seeded heat from an outside lane, charging past the back-half American kings in Jay Litherland and Chase Kalisz to finish second overall in the heats with a 4:13.46. Litherland still managed to notch a third place seed going into the finals, clocking a 4:13.78

Defending world champion Chase Kalisz faded hard in the final 50, eventually touching sixth place in the heat to finish tenth overall with his final time of 4:15.62.

Maksym Shemberev became Azerbaijan’s first-ever world championship finalist with his 4:14.62 preliminary time; he’ll head into the final heat as the sixth seed tonight.

Women’s 400 IM – Prelims

• World Record: 4:26.36, Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2016
• World Championship Record: 4:29.33, Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2017
• World Junior Record: 4:35.69, Zhou Min (CHN), 2014
• Defending 2017 World Champion: 4:29.33, Katinka Hosszu (HUN)

Top 8 – Finals Qualifiers

1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 4:35.40
2. Yui Ohashi (JPN) – 4:37.23
3. Ye Shiwen (CHN) – 4:37.66
4. Emily Overholt (CAN) – 4:37.90
5. Ally McHugh (USA) – 4:38.32
6. Fantine Lesaffre (FRA) – 4:38.40
7. Sydney Pickrem (CAN) – 4:38.59
8. Zsuzanna Jakobos (HUN) – 4:38.93

Despite an uncharacteristically low finish in the 200 back final, “Iron Lady” Katinka Hosszu looked strong in the 400 IM, despite having to give chase to a flying Emily Overholt after the first 100. Hosszu powered her way through the rest of the race in total control, hitting the pad for a preliminary time of 4:35.40 to qualify first going into the championship heat.

In the same heat, China’s Ye Shiwen, who finished second to Hosszu in the 200 IM earlier in the meet, narrowly held off a charging Overholt to finish third and fourth overall in the preliminary heats with times of 4:37.66 and 4:37.90. Ally McHugh will be the lone red, white and blue representative in the final heat – she notched a fifth seed going into finals after posting a 4:38.32.

Yui Ohashi put on a commanding showing in the previous heat, getting her hand on the wall first in a time of 4:37.23 to be seeded right under Hosszu going into tonight’s final.

Men’s 4 x 100 Medley Relay – Prelims

• World Record: 3:27.28, USA (Peirsol, Shanteau, Phelps, Walters), 2009
• World Championship Record: 3:27.28, USA (Peirsol, Shanteau, Phelps, Walters), 2009
• World Junior Record: 3:35.17, Russia (Kolesnikov, Gerasimenko, Minakov, Markov), 2018
• Defending World Champion: USA (Grevers, Cordes, Dressel, Adrian), 3:27.91

Top 8 – Finals Qualifiers

1. Russia – 3:30.72
2. USA – 3:31.93
3. Japan – 3:32.34
4. Great Britain – 3:32.35
5. Australia – 3:32.50
6. Brazil – 3:32.58
7. China – 3:33.42
8. Germany – 3:34.02

Russia looked absolutely dominant in the first circle-seeded heat – even in the absence of Evgeny Rylov and Andrei Mikanov, the fastest and second-fastest 100 backstroker and 100 butterflier of the meet, respectively. They qualified first overall with a final time of 3:30.72.

The USA men got the job done with Matt Grevers, Michael Andrew, Jack Conger and Zach Apple to win the final heat and notch the second seed for tonight, stopping the clock at 3:31.93. A Peaty-less Great Britain relay will undoubtedly have room to move up in the finals; Australia should be in the mix tonight as well.

Top Three Teams’ Splits:

1. Russia – Kliment Kolesnikov (53.75), Anton Chupkov (58.90), Mikhail Vekovischev (50.87), Vladislav Grinev (47.20)
2. USA – Matt Grevers (52.89), Michael Andrew (59.75), Jack Conger (51.70), Zach Apple (47.59)
3. Japan – Ryosuke Irie (53.83), Yasuhiro Koseki (58.66), Naoki Mizunuma (51.76), Katsumi Nakamura (48.09)

Women’s 4 x 100 Medley Relay – Prelims

• World Record: 3:51.55, USA (Baker, King, Dahlia, Manuel), 2017
• World Championship Record: 3:51.55, USA (Baker, King, Dahlia, Manuel), 2017
• World Junior Record: 3:58.38, Canada (Hannah, Knelson, Oleksiak, Ruck), 2017
• Defending 2017 World Champion: USA (Baker, King, Dahlia, Manuel), 3:51.55

Top 8 – Finals Qualifiers

1. USA – 3:55.39
2. Australia – 3:58.19
3. Italy – 3:58.35
4. Canada – 3:58.63
5. China – 3:59.26
6. Sweden – 3:59.40
7. Great Britain – 3:59.74
8. Japan – 3:59.87

Olivia Smoliga made a statement in the first circle-seeded heat, bringing the United States to a solid lead after the first leg with a blistering 58.79 lead-off – the fastest in the field. Melanie Margalis, Katie McLaughlin, and Mallory Comerford held down the fort and then some to easily take the top seed going into tonight with a final time of 3:55.39. Margalis’s 1:06.40 breast split and McLaughlin’s 57.15 fly split were also the fastest in the field.

Australia had a strong showing fueled by 200 backstroke specialist Kaylee McKeown‘s 59.44 lead-off leg, but there’s no question they have plenty of room to drop more tonight. Kylie Masse split a 58.98 to lead off Canada’s relay; they qualified fourth for finals with a 3:58.63 without the newly-minted defending world champion in the 100 fly Maggie MacNeil.

Top Three Teams’ Splits:

1. USA – Olivia Smoliga (58.79), Melanie Margalis (1:06.40), Katie McLaughlin (57.15), Mallory Comerford (53.05)
2. Australia – Kaylee McKeown (59.44), Jessica Hansen (1:06.99), Brianna Throssell (58.29), Maddie Wilson (53.48)
3. Italy – Margherita Panziera (1:00.56), Arianna Castiglioni (1:06.68), Ilaria Bianchi (57.54), Federica Pellegrini (53.57)