2022 Short Course World Champs: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2022 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, December 13 to Sunday, December 18, 2022
• Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre, Melbourne, Australia
• SCM (25m)
• Prize Money
• Meet Site
• Meet Schedule
• How To Watch
• Meet Roster Index
• Psych Sheets (Updated)
• Live Results

Day 4 Finals Heat Sheets

The fourth finals session of the 2022 SC World Champs will feature finals of the mixed 4×50 free relay, 200 breaststrokes, 50 backstrokes, 100 IMs, and the men’s 4×200 free relay. There will also be timed finals of the women’s 1500 free, as well as semifinals of the 50 freestyles.

Australia’s Lani Pallister is looking to complete a sweep of the women’s distance events with a win in the women’s 1500 free tonight. Pallister already won the 400 free and 800 free earlier in the meet and enters the 1500 free tonight as the top seed by 26 seconds.

The final of the men’s 100 IM is set to be a very tight race, as first through eighth in semifinals last night were separated by just 0.57 seconds.

Claire Curzan is swimming the women’s 50 back final and 50 free semifinal back-to-back tonight. Curzan is the top seed for the 50 back final and will be chasing her first individual gold medal in that event. She will be helped by an awards ceremony for the women’s 200 breast, which will take place after the men’s 50 back final and before the first heat of the women’s 50 back semifinal, which Curzan is set to compete in.

After swimming a 2:16.52 in prelims this morning, Kate Douglass comes into tonight’s final of the women’s 200 breast as the top seed by over two seconds. She was also just two seconds off the World Record this morning, which truthfully makes it feel likely she’ll break that record tonight.

MIXED 4×50 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS

• World Record: 1:27.89 – United States, 2018 time – name (CAN), year
• Championship Record: 1:27.89 – United States, 2018
• 2021 Champion: 1:28.55 – Canada

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: France – 1:27.33 (World Record)
2. SILVER: Australia – 1:28.03
3. BRONZE: Netherlands – 1:28.53
4. United States – 1:29.18
5. Japan – 1:30.05
6. China – 1:30.18
7. New Zealand – 1:30.38
8. Brazil – 1:32.17

France was spectacular in the mixed 4×50 free relay tonight, winning the race decisively and smashing the World Record by 0.55 seconds. Maxime Grousset led the team off in 20.92 and was followed by Florent Manaudou in a field-leading 20.26, then Beryl Gastaldello and Melanie Henique with splits of 23.00 and 23.15 respectively.

Australia’s Emma McKeon was phenomenal on the anchor of the Australian relay, throwing down a 22.62 split.

Netherlands picked up the bronze medal, fueled in large part by a 20.61 split from Thom de Boer.

The United States finished just off the podium, swimming a 1:29.18.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 2:14.57 – Rebecca Soni (USA), 2009
• World Junior Record: 2:16.88 – Evgeniia Chikunova (RUS), 2021
• Championship Record: 2:16.08 – Rikke Pedersen (DEN), 2012
• 2021 Champion: 2:17.85 – Emily Escobedo (USA)

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Kate Douglass (United States) – 2:15.77 (Championship Record)
2. SILVER: Lilly King (United States) – 2:17.13
3. BRONZE: Tes Schouten (Netherlands) – 2:18.19
4. Jenna Strauch (Australia) – 2:18.87
5. Tang Qianting (China) – 2:19.28
6. Sydney Pickrem (Canada) – 2:19.35
7. Thea Blomsterberg (Denmark) – 2:20.14
8. Abbie Wood (Great Britain) – 2:21.48

Kate Douglass improved on her prelims time, dipping under 2:16 to win gold in a 2:15.77. The swim also takes down the Championship Record in the event, bringing that mark under 2:16 as well. Douglass sat in second behind American teammate Lilly King through the halfway mark in the race, then pulled into the lead. She would expand her lead over King, and the rest of the field, through the back half of the race, swimming particularly well on the final 50, where she split 35.12.

King was in the lead through the first 100m of the race, though it was by a razor-thin margin over Douglass. The main difference between the two was really in the final 50, where King was 36.13.

Netherlands’ Tes Schouten continues to have an excellent meet in Melbourne, grabbing the bronze medal with a 2:18.19. The swim marks a personal best for Schouten, as well as a new Dutch Record in the event. That comes on the heels of Schouten winning silver in the 100 breast last night, also breaking the Dutch Record there as well.

Australia’s Jenna Strauch finished just off the podium, clocking a 2:18.87. Strauch just didn’t have the same opening speed as the medalists, turning at the 100m mark well over a second behind Douglass, King, and Schouten.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 2:00.16 – Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 2018
• World Junior Record: 2:03.23 – Akihiro Yamaguchi (JPN), 2012
• Championship Record: 2:00.16 – Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 2018
• 2021 Champion: 2:02.28 – Nic Fink (USA)

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Daiya Seto (Japan) – 2:00.35
2. SILVER: Nic Fink (United States) – 2:01.60
3. BRONZE: Qin Haiyang (China) – 2:02.22
4. Ippei Watanabe (Japan) – 2:02.53
5. Erik Persson (Sweden) – 2:03.19
6. Antoine Viquerat (France) – 2:03.33
7. Marco Koch (Germany) – 2:05.01
8. Caio Pumputis (Brazil) – DQ

Daiya Seto was on fire tonight in the men’s 200 breast final, swimming a 2:00.35 to touch just 0.19 seconds off the World Record. He didn’t actually move into the lead until the 100m mark, where he turned just 0.03 seconds ahead of China’s Qin Haiyang. Seto then turned the jets on, splitting 1:01.91 on the second 100 after splitting 58.44 on the opening 100. Seto’s performance marks a new Asian Record in the event.

Nic Fink set a new American Record tonight, earning a silver medal with a 2:01.60. Fink was in fourth at the halfway point, but put together a great back half to move in the second place.

China’s Qin Haiyang swam a 2:02.22 to pick up a bronze medal. Haiyang was out with Seto on the front half of the race, but just didn’t have the same staying power Seto did.

Japan’s Ippei Watanabe narrowly missed out on winning another medal for Japan, taking fourth in 2:02.53.

Brazil’s Caio Pumputis was disqualified.

WOMEN’S 50M BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 25.27 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 2021
• World Junior Record: 26.13 – Olivia Smoliga, USA (2012)
• Championship Record: 25.27 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 2021
• 2021 Champion: 25.27 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN)

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Maggie MacNeil (Canada) – 25.25 (World Record)
2. SILVER: Claire Curzan (United States) – 25.54
3. BRONZE: Mollie O’Callaghan (Australia) – 25.61
4. Kylie Masse (Canada) – 25.81
5. Louise Hansson (Sweden) – 26.00
6. Hanna Rosvall (Sweden) – 26.05
7. Julie Jensen (Denmark) – 26.14
8. Maaike de Waard (Netherlands) – 26.16

Maggie MacNeil got the job done, winning the women’s 50 back decisively and breaking her own World Record in the process. MacNeil was nothing short of exceptional on the first 25m of the race, splitting 0.22 seconds faster than anyone else in the field. She was also the fastest in the field on the second 25m, leaving no doubt who would be standing at the top of the podium.

Claire Curzan, in her first of two individual races tonight, won silver in a new personal best of 25.54. That swim marks a new American Record in the event. Curzan has a very quick turnaround coming, as she only has the men’s 50 back final and women’s 200 breast awards ceremony before she races in the women’s 50 free semifinal.

Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan won her second backstroke medal of the meet, swimming a 25.61 for third. It was a phenomenal performance from O’Callaghan, establishing a new persona best, as well as a new Oceanic Record.

Canadian star backstroker Kylie Masse touched just off the podium, swimming a 25.81 for fourth place.

MEN’S 50M BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 22.11 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2022)
• World Junior Record: 22.52 – Isaac Cooper, AUS (2022)
• Championship Record: 22.22 – Florent Manaudou, FRA (2014)
• 2021 Champion: 22.66 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Ryan Murphy (United States) – 22.64
2. SILVER: Isaac Cooper (Australia) – 22.73
3. BRONZE: Kacper Stokowski (Poland) – 22.74
4. Lorenzo Mora (Italy) – 22.81
5. Pieter Coetze (South Africa) – 22.84
6. Apostolos Christou (Greece) – 23.10
7. Dylan Carter (Trinidad & Tobago) – 23.12
8. Marek Ulrich (Germany) – 23.37

There was some sort of an issue with the start of the men’s 50 back, resulting in a false start being called. Currently it seems that a re-swim of the men’s 50 back final has been scheduled for after the men’s 100 IM later this session.

After the debacle in the men’s 50 back final tonight, it’s not that surprising it didn’t end up being as fast as it probably could have. Nonetheless, Ryan Murphy won another gold medal, swimming a 22.64. That’s well off the 22.37 he swam leading of the American mixed 4×50 medley relay two nights ago, but was still a solid swim for the veteran. Additionally, Murphy is now two-thirds of the way towards sweeping the men’s backstroke events in Melbourne.

Australian 18-year-old Isaac Cooper swam a 22.73 for silver tonight. Cooper was a bit off his World Junior Record performance of 22.52, which he swam in semifinals last night.

Kacper Stokowski swam a 22.74 for bronze.

Lorenzo Mora, who led off Italy’s mixed 4×50 medley relay in 22.59 two nights ago, finished just off the medal stand with a 22.81 for fourth tonight.

Pieter Coetze took fifth in 22.84, setting a new African Record in the event.

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – FREESTYLE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 22.93 – Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 2017
• World Junior Record: 23.69 – Anastasiya Shkurdai (BLR), 2020
• Championship Record: 23.08 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2021 checked
• 2021 Champion: 23.08 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Katarzyna Wasick (Poland) – 23.37
2. Emma McKeon (Australia) – 23.51
3. Michelle Coleman (Sweden) -23.77
4. Anna Hopkin (Great Britain) – 23.79
5. Julie Jensen (Denmark) – 23.93
6. Meg Harris (Australia) – 23.97
7. Erika Brown (United States) – 24.00 (Tie)
8. Melanie Henique (France) – 24.00 (Tie)

Katarzyna Wasick was great tonight in semifinals, swimming a 23.37 to lead the field comfortably into the final. Wasick was 0.27 seconds off her personal best of 23.10, which she swam earlier this fall at the World Cup.

This should be a heck of a race tomorrow night, as Australia’s Emma Mckeon will be right next to Wasick. McKeon was 23.51 tonight, which may seem to indicate the edge should go to Wasick in the final, however, McKeon has already split 22.7 and 22.6 on relays this week in Melbourne. Taking that into account, it seems McKeon hasn’t fully shown her hand yet in the individual race through the first two phases.

Erika Brown and Melanie Henique are both probably breathing sighs of relief, as they narrowly avoided having to go to a swim-off. The pair tied for seventh this evening at 24.00, taking the final two spots for the final tomorrow night.

Claire Curzan wasn’t quite able to get the job done in her very tight double. After earning a silver medal in the 50 back in the previous women’s event, Curzan swam a 24.22, finishing 12th. It wasn’t a poor swim for Curzan by any means, as she was just 0.05 seconds slower than her prelims time from this morning.

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 20.16 – Caeleb Dressel (USA), 2020
• World Junior Record: 20.98 – Kenzo Simons (NED), 2019
• Championship Record: 20.26 – Florent Manaudou (FRA), 2014
• 2021 Champion: 20.45 – Benjamin Proud (GBR)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Jordan Crooks (Cayman Islands) – 20.31
2. Ben Proud (Great Britain) – 20.76
3. Szebasztian Szabo (Hungary) – 20.83
4. Kyle Chalmers (Australia) – 20.91
5. Lewis Burras (Great Britain) – 20.94 (Tie)
6. Dylan Carter (Trinidad & Tobago) – 20.94 (Tie)
7. Florent Manaudou (France) – 20.95
8. Maxime Grousset (France) – 20.97

Jordan Crooks was nothing short of spectacular in this semifinal, leading the field by a stunning 0.45 seconds, a margin that is truly shocking in a 50 free at this level. Crooks set a new personal best with his 20.31 tonight, taking 0.05 seconds off his previous mark and setting a new Cayman Islands record. It would have seemed far-fetched yesterday, but we know have to wonder if Crooks will make a run at Caeleb Dressel‘s World Record of 20.16 tomorrow night. Also, Crooks’ performance here tonight should be exciting for those of you who are NCAA swimming fans.

Ben Proud was second with a 20.76, putting himself in the middle of the pool for tomorrow’s final.

Never to be overlooked, Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, who already won the men’s 100 free in Championship Record fashion, was fourth this evening, swimming a 20.91.

After their phenomenal performances on the mixed 4×50 free relay at the beginning of the session, France’s Florent Manaudou and Maxime Grousset narrowly made it through to the final in the individual race, finishing seventh and eighth tonight.

WOMEN’S 100M IM – FINALS

• World Record: 56.51 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2017)
• World Junior Record: 57.59 – Anastasia Shkurdai, BLR (2020)
• Championship Record: 56.70 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2014)
• 2021 Champion: 57.80 – Anastasia Gorbenko, ISR

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Marrit Steenbergen (Netherlands) – 57.53
2. SILVER: Beryl Gastaldello (France) – 57.63
3. BRONZE: Louise Hansson (Sweden) – 57.68
4. Sydney Pickrem (Canada) – 58.26
5. Helena Bach New Zealand) – 58.40
6. Rebecaa Meder (South Africa) – 58.46
7. Lena Kreundl (Austria) – 58.79
8. Mary-Sohpie Harvey (Canada) – 59.11

Marrit Steenbergen got the job done again in finals, speeding to a 57.53 for the gold medal. Like yesterday, Steenbergen’s strength lied in the back half. We know Steenbergen is a tremendous freestyler, which she was again tonight, splitting a 14.00 for the fastest free split in the field. However, Steenbergen was shockingly great on the breaststroke lenght once again, splitting a 17.23, which was the second-fastest breast split in the field.

Beryl Gastaldello improved greatly on her semifinals performance, taking the race out fast. She turned with the lead at the 50m mark, but the second-slowest breast split in the field ended up proving to be the difference.

Louise Hansson also improved considerably over semifinals, winning bronze in 57.68.

Rebecca Meder took sixth tonight with a 58.46, setting a new African Record in the process.

MEN’S 100M IM – FINALS

• World Record: 49.28 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Junior Record: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• Championship Record: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 51.09 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Thomas Ceccon (Italy) – 50.97
2. SILVER: Javier Acevedo (Canada) – 51.05
3. BRONZE: Finlay Knox (Canada) – 51.10
4. Shaine Casas (United States) – 51.36
5. Michael Andrew (United States) – 51.47
6. Andreas Vazaios (Greece) – 51.80
7. Bernhard Reitshammer (Austria) – 52.01
8. Carles Coll Marti (Spain) – 52.36

After leading semifinals last night, Americans Michael Andrew and Shaine Casas essentially matched their semifinals times, while Thomas Ceccon, Javier Acevedo, and Finlay Knox all went much faster tonight than last.

Ceccon won the race in 50.97, getting out to a massive lead with a scorching 22.77 on the first 50 of the race. His breast split wasn’t great, but it didn’t matter, as he had already built a big lead and he closed very fast on freestyle. Ceccon finished just 0.02 seconds over the Italian Record.

Javier Acevedo and Finlay Knox were excellent for Canada. Acevedo used a field-leading 14.84 split on breaststroke to pull into second. With his performance, Acevedo set a new Canadian Record in the event. Notably, Knox’s 51.10 tonight was also under the previous Canadian Record.

Casas and Andrew were fourth and fifth respectively.

WOMEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – TIMED FINALS

• World Record: 15:08.24 – Katie Ledecky (USA), 2022
• World Junior Record: 15:42.05 – Katie Grimes (USA), 2022
• Championship Record: N/A
• 2021 Champion: N/A

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Lani Pallister (Australia) – 15:21.43
2. SILVER: Miyu Namba (Japan) – 15:46.76
3. BRONZE: Kensey McMahon (United States) – 15:49.15
4. Zhang Ke (China) – 15:51.64
5. Caitlin Deans (New Zealand) – 15:51.98
6. Deniz Ertan (Turkey) – 15:53.73
7. Merve Tuncel (Turkey) – 15:58.05
8. Jillian Cox (United States) – 16:09.72

In a field missing American superstar Katie Ledecky, Australia’s Lani Pallister took her place, dominating the women’s 1500 free tonight. She swam a 15:21.43 to win by a whopping 25 seconds, nearly lapping runner-up Miyu Namba. With the performance, Pallister also completed her sweep of the women’s distance events here in Melbourne.

Additionally, the swim marks a new personal best for Pallister, as well as a new Oceanic Record. Pallister took the race out hard, splitting 5:02.79 on the first 500m, which is on pace for a 15:08.37.

Japan’s Miyu Namba, who, like Pallister, is 20 years old, came in second with a 15:46.76. Her 15:46.76 marks a new Asian Record in the event. She was fantastic with her splitting, going 5:14.10 on the first 500m, 5:17.92 on the second 500m, and 5:14.74 on the final 500m.

American Kensey McMahon, who swam in the early heats today, ended up winning the bronze medal with a 15:49.15.

MEN’S 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS

• World Record: 6:46.81 – Brazil, 2018
• Championship Record: 6:46.81 – Brazil, 2018
• 2021 Champion: 6:47.00 – United States

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: United States – 6:44.12 (World Record)
2. SILVER: Australia – 6:46.54
3. BRONZE: Italy – 6:49.63
4. South Korea – 6:49.67
5. Japan – 6:52.04
6. Spain – 6:53.13
7. Canada – 6:56.02
8. Bulgaria – 6:59.12

The United States closed out the session with a somewhat surprising World Record in the men’s 4×200 free relay. It’s not that this group wouldn’t have been thought to be capable of setting a WR, it’s a great lineup for the Americans. Even so, shattering the World Record by nearly three seconds is pretty shocking.

Kieran Smith was excellent on the lead-off, splitting 1:41.04 to get his team off to a great start. Carson Foster then dove in for a blistering 1:40.48 on the second leg. Trenton Julian clocked a 1:41.44, and Drew Kibler anchored in 1:41.16, touching first by well over two seconds.

Though they were well behind the U.S., Australia also came in under the previous World Record. Either way, their 6:46.54 marks a new Oceanic Record. Thomas Neill led off in 1:41.50, then Kyle Chalmers threw down a 1:40.35, marking the fastest split in the field. That bodes well for Chalmers’ individual 200 free later. Flynn Southam went third for Australia, splitting 1:41.50, and Mack Horton anchored in 1:43.19.

The most impressive swim of the race was probably South Korea’s Hwang Sunwoo leading off in a new South Korean Record of 1:40.99. He was the fastest lead-off split in the field, building a lot of momentum for the individual 200 free later.