2022 World Championships: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• June 18-25, 2022 (pool swimming)
• Budapest, Hungary
• Duna Arena
• LCM (50-meter format)
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• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap
• Day 1 Finals Heat Sheet

After a lightning-quick opening morning of prelims, the first finals session from the 2022 World Championships has arrived.

With the men’s 400 IM being moved up from the last day to the first day for this year’s edition, we’ll have five medal events during Day 1 finals rather than the usual four.

Swimmers will vie for a spot on the podium in the men’s 400 free and 400 IM, the women’s 400 free, and then both the men’s and women’s 400 free relays.

• See the Day 1 finals heat sheet here.

The highlight of the heats was arguably the blistering splits we saw in the men’s 400 free relay, as there were a total of 15 sub-48 legs, including three from the top-seeded Americans. This immediately put the U.S. camp in an interesting situation regarding lineup decisions, with Drew Kibler being left off the prelim relay and Ryan Held (47.11), Justin Ress (47.57) and Brooks Curry (47.76) all putting up splits that would normally earn them a spot in the final.

As it turns out, Kibler was left off the finals relay and all three will join Caeleb Dressel tonight.

Update: Kibler didn’t swim due to COVID-19 protocols.

We also saw four men crack 23 in the 50 fly, led by Dylan Carter (22.87), while one of the pre-race favorites, Nicholas Santos, was a bit off and finds himself out in Lane 1 of the second semi after clocking 23.46.

In the women’s 200 IM, American Alex Walsh picked up the top seed in 2:09.41, while her teammate Leah Hayes qualified second in 2:09.81 to break her 15-16 National Age Group Record.

In the individual finals, Felix Auboeck comes in with the top seed in the men’s 400 free, a spot he also held in 2017 before placing fifth in the final. The most notable miss this morning was Australian Mack Horton, locked out of the final in ninth (3:46.57).

In the women’s 400 free it was all Katie Ledecky in the prelims, adding another sub-4:00 to her list in 3:59.79. Canada’s Summer McIntosh sits second in 4:03.19, while China’s Li Bingjie, the Olympic bronze medalist last year, was off the pace and finished back in 10th in 4:08.25.

The projected top four had strong showings in the men’s 400 IM heats, led by Leon Marchand, who broke his French Record in 4:09.09. Carson Foster had an impressive LC Worlds debut in 4:09.60, and Chase Kalisz sits third at 4:10.32 (all three were in the same heat) and qualifies for the final after missing in 2019.

Daiya Seto, the defending champion who has won this event at three of last four World Championships, won the final heat to qualify fourth as he appears to be on significantly better form than he was at the 2021 Olympics.

The Aussie women and American men were the big favorites in the 400 free relays coming in, and things didn’t change much in the prelims. Australia, keeping their big guns in the holster, still had a 52.9 lead-off from Madi Wilson and a 52.98 leg from Meg Harris.

Men’s 400 Free – Final

• World Record: 3:40.07, Paul Biedermann (GER) – 2009 World Championships
• Championship Record: 3:40.07, Paul Biedermann (GER) – 2009 World Championships
• 2021 Olympic Champion: Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN), 3:43.36
• 2019 World Champion: Sun Yang (CHN), 3:42.44

1. Elijah Winnington (AUS), 3:41.22
2. Lukas Märtens (GER), 3:42.85
3. Guilherme Costa (BRA), 3:43.31
4. Felix Auboeck (AUT), 3:43.58
5. Marco de Tullio (ITA), 3:44.14
6. Kim Woomin (KOR), 3:45.64
7. Kieran Smith (USA), 3:46.43
8. Trey Freeman (USA), 3:46.53

The men’s 400 freestyle was everything we could’ve asked for, as the fastest swimmers in the world over the past two years when head-to-head in an epic showdown.

Australian Elijah Winnington got out to a fast start, was overtaken by Germany’s Lukas Märtens on the fifth 50, and then roared home in 26.50 to solidify the victory in a time of 3:41.22.

The swim for Winnington improves his previous best of 3:42.65, set at the 2021 Olympic Trials, and moves him up into #5 on the all-time performers’ list (#3 in a textile suit).

All-Time Performers, Men’s 400 Freestyle (LCM)

1. Paul Biedermann (GER), 3:40.07 – 2009
2. Ian Thorpe (AUS), 3:40.08 – 2002
3. Sun Yang (CHN), 3:40.14 – 2012
4. Oussama Mellouli (TUN), 3:41.11 – 2009
5. Elijah Winnington (AUS), 3:41.22 – 2022

The victory was also Australia’s first since the nation won five straight titles from 1994 until 2005. Additionally, it’s the first time an Asian nation doesn’t win the 400 free since 2009, with China’s Sun Yang having won the last four and South Korean Park Tae Hwan earning the victory in 2011.

Märtens, who came as the fastest swimmer in the world this year at 3:41.60, might’ve made his move a little too early as he had no response when Winnington exploded off the last turn. However, the German held on for silver in 3:42.85, fending off another South American Record for Brazilian Guilherme Costa (3:43.31), who picked up bronze.

Felix Auboeck, the top seed out of the prelims in an Austrian Record of 3:43.83, re-lowered that time down to 3:43.58 to take fourth.

The top three swimmers were all faster than the time it took to win Olympic gold last year (3:43.36).

Women’s 100 Fly – Semi-finals

• World Record: 55.48, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2016 Olympic Games
• Championship Record: 55.53, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2017 World Championships
• 2021 Olympic Champion: Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 55.59
• 2019 World Champion: Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 55.83

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Torri Huske (USA), 56.29
2. Marie Wattel (FRA), 56.80
3. Claire Curzan (USA), 56.93
4. Brianna Throssell (AUS), 56.96
5. Louise Hansson (SWE), 56.97
6. Zhang Yufei (CHN), 57.03
7. Lana Pudar (BIH), 57.67
8. Farida Osman (EGY), 57.91

American Torri Huske looked strong en route to claiming the top seed into the final of the women’s 100 butterfly, dominating the second semi in a time of 56.29.

Huske was the only swimmer in the field out sub-26, turning in 25.82, and will be the swimmer to beat on Sunday as she holds more than a half-second gap on the next-fastest swimmer.

France’s Marie Wattel (56.80) and American Claire Curzan (56.93) both put up 56-highs to go 1-2 in the first semi, while Aussie Brianna Throssell broke 57 seconds for the first time in 56.93 to qualify fourth.

The most notable thing coming out of this event is the form of China’s Zhang Yufei, who appeared a bit off form and only qualified sixth in 57.03. Zhang is the third-fastest swimmer in history with her Asian Record of 55.62, set in September 2020.

Overall this event has been significantly slower than it was at the Tokyo Olympics, which isn’t a huge surprise given that we’re missing half of last year’s final. Last summer it took 57.19 to make the final, 57.91 this year.

Men’s 50 fly – Semi-finals

• World Record: 22.27, Andrii Govorov (UKR) – 2018 Sette Colli Trophy
• Championship Record: 22.35, Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 2019 World Championships
• 2019 World Champion: Caeleb Dressel (USA), 22.35

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Ben Proud (GBR), 22.76
2. Caeleb Dressel (USA) / Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 22.79
3. –
4. Michael Andrew (USA), 22.87
5. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN), 22.91
6. Dylan Carter (TTO), 22.98
7. Tzen Wei Teong (SGP), 23.03
8. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 23.04

British sprinting star Ben Proud appears to be on excellent form here in Budapest, blasting his way to the top seed for tomorrow’s final in the men’s 50 fly in a time of 22.76.

The swim falls just .01 shy of Proud’s PB and British Record of 22.75, set back at the 2017 World Championships when he won the gold medal.

Proud will go head-to-head tomorrow night with the reigning world champion, Caeleb Dressel, who topped the opening semi in a time of 22.79.

Dressel finished tied for second overall with Thomas Ceccon, who broke his Italian Record for the second time today after clocking 22.88 in the prelims.

American Michael Andrew (22.87), Hungarian Szebasztian Szabo (22.91) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Dylan Carter (22.98) also cracked 23 seconds, with Carter having qualified first this morning in a best time and National Record of 22.87.

42-year-old Nicholas Santos, the fourth-fastest swimmer in history and winner of three straight medals in this event at the World Championships, narrowly squeaked into the final in eighth at 23.04.

Women’s 400 free – Final

• World Record: 3:56.40, Ariarne Titmus (AUS) – 2022 Australian Championships
• Championship Record: 3:58.34, Katie Ledecky (USA) – 2017 World Championships
• 2021 Olympic Champion: Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 3:56.69
• 2019 World Champion: Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 3:58.76

1. Katie Ledecky (USA), 3:58.15 CR
2. Summer McIntosh (CAN), 3:59.39
3. Leah Smith (USA), 4:02.08
4. Lani Pallister (AUS), 4:02.16
5. Isabel Gose (GER), 4:03.47
6. Erika Fairweather (NZL), 4:04.73
7. Kiah Melverton (AUS), 4:05.62
8. Tang Muhan (CHN), 4:10.70

Katie Ledecky reclaims the World Championship title she lost three years ago in the women’s 400 freestyle, getting out to an early lead before holding Summer McIntosh at bay and touching first in a time of 3:58.15.

The time for Ledecky breaks her previous Championship Record of 3:58.34, set in 2017, though it falls well shy of the world record set by Australian Ariarne Titmus (3:56.40) last month. Titmus opted not to compete here in Budapest.

McIntosh, just 15, had an unbelievable performance, nearly matching Ledecky over the back-half (Ledecky closed in 2:01.04, McIntosh 2:01.36) to become the fourth swimmer in history under four minutes in 3:59.39.

McIntosh also smashes her Canadian Record of 4:01.59 by more than two seconds, and joins Titmus and Ledecky as the only women sub-4:00 in a textile suit.

American Leah Smith, who missed the U.S. Olympic team last year, gutted out a bronze-medal-worthy swim in 4:02.08, narrowly edging out Australian Lani Pallister (4:02.16). The two were neck-and-neck over the final 150 meters of the race.

Smith’s bronze gives her three straight medals in this event, having won silver in 2017 and bronze in 2019. Pallister’s time inches past her PB set last month of 4:02.21.

Men’s 100 breast – Semi-finals

• World Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019 World Championships
• Championship Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019 World Championships
• 2021 Olympic Champion: Adam Peaty (GBR), 57.37
• 2019 World Champion: Adam Peaty (GBR), 57.14

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA), 58.46
2. Nic Fink (USA), 58.55
3. Arno Kamminga (NED), 58.89
4. James Wilby (GBR), 59.23
5. Yan Zibei (CHN), 59.34
6. Lucas Matzerath (GER), 59.35
7. Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS), 59.51
8. Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU), 59.52

Italian Nicolo Martinenghi and American Nic Fink battled head-to-head in the first semi of the men’s 100 breaststroke, with Martinenghi using a sizzling closing 50 of 30.77 to establish the top time of the session in 58.46.

Martinenghi, the Olympic bronze medalist last year, owns a best time of 58.28, set in the Tokyo semis.

Fink touched in 58.55 to near his lifetime best set in April (58.37), qualifying second for the final.

Dutchman Arno Kamminga was the only other swimmer in the field to break 59 seconds, winning the second semi in a relaxed 58.89. Kamminga is the second-fastest swimmer in history behind only Adam Peaty, the reigning three-time world champion who is not competing here due to injury.

The second American, Michael Andrew, was 58.9 in the prelims but was way off in 59.63, missing the final in ninth overall. Andrew swam the 50 fly semis earlier in the session. He is the third-fastest performer in history with a best of 58.14, and came into the meet ranked second in the world after clocking 58.51 at U.S. Trials in April.

Women’s 200 IM – Semi-finals

• World Record: 2:06.12, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2015 World Championships
• Championship Record: 2:06.12, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2015 World Championships
• 2021 Olympic Champion: Yui Ohashi (JPN), 2:08.52
• 2019 World Champion: Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:07.53

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Alex Walsh (USA), 2:08.74
2. Leah Hayes (USA), 2:09.82
3. Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2:10.17
4. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN), 2:10.22
5. Kim Seoyeong (KOR), 2:10.47
6. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR), 2:10.54
7. Rika Omoto (JPN), 2:10.65
8. Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:10.72

Alex Walsh looked smooth as ever in establishing the top time of the session in the women’s 200 IM by over a second, clocking 2:08.74 as she cruised to the finish after opening up a big lead on the front half.

Walsh, 20, set a personal best of 2:07.84 at the U.S. Trials in April.

The Americans will have the middle lanes in tomorrow’s final, as Walsh’s teammate Leah Hayes topped the opening semi in 2:09.82, .01 shy of the 15-16 U.S. NAG she set in the prelims. Canadian Mary-Sophie Harvey hit a best time of 2:10.22 to advance fourth from the same heat.

Trailing Walsh in the second heat, a mad dash to the wall saw Australian Kaylee McKeown (2:10.17) inch out Korea’s Kim Seoyeong (2:10.47), Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko (2:10.54) and Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu (2:10.72), all of whom advance to the final.

Hosszu has won the last four world titles in this event, but fell to seventh last year at the Olympics.

Japan’s Yui Ohashi, the Olympic champion last year, was way off form and misses the final in 12th (2:12.05). Also missing were fellow Olympic finalists Sydney Pickrem (2:11.28) and Abbie Wood (2:11.31).

Men’s 400 IM – Final

• World Record: 4:03.84, Michael Phelps (USA) – 2008 Olympic Games
• Championship Record: 4:05.90, Chase Kalisz (USA) – 2017 World Championships
• 2021 Olympic Champion: Chase Kalisz (USA), 4:09.42
• 2019 World Champion: Daiya Seto (JPN), 4:08.95

1. Leon Marchand (FRA), 4:04.28 CR
2. Carson Foster (USA), 4:06.56
3. Chase Kalisz (USA), 4:07.47
4. Lewis Clareburt (NZL), 4:10.98
5. Brendon Smith (AUS), 4:11.36
6. Daiya Seto (JPN), 4:11.93
7. Tomoru Honda (JPN), 4:12.20
8. Balasz Hollo (HUN), 4:15.17

In an absolutely shocking performance, Leon Marchand put a real scare into the oldest world record on the books, scorching the second-fastest swim of all-time in the men’s 400 IM en route to the gold medal.

The Frenchman finished in a time of 4:04.28, rattling the world record of 4:03.84 set by Michael Phelps at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Marchand, 20, produces the second-fastest swim in history and smashes the Championship Record of 4:05.90 set by Chase Kalisz in 2017.

Marchand and Carson Foster opened up a massive gap on the field through the first 200, and then Marchand took off on breaststroke. After turning over two seconds back of Phelps’ world record pace at the halfway mark, Marchand touched at the 300 more than a second under, splitting 1:07.2 on breast.

And while he just trailed off the record pace on the final, Marchand still won by over two seconds, breaks the European and French Records, and swims a time more than five seconds faster than Kalisz went to win gold at the Olympics last year.

Foster held on for second in 4:06.56, dropping nearly two seconds from his personal best time (4:08.46) and moving to #8 all-time in the event.

All-Time Performers, Men’s 400 IM (LCM)

1. Michael Phelps (USA), 4:03.84 – 2008
2. Leon Marchand (FRA), 4:04.28 – 2022
3. Ryan Lochte (USA), 4:05.18 – 2012
4. Chase Kalisz (USA), 4:05.90 – 2017
5. Kosuke Hagino (JPN), 4:06.05 – 2016
6. Daiya Seto (JPN), 4:06.09 – 2020
7. Laszlo Cseh (HUN), 4:06.16 – 2008
8. Carson Foster (USA), 4:06.56 – 2022
9. Tyler Clary (USA), 4:06.96 – 2009
10. David Verraszto (HUN), 4:07.47 – 2017

Kalisz moved up from sixth at the 200 to claim third in 4:07.47, his fastest time since 2017 and third-fastest ever.

The rest of the field was well back of the medalists, with New Zealand’s Lewis Clareburt taking fourth in 4:10.98. 2019 world champion Daiya Seto was slower than the prelims and ended up sixth in 4:11.93.

Men’s 4×100 free relay – Final

• World Record: 3:08.24, United States – 2008 Olympic Games
• Championship Record: 3:09.06, United States – 2019 World Championships
• 2021 Olympic Champion: United States, 3:08.97
• 2019 World Champion: United States, 3:09.06

1. United States, 3:09.34
2. Australia, 3:10.80
3. Italy, 3:10.95
4. Great Britain, 3:11.14
5. Hungary, 3:11.24
6. Canada, 3:11.99
7. Brazil, 3:12.21
8. Serbia, 3:13.83

The American men put on a dominant sprinting display in the 400 free relay final, winning their third straight title in a time of 3:09.34.

Caeleb Dressel got off to a fast start on the opening 50, flipping in 22.33, but faded a bit down the stretch and finished with a 100 split of 47.67, as Josh Liendo gave him a run with a personal best 47.87 to put Canada second.

From there, the U.S., took off, with Ryan Held dropping a 46.99 split swimming second to widen the gap on the field. Justin Ress (47.48) and Brooks Curry (47.20) closed things for an overall very impressive performance.

The Australians sat back in eighth at the halfway mark but had a pair of strong closing legs from Jack Cartwright (47.62) and Kyle Chalmers (46.60) to claim second in 3:10.80, with Chalmers making more than a second on the Italians (3:10.95) to inch them out.

Italy’s lead-off man Alessandro Miressi was a bit off at 48.38, but the rest of the quartet split 47-mid to keep them on the podium.

The British men set a new National Record despite the absence of Duncan Scott, with Tom Dean producing an eye-popping 46.95 split on the anchor leg.

The Brits finished in 3:11.14, just back of the Italians and just ahead of the hometown Hungarians, who had Kristof Milak close in 46.89 to take fifth in 3:11.24.

The Canadians, fourth in Tokyo, ended up sixth in 3:11.99.

Women’s 4×100 free relay – Final

• World Record: 3:29.69, Australia – 2021 Olympic Games
• Championship Record: 3:30.21, Australia – 2019 World Championships
• 2021 Olympic Champion: Australia, 3:29.69
• 2019 World Champion: Australia, 3:30.21

1. Australia, 3:30.95
2. Canada, 3:32.15
3. United States, 3:32.58
4. China, 3:35.25
5. Great Britain, 3:35.43
6. Brazil, 3:38.10
7. Netherlands, 3:38.18
8. Hungary, 3:38.20

Despite missing three-quarters of their world record-breaking squad from the Olympics, the Australian women steamrolled their way to a decisive victory in the 400 free relay, the country’s third in the last four championships.

Rising star Mollie O’Callaghan put them in the lead from the get-go, two-tenths off her PB in 52.70, and then Madi Wilson (52.60), Meg Harris (53.00) and Shayna Jack (52.65) brought the team in for a final time of 3:30.95, the fifth-fastest relay performance of all-time.

Canada and the United States were locked in a tight battle for silver, with Torri Huske getting the Americans off to a great start, breaking 53 seconds for the first time in 52.96.

Taylor Ruck made up some ground for Canada swimming second, splitting 52.92, and then Maggie MacNeil (53.27) moved them into second before Penny Oleksiak (52.51) closed things off.

Canada finished in 3:32.15 for silver, their highest-ever finish in this event at the World Championships and the same position they finished in at the Olympics.

The U.S. had a 52.71 anchor from Claire Curzan to win bronze in 3:32.58, while China was fourth in 3:35.25, with Yang Junxuan their top leg in 52.79 swimming third.