2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- June 18-25, 2022 (pool swimming)
- Budapest, Hungary
- Duna Arena
- LCM (50-meter format)
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On the morning session of Day 7 of the FINA World Championships, the prelims of the women’s 50 free, men’s 50 back, women’s 50 breast, men’s 1500 free and the mixed 4×100 free relay will be contested.
We open up with the 50 free, which will be led by top seed and world record holder Sarah Sjostrom. With the withdrawal of names such as second seed Shayna Jack, Sjostrom is the favorite to win but will be challenged by the likes of swimmers such as Kasia Wasick and 100 free bronze medalist Torri Huske. The men’s 50 back will contain a showdown between two world record holders, Hunter Armstrong and Thomas Ceccon. Armstrong broke the 50 back world record in a time of 23.71, whereas Ceccon had just broken the 100 back world record earlier this meet, clocking 51.60 while Armstrong took bronze.
In the women’s 50 breast, we will get our first look at world record holder Benedetta Pilato in her best event. She previously won the women’s 100 breast, but will be even stronger in the shorter distance breaststroke. However, she will have to face athletes such as Lilly King, who recently won 200 breast gold and has gotten better and better as the meet has gone on. The men’s 1500 free will give us a preview of the fight between Florian Wellbrock, Gregorio Paltrinieri, Mykhailo Romanchuk, and of course the 800 free champion Bobby Finke.
Towards the end of the session, the mixed 4×100 freestyle relay will also be contested.
Women’s 50 Freestyle
- World Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 23.67 (2017)
- Championship Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 23.67 (2017)
- 2021 Olympic Champion: Emma McKeon (AUS) – 23.81
- 2019 World Champion: Simone Manuel (USA) – 24.05
Top 16:
- Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 24.40
- Kasia Wasick (POL) – 24.45
- Meg Harris (AUS) – 24.68
- Erika Brown (USA) – 24.71
- Zhang Yufei (CHN) – 24.81
- Anna Hopkin (GBR) – 24.82
- Emma Chelius (RSA) – 24.87
- Torri Huske (USA) – 24.91
- Julie Jensen (DEN)/Valerie van Roon (NED) – 25.04
- None
- Kim Busch (NED) – 25.06
- Kalia Antoniou (CYP) – 25.14
- Kayla Sanchez (CAN) – 25.15
- Petra Senanszky (HUN) – 25.24
- Silvia di Pietro (ITA) – 25.33
- Marie Wattel (FRA) -25.34
The top finisher in each circle seeded heat of the women’s 50 free were the top three seeds overall in this event. World record holder and top seed Sarah Sjostrom had the fastest time overall out of heat 10, although heat 8 winner Kasia Wasick‘s time was just 0.05 seconds slower. Meg Harris won heat 9, clocking a time of 24.68 that stands as the third seed.
Erika Brown, Zhang Yufei, Anna Hopkin, Emma Chelius, and Torri Huske all join as swimmers who got underneath the 25-second threshold during prelims.
Men’s 50 Backstroke
- World Record: Hunter Armstrong (USA) – 23.71
- Championship Record: Liam Tancock (GBR) – 24.04 (2009)
- 2019 World Champion: Zane Waddell (RSA) – 24.43
Top 16:
- Justin Ress (USA)) – 24.24
- Ole Braunschweig (GER) – 24.58
- Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 24.62
- Hunter Armstrong (USA) 24.63
- Ksawery Masiuk (POL) – 24.64
- Isaac Cooper (AUS) – 24.67
- Robert Glinta (ROM) – 24.79
- Ryosuke Irie (JPN) – 24.85
- Apostolos Christou (GRE) – 26.88
- Mewen Tomac (FRA) – 25.01
- Andrew Jeffcoat (NZL) -25.06
- Michael Laitarovsky (ISR) – 25.08
- Tomasz Polekwa (POL) – 25.10
- Xu Jiayu (CHN) – 25.12
- Guilherme Basseto (BRA) – 25.15
- Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (FRA)/Michele Lamberti (ITA) – 25.16
17-year Polish swimmer Ksawery Masiuk took the first circle-seeded heat in a time of 24.64. This is a new Polish record for him, breaking his own previous mark of 24.68 by 0.04 seconds that was set earlier this year at the Polish Open in May 2022. 2019 World finalists Robert Glință and Apostolos Christou were also in this heat, clocking times of 24.79 and 24.88 respectively.
Justin Ress took the second circle-seeded heat in a time of 24.24, getting out to a strong lead after coming up to the surface and never faltering. He won his heat by a whopping 0.61 seconds, and was just around two-tenths off his entry time of 23.92. His time was the fastest overall time in the heats.
Australian record holder Isaac Cooper led the final heat at the 15-meter mark, but then faded to fourth in a time of 24.67. In the end, it was German Ole Braunschweig who won the heat in 24.58, just out-touching 100 back world record holder Thomas Ceccon and 50 back world record holder Hunter Armstrong, who had times of 24.62 and 24.63 respectively. Braunschweig and Ceccon’s times were both national records.
There was originally a swim-off at the end of the session set between Yohann Ndoye Brouard of France and Michele Lamberti of Italy, who tied for sixteenth in 25.16. However, this ended up not happening due to Ryosuke Irie withdrawing from semifinals.
Women’s 50 Breaststroke
- World Record: Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 29.30 (2021)
- Championship Record: Lily King (USA) – 29.40 (2017)
- 2019 World Champion: Lily King (USA) – 29.81
Top 16:
- Lara Van Niekerk (RSA) – 29.77
- Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 29.80
- Eneli Jefimova (EST) – 30.08
- Anna Elendt (GER) – 30.12
- Tang Qianting (CHN) – 30.36
- J. Conceicao (BRA) – 30.53
- Sophie Hansson (SWE) – 30.64
- Veera Kivirinta (FIN) – 30.66
- Fleur Vermeiren (BEL)/Lily King (USA) – 30.70
- None
- Rosey Metz (NED) – 30.71
- Reona Aoki (JPN) – 30.80
- Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 30.82
- Jenna Strauch (AUS) – 30.93
- Annie Lazor (USA) 30.99
- Ruta Meilutyte (LIT) – 31.02
In the first circle-seeded heat, defending champion Lily King took the victory in 30.70. She was challenged by Anastasia Gorbenko for the first portion of the race, and then had to hold out Reona Aoki, who finished in second with a time of 30.80. Gorbenko ended up in third with a time of 30.82, and Annie Lazor took fourth in 30.99.
Commonwealth record holder Lara Van Niekerk had a substantial lead over the rest of the field in the second circle-seeded head, clocking a time of 29.77. Her time was just 0.07 seconds off her Commonwealth record, and the fastest overall in the field. 100 breast silver medalist Anna Elendt was in second behind her with a time of 30.12. Elendt was just 0.02 seconds slower than her German record time of 30.10.
17-year-old world record holder Benedetta Pilato won the final heat in 29.80, becoming the second woman sub-30 in these preliminary heats. Her Italian teammate, Arianna Castiglioni, was disqualified. Another teenager, 15-year-old Eneli Jefimova, was second in this heat with an Estonian record time of 30.08.
Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay
- World Record: United States (Dressel, Apple, Comerford, Manuel) – 3:19.40 (2019)
- Championship Record: United States (Dressel, Apple, Comerford, Manuel) – 3:19.40 (2019)
- 2019 World Champion: United States (Dressel, Apple, Comerford, Manuel) – 3:19.40
Top 8:
- United States – 3:24.48
- Canada – 3:25.30
- Australia – 3:25.55
- Netherlands – 3:25.86
- Italy – 3:26.00
- Great Britain – 3:26.10
- Brazil – 3:26.31
- China – 3:27.20
Ryan Held got the United States off to a strong start, leading off in 47.85. He was the only swimmer to lead off in a sub-48 time, and was faster than any other person going first by 0.94 seconds. Drew Kibler, Erika Brown, and Kate Douglass followed, and the Americans put up a time of 3:24.48 that was the fastest in the heats by 0.82 seconds.
Canada and Australia followed with the second and third-fastest prelims times, and look to be in the fight with the Untied States for spots on the podium tonight.
The fastest male rolling start split came from Alessandro Miressi, who clocked a 48.16 to help the Italians take the fourth seed.
On the women’s side, the fastest split came from Dutch swimmer Marrit Steenbergen, who anchored her relay in 53.06 to help them secure the fourth seed headed into finals.
This was a relatively slow heat, with only one man under 48 seconds and zero women under 53 seconds.
Men’s 1500 Freestyle
- World Record: Sun Yang – 14:31.02 (2012)
- Championship Record: Sun Yang – 14:34.14 (2011)
- 2021 Olympic Champion: Bobby Finke – 14:39.65
- 2019 World Champion: Florian Wellbrock (GER) – 14:36.54
Top 8:
- Florian Wellbrock (GER) – 14:50.12
- Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR) – 14:50.68
- B0bby Finke (USA) – 14:50.71
- Guilherme Costa (BRA) – 14:53.03
- Damien Joly (FRA) – 14:53.47
- Lukas Märtens (GER) – 14:53.59
- Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) – 14:54.56
- Daniel Jervis (GBR) – 14:56.89
800 free silver and bronze medalists Florian Wellbrock and Mykhailo Romanchuk were neck and neck in the first circle-seeded heats, finishing just 0.58 seconds apart with times of 14:50.12 and 14:50.68 respectively. Guilherme Costa stayed with them throughout, and Damien Joly made a move towards the back half of the race to join the top crowd, and they finished third and fourth in 14:53.03 and 14:53.47.
The race in the last heat was tight between Bobby Finke and Gregorio Paltrinieri at first, but eventually Finke pulled away with the lead, clocking a time of 14:50.71 that stands as the third fastest overall from the heats. Eventually, Lukas Märtens overtook Paltrinieri for second, swimming a 14:53.69 while Paltrinieri took third in 14:54.56. This was a bounce back swim for Märtens, who finished 15th in the heats of the 800 free and failed to make the finals.
Japan just beat Italy by 3-2 in men’s VNL. Yeah… I am watching VNL while waiting for the showdown at swimming WC today.
Daddy Nishida
Yuki Ishikawa too… both were outstanding.
I considered waking up at 2am to watch the season seeing as it is Friday but decided against it. Knowing my body I probably will wake up and start watching midway anyway. But for now I am going to bed and leaving these predictions:
W50 Fly: Sjostrom will win and Henique and Huske will take 2-3 but not sure what order.
M50 free: I want Proud to win but I’m going to predict MA just because of the chaos it will cause.
W50 free semis: I hope Meg gets through, and she should. Sjostrom basically already has this medal in her bag though.
W50 breast semis: Meh.
100 fly final: Milak wins but not a WR. I am guessing 49… Read more »
I missed the morning session, what did Ress do?
Looked like he was completely underwater at the touch.
Kayla Sanchez wants that gold more than any other swimmer there. Never count out Kayla!!!! She will get there, and soon.
Good morning!!!
Just a heads up – Canada is taking gold today in the mixed relay, so you can minus that from your gold medal tally.
Our girls have got it covered.
Have a nice day 🙂
Were both your top females in top form then, with Leindo-Edwards form; I’d give them a very strong chance. But they’re not …… so their only real path to gold is via monumental FUBAR by both USA & AUS.
Probably should still win bronze
Ok, and of course I meant ‘girls and boys’.
You got a good point. Should be interesting, as always.
Just like that women’s 4×200 free relay
Hmmm, interesting comment. I’m sure they’ve learned a few tricks from that order.
Liendo Edwards-Ruslan Gaziev-Kayla Sanchez-Penny Oleksiak … yeah.. quite a strong contender.
Well, yeah, they are. Never count them out. Ever. Kayla and Russian are about to show you what they can do.
***Rusian
Schedule not super friendly. Your no1 weapon has 100fly and 50free final in the same session. Emotion and adrenaline can play a part but they cannot fully compensate having had 2 full out races, and if he medals (as he should in at least one); ceremonies and the accompanying carry-on cuts into any recovery.
I forgot that one. You are right, that’s the problem.
But didn’t huske and curzan split 52.9 (leadoff) and 52.6(anchor) earlier this week or am I wrong, the American will win tonight
Let us see. I like to watch the underdogs prevail
No Maggie??
You’re starting to sound like another country I won’t mention because I have friends there who are perfectly normal.Stay humble stay Canadian….go Canada go!!!!
Another south american record.for Costa (but i think he should.drop the 1500 and go for 200/400/800)
For someone who went 1:48 flat when going 3:47 high I think he has a 1:46 maybe even 1:45 on him…
Huge possibility of the next relay being Scheffer, Costa, Sartori and Vinicius
If the 4x100m mixed freestyle relay were in Olympics last year, do you think wins. Australia and USA make podium easy. Not sure who would of won bronze.
Most likely outcome last year would’ve been:
Australia – Gold
USA – Silver
GBR or Canada – Bronze
Canada, not GBR. Canada finished 4th in men’s 4×100 free, whereas GBR didn’t even qualify for the final.
That was because they messed up the prelims resting too many swimmers not because they don’t have the speed.
Australia. No question.
You had Temple leadoff in a 48 flat, Kyle with a 46.4, Cate with a 52.1 and Emma with a 51.35. That’s a new WR by over a second, easy.
Canada for the bronze ? They had Brent Hayden, Yuri Kisil, Penny Oleksiak, only have to find another decent female sprinter.
I forgot they got silver in women’s 4x100m free ahead of USA. So yes, add either Kayla Sanchez or Margareth McNeil to the lineup, they could get the bronze.
OK. I’ve run the numbers on the Mixed Free Relay. It’s going to be close between Aus and USA. Assuming the teams are as expected, here are the numbers using the best times of each swimmer from this meet:
Chalmers: 47.10 (Hasn’t swum individually, so 46.60 plus 0.5)
Cartwright: 47.62
Wilson: 52.60
Mollie: 52.17 (Hasn’t swum a split, so 52.67 minus 0.5)
Total: 2:19.49
Curry: 47.70 (He actually hasn’t been faster than 47.90 individually, but I figured I would go his best split plus 0.5 for consistency)
Held: 46.99
Huske: 52.42 (No split so best individual minus 0.5)
Curzan :52.62
Total: 2:19.73
0.24 difference based on performance so far this meet, assuming… Read more »
It’s going to be close. Cartwright has to lead off – Chalmers is better on the chase!
No way Chalmers flat starts a 47.1 right now.
Actually australian women won the 4×100 free
Yes, and they didn’t really swim their best overall. MOC was 0.21 slower than her trials time, Harris was 0.09 faster than her flat start on her split, Jack was 0.05 slower than her flat start with a flying start. Wilson is really the only one who swam to her ability, being 0.59 faster than her flat trials time. But then in the 200 she’s been much slower than her trials time every swim.
Hard to know what to expect from Wilson considering she’s only swam the 100 once (which she did well) but her 200s haven’t been great.
Aus definitely has the POTENTIAL to win by 2+ seconds if they all swam their best times. But it just hasn’t… Read more »
Yes but Curzan is not looking that good either in the 100 free, she finished 8th in 53.8
She seemed to struggle in the individual a bit, that’s true. But her two relay splits have been 52.6 and 52.7. I would assume she’ll be much closer to those than her 53.8 individual.
EDIT: Curzan’s 52.62 is almost a full second faster than her flat PB. She’s stepping up in relays. Aussie women are not.
A full strength AUS v full strength USA would be a tantalizing prospect but that’s not what we’re looking at here. Were all major teams at full strength, the assumption of a 2 horse race may have been premature with GBR highly dangerous & CAN an emerging threat.
What we have here before us is …… a complete muddle with below par teams across the board, not helped by its placement on the schedule. Whilst lacking the cross-section of variables it’s medley counterpart offers; I will confess the lower quality of this field should make this one far less likely to follow any predicted script.
Held was already used in the prelims so they probably plan to use someone else.
Some other teams:
GBR:
47.63 Burras
46.95 Dean
52.70 Anderson
53.03 Hopkin
3:20.31
CAN:
47.55 Liendo
47.97 Acevedo
52.51 Oleksiak
52.92 Ruck
3:20.95
Who? Held was their best split on the 100 relay by far. If we assume they’re using Curry, who else do they have that has split a 46.9 in a free relay?
I don’t know. It’s puzzling.
GB,
Burras 47.63
Dean 46.95
Hopkin 52.50
Anderson 52.70
2:19.77
Where you pull that split for Hopkin from? She hasn’t been under 53 this whole meet.
Where did you pull Hopkin’s spit from? She hasn’t had a time anywhere near the range that would predict a 52.50 split from her.
CHN (Zhang is off and likely won’t swim):
Pan: 47.65
Hong: 48.28
Yang: 52.79
Cheng: 53.18
3:21.90
US and AUS are getting the job done in the relays here…below their best but enough depth to keep above the rest. Bronze is anyones!
The W100 free is the only relay where Australia and the US haven’t been top 2, and they were 1-3. That’s kind of crazy.
Now I’ve already said this and been wrong this meet but I’m saying it again: No way Aussie men can possible get silver on the medley relay, so that trend is definitely going to end soon.
I think if Australia medals in 7 of 8 relays it will be more than pleased (and they may all be Gold and Silver)!
When has Huske ever dropped time in a relay. She usually adds time with relay starts, which is either a fundamental flaw in technique or is a teammate who doesn’t care about team efforts and is solely focused on individuals
Did you see her 4 x 100 Free Relay performance? I’m pretty sure she went right on her best time.
If anything, it seems like her flat starts are especially good in comparison to her relay starts. If I recall, Dressel suffers from a similar phenomenon.
Could be a teammate who cares too much about team efforts not too little.
if only Simone Manuel and Abby weitzeil were swimming there 2019 form 😉
If only Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell were swimming in their 2021 form they’d smash the WR.
Where is Dara Torres when you need her?
China seemed to misjudge other teams by saving Pan Zhanle. New Zealand were not far from denying them to go through the final.
Finke going .03 slower than Romanchuk to get lane 3 instead of 5.
That’s gotta be the best thing that could’ve happened to him since he now has a good look at Wellbrock and Romanchuk
Not to mention the passing lane is on the left
Finke looked solid, seemed to shut it down the last 200. I think he’s the favorite now to win, although Wellbrock and Romanchuk won’t make it easy for him
I agree
To me he wasn’t the favourite to win in both distance races in Tokyo as well as the 800 here and he kept proving me wrong
I won‘t make that same mistake again
Im not doubting Finke again after that 800. I don’t think they can hold him off on that last 50