2022 World Junior Championships: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2022 FINA WORLD JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 30-September 4, 2022
• Lima, Peru
• Long Course Meters (50m), Prelims/Semis/Finals
• Meet Site
• Event Schedule
• Live Results
• Entries List
• Top 5 Girls’ Storylines
• Top 5 Boys’ Storylines
• Click here to download an Excel sheet with events by swimmer

The 2022 World Junior Swimming Championships kick off this morning at the Videna Aquatic Centre in Lima, Peru. This morning’s prelims session will feature heats of the boys 400 free, girls 50 breast, boys 100 back, girls 400 IM, boys 100 breast, girls 100 back, boys 4×100 free relay, and girls 4×200 free relay.

At just 17 years old, Ksawery Masiuk set the Polish Record in the 100 backstroke at the World Championships in June. His 52.58 makes him the top seed coming into prelims of the boys 100 back this morning by a huge margin. It’s South Africa’s Pieter Coetze who comes in at #2 with a 53.96.

After winning gold at Junior Pan Pacs just days ago in Hawaii, Japanese 15-year-old Mio Narita enters today as the top seed in the girls 400 IM. Like Masiuk, she’s the top seed by a massive margin, coming in at 4:36.71, nearly 8 seconds faster than anyone else in this field. It’s just a prelims race this morning, but Narita should have no issue cruising into finals and subsequently winning gold tonight in this event.

Romania enters the boys 4×100 free relay as the top seed, surely due to the presence on World Record holder David Popovici. Since he’s not racing the 400 free here in Lima, the 4×100 free relay will be Popovici’s debut at these Championships.

FINA is running a live stream of the session on their YouTube Channel, which you can also view below:

BOYS 400 FREESTYLE – HEATS

• World Record – 3:40.07, Paul Biedermann (2009)
• World Junior Record – 3:44.60, Mack Horton (2014)
• World Jr Champ Record – 3:46.06, Gabor Zombori (2019)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Stephan Steverink (BRA) – 3:50.24
2. Batuhan Filiz (TUR) – 3:51.33
3. Vlad Stefan Stancu (ROU) – 3:51.43
4. Carlos Garach Benito (ESP) – 3:52.48
5. Krzysztof Chmielewski (POL) – 3:52.54
6. Filippo Bertoni (ITA) – 3:52.89
7. Alessandro Ragaini (ITA) – 3:52.90
8. Tolga Temiz (TUR) – 3:55.59

Brazil’s Stephan Steverink put up a very solid swim this morning, getting out to the lead in the final heat of prelims and speeding home in 3:50.24. The last prelims heat this morning was the fastest by far, producing the 4 fastest swimmers of the morning. Turkey’s Batuhan Filiz was closing on Steverink on the last 50, getting into the finish just a second behind him. Filiz was flying coming home, splitting 27.74 on the final 50 this morning. Similarly, Romania’s Vlad Stefan Stancu closed in 27.96, swimming next to Filiz, touching with the 3rd fastest time of the morning. Spain’s Carlos Garach Benito was also in the last heat this morning, swimming a 3:52.48 for 4th overall.

After swimming at European Championships a few weeks ago, Poland’s Krzysztof Chmielewski is back in action this morning. Chmielewski was leading the swimmers this morning heading into the final heat, having swum a 3:52.54. The top 4 in the last heat would beat his time, bumping Chmielewski to 5th overall.

Italy swam exceptionally well at the European Championships, so we’ll see if they can continue that momentum here in Lima. A pair of Italians made it into tonight’s final: Filippo Bertoni and Alessandro Ragaini, who were 6th and 7th respectively overall.

GIRLS 50 BREASTSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record – 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (2021)
• World Junior Record – 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (2021)
• World Jr Champ Record – 29.86, Ruta Meilutyte (2013)

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Karolina Piechowicz (POL) – 31.64
2. Irene Mati (ITA) – 31.82
3. Maria Ramos Najji (ESP) – 31.86
4. Jana Pribylova (CZE) – 32.00
5. Julia Christen (ARG) – 32.26
6. Sieun Park (KOR) – 32.34
7. Jimena Ruiz (ESP) – 32.51
8. Natalie Jandikova (CZE) – 32.52
9. Martina Bukvic (SRB) – 32.58
10. Alexandra Hrncarova (SVK) – 33.18
11. Dorottya Barna Bianka (HUN) – 33.21
12. Yuri Matsumoto (JPN) – 33.25
13. Ryoung Kim Ah (KOR) – 33.31
14. Yumeno Kusuda (JPN) – 33.32
15. Rhaniska Gibbs (BAH) – 33.47
16. Jia-Shiun Li (TPE) – 33.78

Prelims of the girls 50 breast saw Poland’s Karolina Piechowicz post the top time of the morning in 31.64. She was one of 3 swimmers to crack 32 seconds this morning. Italy’s Irene Mati was 2nd, swimming a 31.82, while Spain’s Maria Ramos Najji clocked a 31.86 for 3rd. Mati and Ramos Najji are both 16 years old.

Italy had a great team performance at the European Championships, especially in the breaststroke events. It will be interesting to see if that carries over to the junior swimmers at this meet.

BOYS 100 BACKSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record – 51.60, Thomas Ceccon (2022)
• World Junior Record – 52.53, Kliment Kolesnikov ((2018)
• World Jr Champ Record – 53.37, Thomas Ceccon (2019)

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Ksawery Masiuk (POL) – 53.76
2. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 53.93
3. Apostolos Siskos (GRE) – 56.13
4. Filip Kosinski (POL) – 56.16
5. Aron Szekely (HUN) – 56.43
6. Hidekazu Takehara (JPN) – 56.46
7. Simon Clusman (FRA) – 56.54
8. Miroslav Knedla (CZE) – 56.76
9. Lucca Tonin (BRA) – 57.09
10. Seongju Kim (KOR) – 57.34
11. Ulises Saravia (ARG) – 57.47
12. Samuel Lopes (BRA) – 57.50
13. Patrik Foltan (SVK) – 57.78
14. Dogukan Arsen Tombul (TUR) – 57.94
15. Ognjen Kovacevic (SRB) – 58.10
16. Diego Nicolas Balbi Alayo (PER) – 59.28

Pieter Coetze (South Africa) had a great swim this morning, speeding to a 53.93 to win heat 5 of 6 by a huge margin. That was followed by Poland’s Kswaery Masiuk swimming a 53.76 in heat 6 to post the top time of the morning. For Coetze, the swim marks a personal best by 0.03 seconds, while Masiuk was well off his personal best of 52.58, which he swam at the World Championships in June and stands as the Polish Record.

The pair was in a league of their own this morning, touching as the only swimmers in the field under 56 seconds. It was Greece’s Apostolos Siskos who posted the 3rd fastest time of the morning, swimming a 56.13.

Japan’s Hidekazu Takehara was swimming at the Junior Pan Pacs in Hawaii just a few days ago, and swam the 100 back this morning, advancing to semifinals with a 56.46.

GIRLS 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – HEATS

• World Record – 4:26.36, Katinka Hosszu (2016)
• World Junior Record – 4:29.01, Summer McIntosh (2022)
• World Jr Champ Record – 4:38.53, Alba Vazquez Ruiz (2019)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Mio Narita (JPN) – 4:45.29
2. Emma Carrasco Cadens (ESP) – 4:46.50
3. Giulia Vetrano (ITA) – 4:48.23
4. Lilla Minna Abraham (HUN) – 4:48.87
5. Ayami Suzuki (JPN) – 4:48.97
6. Vivien Jackl (HUN) – 4:51.48
7. Belis Sakar (TUR) – 4:56.74
8. Magdalena Portela (ARG) – 4:59.20

Japan’s Mio Narita, who came into this morning as the top seed by a huge margin, was dominant in the final heat of the 400 IM. Narita swam a 4:45.29, which is nearly 9 seconds slower than she swam to win Jr Pan Pacs gold a few days ago, but was still good to give her the #1 seed for tonight’s final.

Spain’s Emma Carrasco Cadens had an excellent swim this morning, roaring to victory in the 2nd heat with a 4:46.50. That would be good for the #2 overall time this morning behind 4:46.50. Cadens was particularly strong in the middle of the race this morning, splitting 1:12.64 on backstroke and 1:21.07 on breaststroke for a 2:33.71 on the middle 200.

Although it was close this morning, we should expect Narita to handily win the event tonight. She dropped a ton of time from prelims to finals at Jr Pan Pacs just days ago, and her 4:45 this morning looked very relaxed.

BOYS 100 BREASTSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record – 56.88, Adam Peaty (2019)
• World Junior Record – 59.01, Nicolo Martinenghi (2017)
• World Jr Champ Record – 59.01 Nicolo Martinenghi (2017)

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Luka Mladenovic (AUT) – 1:02.29
2. Sai Ting Adam Mak (HKG) – 1:02.46
3. Santiago Jesus Zaragoza Reyes (MEX) – 1:02.51
4. Uros Zivanovic (SRB) – 1:02.64
5. Filip Urbanski (POL) – 1:02.93
6. Kian Keylock (RSA) – 1:03.31
7. Alex Sabattani (ITA) – 1:03.81
8. Dante Nicola (ARG) – 1:03.83
9. Chanwook Park (KOR) – 1:04.04
10. Kaan Kara (TUR) – 1:04.19
11. Vicente Villanueva (CHI) – 1:04.37
12. Guilherme Camossato (BRA) – 1:04.51
13. Nikola Koltin (SRB) – 1:04.62
14. Felipe Ribeiro (BRA) – 1:04.65
15. Simon Bermudez Santa Maria (COL) – 1:04.75
16. Xavier Yamil Ruiz Flores (PUR) – 1:05.00

Austria’s Luka Mladenovic clocked the top time this morning, swimming a 1:02.29. The 18-year-old was out fast, swimming a 28.99 on the first 50. On the flip side, Hong Kong’s Sai Ting Adam Mak had a great 2nd 50, swimming a 32.99.

Mexico had their first swimmer advance to semifinals so far, as Santiago Jesus Zaragoza Reyes finishing 3rd this morning in 1:02.51. Just 15 years old, Zaragoza Reyes is now less than 2 seconds off the Mexican Record in the event, which stands at 1:00.67.

GIRLS 100 BACKSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record – 57.45, Kaylee McKeown (2021)
• World Junior Record – 57.57, Regan Smith (2019)
• World Jr Champ Record – 59.11, Regan Smith (2017)

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Aimi Nagaoka (JPN) – 1:01.74
2. Dora Molnar (HUN) – 1:02.27
3. Aissia Claudia Prisecariu (ROU) – 1:02.92
4. Estella Tonrath (ESP) – 1:03.04
5. Jaeyun Song (KOR) – 1:03.07
6. Rebecca-Aimee Diaconescu (ROU) – 1:03.26
7. Chiaki Yamamoto (JPN) – 1:03.32
8. Laura Bernat (POL) – 1:03.36
9. Sara Curtis (ITA) – 1:03.63
10. Sum Yuet Cindy Cheung (HKG) – 1:03.69
11. Alexia Sotomayor (PER) – 1:03.87
12. Jessica Chloe Cheng (HKG) – 1:04.03
13. Yi-En Wu (TPE) – 1:04.10 (TIE)
14. Sudem Denizli (TUR) – 1:04.10 (TIE)
15. Magaly Monserrath Gomez Ramos (MEX) – 1:04.11
16. Elizabeth Jimenez (DOM) – 1:04.28

Aimi Nagaoka (Japan) led prelims this morning by half a second, swimming a 1:01.74. She was the only swimmer in the field this morning who was under 30 seconds on the 1st 50, swimming a 29.97.

This was a very young field in the girls 100 back this morning. Romania’s Aissia Claudia Prisecariu, just 14 years old, was 3rd this morning in 1:02.92. 15-year-olds Estella Tonrath (Spain) and Jaeyun Song (South Korea ) were 4th and 5th respectively this morning. Japanese 15-year-old Chiaki Yamamoto also advanced, finishing 7th this morning in 1:03.32.

BOYS 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – HEATS

• World Record – 3:08.24, USA (2008)
• World Junior Record – 3:15.79, USA (2022)
• World Jr Champ Record – 3:15.80, USA (2019)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Romania – 3:19.28
2. Lithuania – 3:21.28
3. Italy – 3:21.31
4. Hungary – 3:21.42
5. Brazil – 3:21.78
6. France – 3:21.84
7. South Africa – 3:25.04
8. Korea – 3:28.07

Romania led prelims of the boys 4×100 free relay, thanks in large part to David Popovici‘s 47.37 lead-off leg. The 17-year-old who broke the World Record in the 100 free at the European Championships a few weeks ago gave his team a huge lead in the 2nd heat this morning, which they were able to hold through the finish. While Popovici’s time, which also broke the World Junior Championship Record in the 100, was of course the highlight of Romania’s relay, Patrick Sebastian Dinu had a fast split this morning as well, anchoring the Romanian team in 49.47. That made Dinu one of 5 swimmers this morning who swam under 50 seconds.

South Africa was 7th this morning, but Pieter Coezte had a phenomenal lead-off split, getting them out to a 49.75. Italy also had a sub-:50 lead-off, as Francesco Lazzari got the Italian team out to a 49.81 start.

Japan had performed well in this session so far, but they finished 9th in this event with a 3:28.62, narrowly missing out on qualifying for finals.

GIRLS 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY – HEATS

• World Record – 7:39.29, Australia (2022)
• World Junior Record – 7:51.47, Canada (2017)
• World Jr Champ Record – 7:51.47, Canada (2017)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Italy – 8:23.08
2. Argentina – 8:23.93
3. Hungary – 8:26.65
4. Turkey – 8:29.23
5. Brazil – 8:34.45
6. South Africa – 8:34.84
7. South Korea – 8:37.64
8. Peru – 8:58.50

Italy cruised to the top time of the morning, seeing Matilde Biagiotti split 2:02.10 on the 2nd leg. That marked the fastest time in the event this morning, which notably had low stakes, since there were only 10 countries competing. We can expect faster times all around.

Argentina had a solid performance this morning, seeing a 2:03.68 from Agostina Hein on the lead-off, followed by a 2:04.26 from Malena Santillan on the 2nd leg.