2023 World University Games: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2023 WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES

• August 1-7, 2023
• Dong’an Lake Sports Park Swimming and Diving Hall, Chengdu, China
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Page
• Live Results + Schedule
• Live Stream Schedule (All Sports)
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap

Day 3 of the 2023 World University Games in Chengdu, China is here. This morning’s prelims session will be the shortest so far, scheduled to last just under 2 hours. Day 3 will also be the first day of the meet without a relay.

DAY 3 PRELIMS SCHEDULE

• Men’s 200 Butterfly – Heats
• Women’s 200 IM – Heats
• Men’s 200 Breaststroke – Heats
• Women’s 100 Backstroke – Heats
• Men’s 50 Backstroke – Heats
• Women’s 1500 Freestyle – Heats

China’s Qin Haiyang will be swimming prelims of the men’s 200 breast this morning. Haiyang broke the World Record in the event en route to winning gold last week at the World Championships in Fukuoka. Haiyang clocked a 2:05.48 to set the WR last week. Given that, it seems Haiyang stands a good chance at taking down the WUGS Championship Record, which stands at 2:08.37.

The women’s 1500 free will also see distance star Li Bingjie compete. Bingjie earned the bronze medal in the event last week in Fukuoka, clocking a 15:45.71. That time would seed her first in the mile this morning by just shy of 30 seconds.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: Kristof Milak, Hungary – 1:50.34 (2022)
• WUGS Record: Nao Horomura, Japan – 1:53.90 (2017)

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Chen Juner (China) – 1:58.05
2. Tamuki Terada (Japan) – 1:58.11
3. Genki Terakado (Japan) – 1:58.32
4. Connor LaMastra (United States) – 1:58.35
5. Damian Chranowski (Poland) – 1:59.02
6. Kuan-Hung Wang (Taipei) – 1:59.11
7. Junghun Park (South Korea) – 1:59.13
8. Adrian Jaskiewicz (Poland) – 1:59.77
9. Ondrej Gemov (Czech Republic) – 1:59.96
10. Matheus Gonche (Brazil) – 2:00.23
11. Will Christenson (United States) – 2:00.87
12. Christian Ferraro (Italy) – 2:00.92
13. Mo Fei (China) – 2:01.94
14. Kaue Carvalho (Brazil) – 2:02.06
15. Sebastian Jimenez (Colombia) – 2:03.60
16. Tommy-Lee Camblong (France) – 2:04.20

The top of the men’s 200 fly prelims this morning was very tight. China’s Chen Juner, who has been having a very good meet so far, led the way, swimming a 1:58.05 to earn the top seed for the semifinals tonight. Juner was out the fastest of anyone in the event this morning, swimming a 55.61 on the opening 100m. He paid for it a little bit, coming home in 1:02.44, however, the strategy still worked for him, as he had the fastest overall time of the morning.

The Japanese duo of Tamuki Terada and Genki Terakado were the next two swimmers in, both clocking 1:58s. Terada was right behind Juner, swimming a 1:58.11. He swam his race differently than Juner, going out in 56.22 on the first 100m, then came home in 1:01.89 on the back half. Meanwhile, Terakado split the difference, going out in 55.94 and coming home in 1:02.38. He ended up 3rd with a 1:58.32.

American Connor LaMastra was also a 1:58 this morning, swimming a 1:58.35 for 4th.

WOMEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

• World Record: Katinka Hosszu, Hungary – 2:06.12 (2015)
• WUGS Record: Yui Ohashi, Japan – 2:10.03 (2017)

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Caroline Theil (United States) – 2:14.55
2. Anita Gastaldi (Italy) – 2:15.98
3. Dalma Sebestyen (Hungary) – 2:16.43
4. Megan Van Berkom (United States) – 2:16.88
5. Mei Ishihara (Japan) – 2:17.27
6. Anna Pirovano (Italy) – 2:17.68
7. Fernanda Celidonio (Brazil) – 2:18.44
8. Shiho Matsumoto (Japan) – 2:18.55
9. Alexandra Froissart (Switzerland) – 2:19.40
10. Hee Eun Lee (South Korea) – 2:19.56
11. Aleksandra Knop (Poland) – 2:19.81
12. Gao Xing (China) – 2:20.26
13. Chen Keyi (China) – 2:20.42
14. Laura Ilyes (Hungary) – 2:20.88
15. Georgia Nel (South Africa) – 2:20.93
16. Kate Meyer (South Africa) – 2:21.27

The U.S. looked as good as they have in any prelims so far at this meet right here. Carolien Theil led the charge by a considerable margin this morning in the 200 IM, swimming a 2:14.55. She took the race over on the breast leg, where she split a very solid 38.71, then tacked on a competitive 33.00 on freestyle. Theil touched well over a second ahead than the next-fastest swimmer in the event.

The other American, Megan Van Berkom, touched with the 4th-fastest time of the morning – 2:16.88. Van Berkom already won the silver medal int he women’s 400 IM on the first night of the meet. Like her fellow American, Van Berkom was great on the back half this morning, swimming a 38.34 on breast and 32.88 on free, which combined to mark the fastest 2nd 100 split in the field this morning.

Italian Anita Gastaldi clocked a 2:15.98 to finish 2nd overall this morning. In contrast to the Americans, Gastaldi was out the fastest of anyone this morning. She split 28.59 on fly and 33.44 on back, for a 1:02.03 on the opening 100m.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48 (2023)
• WUGS Record: Andrew Wilson, United States – 2:08.37 (2017)

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Qin Haiyang (China) – 2:13.57
2. Matej Zabojnik (Czech Republic) – 2:13.63
3. Alessandro Fusco (Italy) – 2:13.93
4. Andrius Sidlauskas (Lithuania) – 2:14.14
5. Yamato Fukasawa (Japan) – 2:14.18
6. Yu Zongda (China) – 2:14.78
7. Dawid Wiekiera (Poland) – 2:15.13
8. Yu Hanaguruma (Japan) – 2:15.41
9. Sinan Ruegg (Switzerland) – 2:15.46
10. Benson Wong (Hong Kong) – 2:16.18
11. Constantin Malachi (Moldova) – 2:16.25
12. Bing-Rong Cai (Taipei) – 2:16.60
13. Matthew Randle (South Africa) – 2:16.74
14. Pedro Cristo (Brazil) – 2:16.98
15. Jan Kalusowski (Poland) – 2:17.66
16. Connor Morikawa (United States) – 2:17.78

To no surprise, China’s Qin Haiyang led the field in the men’s 200 breast this morning, swimming a very relaxed looking 2:13.57. Haiyang was clearly limiting his effort this morning, as he looked way more relaxed than in any race we’ve seen him in in the past 11 days. After breaking the World Record last week in Fukuoka, Haiyang was out in 29.50, then split 34.08, 35.09, and 34.90 the rest of the way. We know Haiyang will be faster in semifinals and finals tonight and tomorrow night.

Czech Republic’s Matej Zabojnik was right behind Haiyang this morning with a 2:13.63. Zabojnik was actually faster than Haiyang in the middle of the race this morning. He split 34.14 on the 2nd 50 and 34.33 on the 3rd 50, which was over half-a-second faster than Haiyang’s splits combined.

Italy’s Alessandro Fusco was also a 2:13 this morning, taking 3rd overall with a 2:13.93. Fusco was also faster than Haiyang on the middle 100m, splitting 34.12 on the 2nd 50 and 34.59 on the 3rd 50. Fusco was also faster than both Haiyang and Zabojnik on the final 50, where he split a speedy 34.68.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 57.45 (2021)
• WUGS Record: Katharine Berkoff, United States – 59.29 (2019)

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Adela Piskorska (Poland) – 1:01.05
2. Yumi Shuno (Japan) – 1:01.61
3. Anya Mostek (United States) – 1:01.70
4. Francesca Pasquino (Italy) – 1:01.75
5. Marina Furubayashi (Japan) – 1:01.77
6. Camila Rodrigues (Portugal) – 1:02.45
7. Sanha Kim (South Korea) – 1:02.51
8. Federica Toma (Italy) – 1:02.61
9. Yunjung Lee (South Korea) – 1:02.76
10. Tatiana Salcutan (Moldova) – 1:02.98
11. Hannah Pearse (South Africa) – 1:03.08
12. Paulina Peda (Poland) – 1:03.25
13. Maria Pessanha (Brazil) – 1:03.30
14. Lily Mead (United States) – 1:03.39
15. Ding Yizhe (China) – 1:03.49
16. Kerryn Herbst (South Africa) – 1:03.59

Poland’s Adela Piskorska led the women’s 100 back prelims this morning by half-a-second, swimming a 1:01.05. Piskorska was out the fastest of anyone this morning, splitting 29.66 on the opening 50m. She was also faster than anyone else coming home, splitting 31.39 on the 2nd 50.

Yumi Shuno of Japan was the 2nd-fastest swimmer this morning, swimming a 1:01.61. Japan’s 2nd swimmer, Marina Furubayashi, was also a 1:01 this morning, going 1:01.77.

MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: Hunter Armstrong, United States – 23.71 (2022)
• WUGS Record: Zane Waddell, South Africa – 24.46 (2019)

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Andrei Anghel (Romania) – 24.96
2. Simone Stefani (Italy) – 25.13
3. Michele Lamberti (Italy) – 25.24
4. Reo Miura (Japan) – 25.32
5. Gabriel Fantoni (Brazil) – 25.43
6. Imgyu Song (South Korea) – 25.45
7. Denis Popescu (Romania) – 25.46
8. Lin Tao (China) – 25.51
9. Thierry Bollin (Switzerland) – 25.56
10. Wang Gukailai (China) – 25.59 (TIE)
11. Srihari Nataraj (India) – 25.59 (TIE)
12. Kacper Stokowski (Poland) – 25.60
13. Tommy Janton (United States) – 25.62
14. Riku Matsuyama (Japan) – 25.63
15. Piotr Ludwiczak (Poland) – 25.65 (TIE)
16. Joseph Hayburn (United States) – 25.65 (TIE)

The men’s 50 backstroke was far and away the best event for Romania so far in this meet. Andrei Anghel was the top swimmer in prelims, clocking a 24.96, which was the only time under 25 seconds this morning. On top of Anghel’s excellent swim, fellow Romanian Denis Popescu came in 7th this morning with a 25.46.

100 back champion Simone Stefani (Italy) swam a 25.13 for 2nd overall this morning. Stefani was joined by fellow Italian Michele Lamberti, who came in 3rd this morning with a 25.24.

WOMEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: Katie Ledecky, United States – 15:20.48 (2018)
• WUGS Record: Simona Quadarella, Italy – 15:57.90 (2017)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Li Bingjie (China) -16:32.39
2. Tamila Holub (Portugal) – 16:35.66
3. Noemi Cesarano (Italy) – 16:36.62
4. Ichika Kajimoto (Japan) – 16:37.52
5. Airi Ebina (Japan) – 16:39.36
6. Giulia Rametelli (Italy) – 16:50.10
7. Catherine Van Rensburg (South Africa) – 16:50.37
8. Anna Kalandadze (United States) -16:55.94

In the first of the circle seeded heats this morning, Italy’s Noemi Cesarano led for the vast majority of the race, pulling away from Japan’s Airi Ebina on the back half. Cesarano would touch first in the heat with a 16:36.62, leading Ebina (16:39.36) by a little less than 3 seconds. Both women would safely advance to tomorrow night’s final.

In the 2nd of the circle seeded heats this morning, Asian Record holder Li Bingjie led from the start. Though Bingjie led from the first lap of the race, a few of the other swimmers in the heat stayed with her early on in the race, before Bingjie ultimately broke away from each of them completely. Bingjie ended up finishing in 16:32.39, marking the fastest time of the morning. That was a very relaxed swim for Bingjie, who clocked a 15:45 for the bronze medal in the event at the World Championships last week. We can look forward to Bingjie making a run at the WUGS Championship Record of 15:57.90 in tomorrow night’s final.

Portugal’s Tamila Holub stayed pretty close to Bingjie throughout the race. She finished 2nd in the heat in 16:35.66, which also stands as the 2nd-fastest time of the morning.