2024 World Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 11th – February 18th, 2024
• Doha, Qatar
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Official Entries
• Live Results
• How To Watch
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

Day 4 Finals Heat Sheet

Mixed Medley Relay Start Lists

Welcome back for another busy finals session at the 2024 World Championships. It’s day 4, which means that in addition to all the individual event finals and semifinals, we’ve got relays back in our lives as the final of the mixed medley caps off the session.

Here’s the plan for this session:

Day 4 Finals Schedule:

• Men’s 800 freestyle — final
• Women’s 200 freestyle — final
• Men’s 100 freestyle — semifinals
• Women’s 50 backstroke — semifinals
• Men’s 200 butterfly — final
• Men’s 50 breaststroke — final
• Women’s 200 butterfly — semifinals
• Men’s 200 IM — semifinals
• Mixed 4×100 medley relay — final

Things kick off with the men’s 800 freestyle final where top qualifiers Luca de Tullio, Daniel Wiffen, and Sven Schwarz are separated by just .43 seconds after their prelims swims. On paper, Wiffen is the favorite among the three–he owns the European record (7:39.19) and is the SCM world record holder in this event. But there’s also Gregorio Paltrinieri lurking out in lane 1 and he’ll likely try to jet out far enough ahead that no one can catch him.

400 freestyle champion Erika Fairweather is the top seed for the women’s 200 freestyle final (1:55.75). She snuck by Siobhan Haughey in the second semifinal yesterday to claim lane 4 and is looking to earn New Zealand’s second gold in Worlds history. Haughey has shown herself to be on good form here in Doha, picking up bronze in the 100 breaststroke. They’re the two favorites heading into the final, though there are plenty of swimmers in for the fight for the last spot on the podium.

Alberto Razzetti leads the way in the men’s 200 fly, just .11 seconds ahead of Tomoru Honda, 1:55.09 to 1:55.20. Honda has been on this podium for the last two Worlds and looks ready to go for a third despite reportedly racing with a sprained ankle. The top 8 are separated by less than a second after the semifinals, so expect a close race where the medals could come from any lane.

The three 100 breaststroke medalists from earlier in the meet–Nic Fink, Nicolo Martinenghi, and Adam Peaty are back for the men’s 50 breaststroke. They’ll surround 50 breaststroke specialist Sam Williamson, who set an Australian record of 26.41 in the semifinals. Simone Cerasuolo was the fifth and final man under 27 seconds in semis (26.98) but it looks like a real challenge for anyone to break into that pack of four.

MEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – Final

• World Record: Zhang Lin, China – 7:32.12 (2009)
• World Junior Record: Lorenzo Galossi, Italy – 7:43.37 (2022)
• Championship Record: Zhang Lin, China – 7:32.12 (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Ahmed Hafnaoui, Tunisia – 7:37.00
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 7:51.65, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 7:54.01

Final:

1. Daniel Wiffen (IRL) — 7:40.94
2. Elijah Winnington (AUS) – -7:42.95
3. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) — 7:42.98
4. Sven Schwarz (GER) — 7:44.29
5. Kristof Rasovsky (HUN) — 7:44.42
6. Victor Johansson (SWE) — 7:47.08
7. Luca de Tullio (ITA) — 7:49.79
8. Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR) — 7:54.51

We’re used to seeing Gregorio Paltrinieri be the one to push that pace through the opening half of the race. He was up at the front but it was Australia’s Elijah Winnington–in his first 800 freestyle Worlds final–who jumped out in front. Winnington, who usually races in the 200/400 free range has the most speed of the group and tried to use that to his advantage.

Winnington held the lead at halfway, but by the 450-mark, Paltrinieri had taken over the lead. He stayed in front for the next few laps while Daniel Wiffen began to make his move. He’d been sitting in 3rd, keeping an eye on the Australian and the Italian. Wiffen passed Winnington and began to close the gap to Paltrinieri, bringing it down to just three-tenths at the bell lap.

With 50 meters to go, Wiffen had taken the lead and he charged home to deliver Ireland’s first non-para swimming medal at a World Championships. Wiffen earned his gold in 7:40.94.

Winnington found an extra gear over the final 100 meters, splitting 29.10/27.36 to just get the better of Paltrinieri for the silver medal by three-hundredths, 7:42.95 to 7:42.98.

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – Final

• World Record: Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia – 1:52.85 (2023)
• World Junior Record: Summer McIntosh, Canada – 1:53.65 (2023)
• Championship Record: Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia – 1:52.85 (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia – 1:52.85
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 1:57.26, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 1:57.85

Final:

1. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) — 1:54.89
2. Erika Fairweather (NZL) — 1:55.77
3. Brianna Throssell (AUS) — 1:56.00
4. Barbora Seemanova (CZE) — 1:56.13
5. Maria Costa (BRA) — 1:56.85
6. Nikolett Padar (HUN) — 1:56.89
7. Shayna Jack (AUS) — 1:57.24
8. Ai Yanhan (CHN) — 1:57.53

As we’ve seen her do before, Siobhan Haughey took this 200 freestyle out quickly. She split 26.40/28.72 on the first 100 of the race, flipping first at both turns. Sprint freestyle specialist Shayna Jack took the race out quickly as well, turning in 2nd at the halfway point before running out of gas and falling back through the field.

On the third 50, Haughey maintained her lead on both the field and the world record line, making the final turn still under Mollie O’Callaghan‘s pace from Fukuoka. 400 freestyle champion Erika Fairweather made her move on the third 50 meters, moving from third up to second place and Brianna Throssell began to work through the field as well.

Haughey lost touch with O’Callaghan’s world record line on the final 50 meters but was able to hold onto the lead, winning her first Worlds title. Haughey clocked 1:54.89 for her medal which as she pointed out, feels sweet because she’s been 4th the last couple years in this event at Worlds despite winning silver at the Tokyo Games.

Fairweather added a silver medal to her tally here in Doha with a 1:55.77. Throssell charged on the final 50 meters with a field best 29.73 closing split, moving from 5th at the final turn onto the podium with a bronze medal. It’s her first time standing on the Worlds podium in an individual event. She out-touched Barbora Seemanova, who took 4th in 1:56.13.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – Semifinals

• World Record: Pan Zhanle, China – 46.80 (2024)
• World Junior Record: David Popovici, Romania – 46.86 (2022)
• Championship Record: Cesar Cielo, Brazil – 46.91 (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Kyle Chalmers, Australia – 47.15
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 48.34, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 48.58

Top 8:

1. Pan Zhanle (CHN) — 47.73
2. Alessandro Miressi (ITA) — 47.88
3. Hwang Sunwoo (KOR) — 47.93
4. Nandor Nemeth (HUN) — 47.96
5. Andrej Barna (SRB) — 48.05
6. Wang Haoyu (CHN) — 48.11
7. Matt King (USA) — 48.17
8. Matt Richards (GBR) — 48.22

Newly minted world record holder Pan Zhanle continues to show his form in the 100 freestyle in Doha. He maintained his top seed from prelims, winning the second semifinal in 47.73 to grab lane 4 for tomorrow night’s final. The time was about a tenth quicker than his prelims time and Pan looked in control the entire time, touching ahead of Hungary’s Nandor Nemeth.

The #2 and #3 seeds come from the first semifinal, which belonged to Alessandro Miressi. Miressi came from behind to out-touch Hwang Sunwoo for the heat win. They both advance comfortably to the final in 47.88 and 47.93, respectively. It’s a nice bounce back for both of them as they both missed the final in Fukuoka.

Reflective of their 4×100 freestyle relay gold on Day 1, China got two swimmers into the final. 18-year-old Wang Haoyu moved through to the final with a 48.11, good for 6th overall.

It took a 48.22 to make it back with Matt Richards sneaking in for 8th place. In Fukuoka, the same time earned Josh Liendo 14th.

WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – Semifinals

• World Record: Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 26.86 (2023)
• World Junior Record: Minna Atherton, Australia – 27.49 (2016)
• Championship Record: Zhao Ling, China – 27.06 (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 27.08

Top 8:

1. Iona Anderson (AUS) — 27.51
2. Lauren Cox (GBR) — 27.55
3. Claire Curzan (USA) — 27.65
4. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) — 27.68
5. Theodora Drakou (GRE) — 28.00
6. Adela Piskorska (POL) — 28.06
7. Louise Hansson (SWE) / Kira Toussaint (NED) — 28.13
8. (tie)

The Australian teenager Iona Anderson is having herself a meet. In the absence of Australia’s biggest backstroke names, she’s been able to make a strong transition from the junior to senior international stage. She won silver in the 100 backstroke, and just took the win in the first semifinal, swimming a massive personal best 27.51. That swim marked her first time sub-28 seconds as she swam 28.01 at last year’s World Junior Championships.

She got the better of Great Britain’s Lauren Cox who was just behind her in 27.55. Those times stood up through the second semifinal as the top two times for tomorrow night’s final. Yesterday’s 100 backstroke champion, Claire Curzan, mistimed her finish a bit but still won the second semifinal. She posted 27.65 which qualifies her for the final in 3rd, just ahead of 100 back bronze medalist Ingrid Wilm.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – Final

• World Record: Kristof Milak, Hungary – 1:50.34 (2022)
• World Junior Record: Kristof Milak, Hungary – 1:53.79 (2017)
• Championship Record: Kristof Milak, Hungary – 1:50.34 (2022)
• 2023 World Champion: Leon Marchand, France – 1:52.43
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 1:55.78, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 1:56.36

Final:

1. Tomoru Honda (JPN) — 1:53.88
2. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) — 1:54.65
3. Martin Espernberger (AUT) — 1:55.16
4. Michal Chmielewski (POL) — 1:55.36
5. Kregor Zirk (EST) — 1:55.48
6. Richard Marton (HUN) — 1:55.76
7. Lewis Clareburt (NZL) — 1:55.86
8. Matthew Sates (RSA) — 1:57.23

It all came down to the final 50 meters between Tomoru Honda and Alberto Razzetti. The two had distanced themselves from the field over the first 150-meters, trading the lead at both the 50 and 100 walls. They were tied at 1:23.50 on the final turn, as Razzetti had split 29.48 to Honda’s 29.60 to catch the Fukuoka bronze medalist.

Over the final 50 meters Honda, who is racing with a sprained ankle, pressed the pace with a 30.38 split–2nd best in the field. Honda touched in 1:53.58, claiming his first gold medal at the Worlds/Olympics level after being a podium stalwart in this event over the last quad.

Razzetti held on for the silver, touching in a 1:54.65. It was chaos behind the two leaders as the rest of the field jockeyed for the final spot on the podium. Lewis Clareburt was third at the 150-meters but the rest of the field pushed past him as Martin Espernberger, Michal Chmielewski, Kregor Zirk, and Richard Marton all charged. At the wall, it was Espernberger who earned the bronze for Austria, out-touching Chmielewski by two-tenths. 3rd through 5th was separated by just .32 seconds.

MEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – Final

• World Record: Adam Peaty, Great Britain – 25.95 (2017)
• World Junior Record: Nicolo Martinenghi, Italy – 26.97 (2017)
• Championship Record: Adam Peaty, Great Britain – 25.95 (2017)
• 2023 World Champion: Qin Haiyang, China – 26.29

Final:

1. Sam Williamson (AUS) — 26.32
2. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) — 26.39
3. Nic Fink (USA) — 26.49
4. Adam Peaty (GBR) — 26.77
5. Lucas Matzerath (GER) — 26.80
6. Simone Cerasuolo (ITA) — 26.93
7. Mikel Schreuders (ARU) — 26.97
8. Peter Stevens (SLO) — 27.07

It was a tight race in the men’s 50 breaststroke with seven of the eight finalists under 27 seconds. The top three swimmers were separated by .17 seconds; at the touch, it was Sam Williamson delivering Australia’s first gold medal of the meet. Williamson swam a 26.32 for the gold medal, which resets the Australian and Oceanic records that he set during the semifinals.

It’s his first individual medal at the World Championship level, a journey which he detailed in his interview immediately after the race. He charted the path that he’s been on from sitting on the couch watching Worlds two years ago, to getting 4th from lane 8 in Fukuoka, and now earning gold.

Williamson out-touched Nicolo Martinenghi by seven-hundredths. Martinenghi earned his second silver medal of the meet with a 26.39. Nic Fink, the new 100 breaststroke world champion, was the third member of the group bunched at the front of the race challenging for gold. He earned his second individual medal of the meet with a 26.49 for bronze, a tenth behind Martinenghi.

Adam Peaty wasn’t quite able to hang with the front three, taking 4th a bit further back in a 26.77. Germany’s Lucas Matzerath earned 5th in 26.80, just a hundredth off the German record.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – Semifinals

• World Record: Liu Zige, China – 2:01.81 (2009)
• World Junior Record: Summer McIntosh, Canada – 2:04.06 (2023)
• Championship Record: Jess Schipper, Australia – 2:03.41 (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Summer McIntosh, Canada – 2:04.06
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 2:08.43, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 2:09.07

Top 8:

1. Helena Rosendahl Bach (DEN) — 2:07.45
2. Rachel Klinker (USA) — 2:07.70
3. Laura Stephens (GBR) — 2:07.97
4. Boglarka Kapas (HUN) — 2:08.48
5. Ma Yonghui (CHN) — 2:08.73
6. Dalma Sebestyen (HUN) — 2:09.14
7. Park Sujin (KOR) — 2:09.22
8. Lana Pudar (BIH) — 2:09.42

In the second semifinal, Helena Rosendahl Bach touched in 2:07.45, not too far away from her personal best of 2:07.15 from 2023 Worlds. That put her into lane 4 for tomorrow night’s final.

Rachel Klinker, a last minute addition to the Americans’ roster for this Worlds, had a huge swim in the first semifinal. She clocked 2:07.70 for the win, which held up for the 2nd fastest time through the next semi. It’s a huge personal best time for Klinker, as her previous best was a 2:09.18 from the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials. The time moves her not only into the conversation for a medal in Doha, but as one of the group of women looking to secure the 2nd roster spot in the 200 fly for the upcoming Paris Games.

Great Britain’s Laura Stephens put in a dig over the final 50 meters in the first semifinal. She split 33.63 on that final 50, nearly catching Klinker and touching with a 2:07.97 to qualify in 3rd.

Last year’s 4th place finisher in Fukuoka, Lana Pudar, just made it back for the final. She took 8th in 2:09.42.

MEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – Semifinals

• World Record: Ryan Lochte, United States – 1:54.00 (2011)
• World Junior Record: Hubert Kos, Hungary – 1:56.99 (2021)
• Championship Record: Ryan Lochte, United States – 1:54.00 (2011)
• 2023 World Champion: Leon Marchand, France – 1:54.82
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 1:57.94, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 1:58.53

Top 8:

1. Carson Foster (USA) — 1:57.13
2. Shaine Casas (USA) — 1:57.62
3. Duncan Scott (GBR) — 1:57.83
4. Daiya Seto (JPN) — 1:57.85
5. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) — 1:58.21
6. Finlay Knox (CAN) — 1:58.50
7. Lewis Clareburt (NZL) — 1:58.59
8. Zhang Zhanshou (CHN) — 1:58.98

There were close races in both semifinals of the men’s 200 IM, with the one between Carson Foster and Shaine Casas just faster than Duncan Scott and Daiya Seto‘s race in the first semifinal.

Casas led the way ahead of Foster in the second semifinal at the final turn but Foster, the silver medalist at the 2022 World Championships, took over in the final meters of the freestyle leg. Foster and Casas traded the lead back and forth through the race but Foster’s 29.17 freestyle split was enough to take the win and top qualifying time with an overall time of 1:57.13. Casas finished 2nd in 1:57.62, guaranteeing that the two middle lanes of the final will be taken up by Americans.

Similarly to Foster and Casas, Scott and Seto traded the lead in the first semifinal. Scott had the lead after the butterfly and backstroke, but Seto fought back to take the lead after the breaststroke. Scott split a massive 27.73 on freestyle, putting in the late charge that’s become his style. Scott’s 1:57.83 held up for 3rd overall, with Seto slotting in 4th (1:57.85).

Razzetti and Clareburt, fresh off the 200 butterfly final, both made it back for the 200 IM final. Razzetti sits 5th and Clareburt 7th.

MIXED 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – Final

• World Record: Great Britain – 3:37.58 (2021)
• Championship Record: United States – 3:38.56 (2017)
• 2023 World Champion: China – 3:38.57

Final:

1. USA (Armstrong, Fink, Curzan, Douglass) — 3:40.22
2. Australia (Woodward, Williamson, Throssell, Jack) — 3:43.12
3. Great Britain (Harris, Peaty, Richards, Hopkin) — 3:45.09
4. Poland — 3:46.04
5. Greece — 3:46.69
6. Italy — 3:47.29
7. Sweden — 3:47.46
8. Japan — 3:47.60

The Americans controlled this race from start to finish. Hunter Armstrong got them the lead after his 53.07 backstroke lead-off and they never looked back, leading the race for the rest of the way. They used Armstrong and Fink (58.27) as their first two swimmers, giving Curzan (56.54) and Kate Douglass (52.34) clean water for the rest of the race.

That 52.34 is an impressive split from Douglass, it would’ve been her 3rd fastest relay split in Fukuoka behind only the 51.79 from the mixed 4×100 medley and the 52.28 she anchored the women’s 4×100 free relay in. Her other anchor splits at 2023 Worlds were 52.41 (women’s medley) and 52.48 (mixed free).

As we’ve come to expect from this race, the teams in the final were very spread out. The U.S. won gold by almost three seconds, and the Australians took silver almost two seconds ahead of Great Britain. Australia had Bradley Woodward (53.92) on backstroke, then turned to ew 50 breast world champion Williamson (59.54) on breaststroke. Throssell pulled them into 3rd with a 57.22 fly split, then Jack brought them home in 52.44 for silver.

Great Britain moved from 5th after the butterfly leg into bronze courtesy of Anna Hopkin‘s 52.52 anchor leg. They were one of two teams to use a woman on the backstroke leg. Medi Harris opened in 1:00.28, putting them in 7th place. They gained ground through the next two legs with Peaty splitting 59.42 to move them to 6th, then Richards’ 52.87 fly leg put them 5th.

Putting a woman on the breaststroke leg hurt Poland, who otherwise had a strong outing in this race with a 4th place finish. They were running 2nd after Ksawery Masiuk‘s 53.39 lead-off and pulled themselves back into the heart of the race with Jakub Majerski‘s fly split (51.05) and Kasia Wasick‘s 54.62 anchor, but the 1:06.98 breaststroke split was too much to overcome, especially given the free splits from Hopkin and Jack.

Women’s 50 Backstroke — Swim-Off

1. Maaike de Waard (NED) — 27.84
2. Costanza Cocconcelli (ITA) — 28.24

The session ended with a swim-off for the first alternate for the women’s 50 backstroke final. Maaike de Waard won the race handily, touching four-tenths ahead of Costanza Cocconcelli. de Waard’s final time of 27.84 would’ve put her through to the final in 5th place. Instead, she’s now officially the first alternate.