2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
- February 11th – February 18th
- Doha, Qatar
- LCM (50m)
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- Day 1 Prelims Recap
Tonight’s Schedule
- Men’s 400 free final
- Women’s 100 fly semifinal
- Men’s 50 fly semifinal
- Women’s 400 free final
- Men’s 100 breast semifinal
- Women’s 200 IM semifinal
- Women’s 4×100 free relay final
- Men’s 4×100 free relay final
Women’s 4×100 Free Relay Final
After swimming the top time of the morning, Australia has switched two of their relay legs. As expected, the team will use their top four swimmers with flat-start best times. Based on their flat-start best times, Australia looks to be at least over two seconds faster tonight than they were this morning. They have gone with Brianna Throssell, Alexandria Perkins, Abbey Harkin, and Shayna Jack for tonight. Jack had the fastest split of any team in the field this morning as she anchored in a 52.83.
Unlike the top-seeded Australians, Italy will not have any fresh legs tonight as their four prelims swimmers will swim again in finals. Chiara Tarantino anchored in the second fastest split this morning of any of the field swimming a 53.88 to bring it home.
Canada’s only change from this morning is moving Katerine Savard into the third leg where Ella Jansen swam this morning. Jansen split a 55.67, the slowest split of the relay while Savard has a flat-start best time of a 54.51.
The Netherlands will bring in Marrit Steenbergen to anchor after not swimming on the relay this morning. It is important to note that Steenbergen will swim in the semifinal of the 200 IM right before the relay. Steenbergen is one of the top 100 freestyles at the meet and will be a big boost tonight.
Men’s 4×100 Free Relay Final
The US swam the fastest time this morning and will bring in two fresh legs tonight. Hunter Armstrong will be replaced by Matt King on the leadoff and Jack Aikins will be replaced by Shaine Casas for the second leg. Armstrong and Aikins had the two slowest splits for the US this morning. King swam a best time in prelims at US Summer Nationals with a 47.93 which is about half a second faster than Armstrong was this morning (48.37).
Italy has rotated their lineup from this morning and added Manuel Frigo on the anchor leg. Frigo’s flat start best is a 48.45 which is already faster than Leonardo Deplano swam this morning (48.59) off of a flying start.
After playing it safe this morning to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Great Britain men will look to be a little riskier in finals. The same four men will swim as this morning, which was expected as they went for the relay qualification this morning. Tom Dean‘s flat-start personal best is over a second faster than he was this morning so there is a big potential for a drop there.
China will keep the same four men from this morning as they have just rotated their lineup around a bit.
This is the most mid USA lineup I’ve ever seen. USA swimming has gone downhill.
What could possibly go wrong here.
Why is Casas who hasn’t been faster than 48.9 since 2022 being pulled in over Armstrong? His lifetime best is only .02 better than Hunter, and he’s a way bigger wildcard.
Coaches must have an expectation based on preparation. I probably would’ve worked that out in prelims.
FWIW, Hunter hasn’t been great in the 100 free lately either.
They barely had a training camp, and the only coach on staff that could have any previous history with the relay swimmers is Posegay if he crossed paths with them at the OTC. Casas had a solid 50 fly today and they’re going to win regardless, but I hate swimmers getting automatic finals spots unless they’re extremely proven or have recent results that far outstrip the other options.
This comment aged well
Yeah, I stuck my foot in my mouth with the winning prediction.
I hope I eat my words but Casas is a mistake
Maybe yes, maybe no. At this stage of Olympic cycle, gathering data. See if he can perform under pressure. Which he seems to do, at least in finals. We’ll find out. He does have a nice upside in this event.
“See if he can perform under pressure. Which he seems to do, at least in finals.”
This comment aged like milk
You were right
I thought he’d step up. Geez.
You know those staged races in T&F – like a 300m race between the 200m champ and 400m champ. I feel like these relays have a little bit of that flavor and I love it. Just a heads up: Casas will be lose as a goose and be super fast.
I would love to see peak Michael Phelps vs peak Ian Thorpe in a 300 free… fwiw I think Phelps takes it
So the former 200m and 400m world record holder would lose to the guy who never beat him in a freestyle race?
Phelps at his peak went much faster than Thorpe in the 200: 1:42.9 vs 1:44.0. Not sure of the suite situation, though (rubber vs full body vs textile jammer etc)
Thorpe every day of the week and twice on Sunday. I remember Phelps’ 400free at 2005 Montreal Worlds.
“Just a heads up: Casas will be lose as a goose and be super fast.”
Ummm…..
I like this change for the US
4 nations in contention (US, GB, Italy, China) but only 3 medals available in that Men’s 4×100