2022 Short Course Worlds Champs: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2022 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, December 13 to Sunday, December 18, 2022
• Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre, Melbourne, Australia
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DAY 3 PRELIMS HEAT SHEETS

Women’s 4×50 Free Relay Lineups

Men’s 4×50 Free Relay Lineups (names not listed yet)

We’re back for Day 3 of the 2022 Short Course World Championships in Melbourne. This prelims session hits the ground running, with heats of the 50 backstroke. After tying with Torri Huske for gold in the 50 fly, world record holder Maggie MacNeil begins her defense of her 2021 world title. On the men’s side, after winning the 100m backstroke and posting a sizzling 50 split on the mixed 4×50 medley relay, it’ll be Ryan Murphy who comes in riding the hot hand.

After the 50 backstrokes, there are heats of the 200 butterfly, 100 IM, men’s 400 freestyle, and the 4×50 freestyle relay. We’ve seen four relay world records go down through two days of competition–will anyone take aim at either mark in this sprint free relay?

Women’s 50m Backstroke – Prelims

• World Record: 25.27 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 2021
• World Junior Record: 26.13 – Olivia Smoliga, USA (2012)
• Championship Record: 25.27 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 2021
• 2021 Champion: 25.27 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN)

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Julie Kepp Jensen (DEN) – 25.85
2. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 25.94
3. Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) – 25.99
4. Claire Curzan (USA)/Hanna Rosvall (SWE)/Louise Hansson (SWE) – 26.07
5. –
6. –
7. Kira Toussaint (NED)/Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 26.09)
8. –
9. Simona Kubova (CZE) – 26.17
10. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 26.24
11. Maaike de Waard (NED) – 26.32
12. Wan Letian (CHN) – 26.38
13. Silvia Scalia (ITA) – 26.40
14. Mary-Ambre Moluh (FRA) – 26.45
15. Erika Brown (USA) – 26.50
16. Analia Pigree (FRA) – 26.54

In the unseeded heat 4, the American duo of Claire Curzan and Erika Brown went 1-2. Curzan, who’s already picked up a bronze medal in the 50 fly, led from the start and touched in 26.07. Brown finished second in 26.50.

Continuing to put her hand injury from the fall behind her, Kira Toussaint earned the win in heat 5 with a 26.09, just two-hundredths behind the time Curzan posted in the previous heat. Her Dutch teammate Maaike de Waard was second in the heat with a 26.32.

After a disappointing 100 backstroke on Day 2, where she finished off the podium, Kylie Masse became the first swimmer to get under 26 seconds in prelims, winning her heat in 25.94. Hanna Rosvall was second in 26.07, after a slightly long finish. Last night’s 100 backstroke champion Kaylee McKeown was third in 26.24.

With a new Danish record, Julie Kepp Jensen clocked the top time of the session in 25.85. That’s a huge lifetime best for her, as she breaks her own Danish record and brings it under 26 seconds for the first time. Mollie O’Callaghan also got under 26 seconds, finishing second in 25.99. After turning fourth at the wall, world record holder Maggie MacNeil held that position at the final touch, posting 26.09.

Men’s 50m Backstroke – Prelims

• World Record: 22.11 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2022)
• World Junior Record: 22.77 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• Championship Record: 22.22 – Florent Manaudou, FRA (2014)
• 2021 Champion: 22.66 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Kacper Stokowski (POL) – 22.78
2. Isaac Cooper (AUS) – 22.79
3. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 23.01
4. Dylan Carter (TTO) – 23.07
5. Lorenzo Mora (ITA) – 23.09
6. Javier Acevedo (CAN) – 23.10
7. Andrei-Mircea Anghel (ROU) – 23.12
8. Apostolos Christou (GRE)/Hunter Armstrong (USA) – 23.18
9. –
10. Ryan Murphy (USA) – 23.22
11. Ole Braunschweig (GER) – 23.25/Takeshi Kawamoto (JPN) – 23.25
12. –
13. Tomas Franta (CZE) – 25.26
14. Marek Ulrich (GER) – 23.28
15. Ksawery Masiuk (POL) – 23.35
16. Ryosuke Irie (JPN) – 23.38

In heat 4, Romanian record holder Robert Glinta was a no-show. Kacper Stokowski won the heat with a 22.78, which FINA lists as a championship record, though Florent Manaudou was faster in 2014. It’s still an excellent time for Stokowski, and a new Polish record. In the same heat, Javier Acevedo bounced back from a rocky start to the meet with a Canadian record, clipping his own mark by a tenth with a 23.10.

Heat 5 saw Pieter Coetze just get the better of World Cup Triple Crown winner Dylan Carter, 23.01 to 23.07. Lorenzo Mora was also with them right to the touch, finishing third in 23.09.

In the final heat, Isaac Cooper–who Australia left off their mixed 4×50 medley relay that missed finals–set a new Australian and Oceanic record, blasting 22.79 t get under Mitch Larkin‘s old record. Like Acevedo, Hunter Armstrong had a bounce-back swim. Armstrong missed the semifinals of both the 100 back and 100 free, but made it back here, posting the second fastest time in the heat with a 23.18.

Women’s 200m Butterfly – Prelims

• World Record: 1:59.61 – Mireia Belmonte Garcia, ESP (2014)
• World Junior Record: 2:02.96 – Suzuka Hasegawa, JPN (2017)
• Championship Record: 1:59.61 – Mireia Belmonte Garcia, ESP (2014)
• 2021 Champion: 2:03.01 – Zhang Yufei, CHN

Top 8 Qualifiers: 

1. Dakota Luther (USA) – 2:03.73
2. Hali Flickinger (USA) – 2:04.66
3. Helena Bach (DEN) – 2:05.09
4. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) – 2:05.13
5. Airi Mitsui (JPN) – 2:05.27
6. Karin Uchida (JPN) – 2:05.38
7. Elizabeth Dekkers (AUS) – 2:05.41
8. Lana Pudar (BIH) – 2:05.87

Hali Flickinger built her way into her race, putting together a strong morning swim to win her heat with a 2:04.66. After getting out to a fast start, Finland’s Laura Lahtinen stayed strong, and finished second in 2:05.13.

In the last heat, Dakota Luther rocketed out to the lead and kept extending it through the race, building about a 1.5 second lead at the 175-mark. She touched in 2:03.73, earning her lane 4 for the final. Karin Uchida earned second in 2:05.38.

With Luther’s swim, the Americans will have the two middle lanes in the final. Also getting two swimmers into the top 8 was Japan, with Uchida and Airi Mitsui. 

Men’s 200m Butterfly – Prelims

• World Record: 1:46.85 – Tomoru Honda, JPN (2022)
• World Junior Record: 1:49.61 – Chen Juner, CHN (2022)
• Championship Record: 1:48.24 – Daiya Seto, JPN (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 1:49.06 – Alberto Razzetti, ITA

Top 8 Qualifiers: 

1. Trenton Julian, USA – 1:49.93
2. Chad Le Clos, South Africa – 1:49.98
3. Daiya Seto, Japan – 1:49.99
4. Teppei Morimoto, Japan – 1:50.26
5. Noe Ponti, Switzerland – 1:50.69
6. Kregor Zirk, Estonia – 1:50.85
7. Ilya Kharun, Canada – 1:50.86
8. Alberto Razzetti, Italy – 1:50.89

Olympic medalist Noe Ponti of Switzerland won his heat by half a body length in 1:50.69, edging Chen Juner of China. USA’s Trenton Julian and Zach Harting, a last-minute addition to the U.S. roster, were both in the next heat but it was Julian who walked away with the win, holding off a charge from Japan’s Daiya Seto. Julian stopped the clock at 1:49.93 to Seto’s 1:49.99. Kregor Zirk of Estonia was third in 1:50.85, a body length in front of Harting.

The final heat went to South Africa’s Chad Le Clos in 1:49.98. Behind him, in quick succession, were Teppi Morimoto of Japan (1:50.26), Canada’s Ilya Kharun (1:50.86), and Alberto Razzetti of Italy (1:50.89). Kharun has already twice broken the World Junior Record in the 50 fly this week, and Razzetti is the defending champion in this event. He went 1:40.06 last year. The new World Record-holder Tomoru Honda is not here in Melbourne.

Women’s 100m IM – Prelims

• World Record: 56.51 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2017)
• World Junior Record: 57.59 – Anastasia Shkurdai, BLR (2020)
• Championship Record: 56.70 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2014)
• 2021 Champion: 57.80 – Anastasia Gorbenko, ISR

Top 16 Qualifiers: 

1. Louise Hansson, Sweden – 57.98
2. Marrit Steenbergen, Netherlands – 58.87
3. Helena Gasson, New Zealand – 58.92
4. Mary-Sophie Harvey, Canada – 58.93
5. (TIE) Costanza Cocconcelli, Italy/Beryl Gastaldello, France – 59.19
7. Lena Kreundl, Austria – 59.29
8. Rebecca Meder, South Africa – 59.38
9. Neza Klancar, Slovenia – 59.42
10. (TIE) Yui Ohashi, Japan/Sydney Pickrem, Canada – 59.49
12. Emilie Fast, Sweden – 59.53
13. Tamara Potocka, Slovakia – 59.69
14. Africa Sanz, Spain – 59.99
15. Diana Petkova, Bulgaria – 1:00.08
16. Kayla Hardy, Australia – 1:00.16

The first of the circle-seeded heats went to Marrit Steenberger of the Netherlands, who beat her seed time by .28 to win her with 58.87 (her PB is 57.74). Steenbergen has been on fire here in Melbourne; she has already broken the Dutch Record in the 200 IM and could do serious damage in the 100 IM tomorrow. Sweden’s Louise Hansson won the next heat by a full body length with a 57.98. Neza Klancar of Slovenia finished strong to come in second out of lane 1, with a Slovenian Record of  59.42. Japan’s Yui Ohashi came from behind to tie Canada’s Sydney Pickrem for third. Ohashi is the defending Olympic Champion in the 200 IM/400 IM. Pickrem struggled at long course Worlds in this event; she missed the final, placing 13th in semis.

New Zealand’s Helena Gasson won the final heat from lane 3, beating Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey (58.93) and France’s Beryl Gastaldello (59.19), the top seed, with 58.92.

Tamara Potocka, who finished 13th, broke the Slovakian record with 59.69. Africa Zomorano Sanz lowered the Spanish national record to 59.99.

Men’s 100m IM – Prelims

• World Record: 49.28 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Junior Record: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• Championship Record: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 51.09 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS

Top 16 Qualifiers: 

1. Maxime Grousset, France – 51.94
2. Finlay Knox, Canada – 51.95
3. Shaine Casas, USA – 51.96
4. Shuya Matsumoto, Japan – 51.99
5. Javier Acevedo, Canada – 52.06
6. Thomas Ceccon, Italy – 52.12
7. Michael Andrew, USA – 52.21
8. Bernhard Reitshammer, Austria – 52.28
9. Carles Coll Marti, Spain – 52.32
10. Yakov Toumarkin, Israel – 52.38
11. Caio Pumputis, Brazil – 52.50
12. (TIE) Leonard Coelho Santos, Brazil/Heiko Gigler, Austria – 52.58
14. Andreas Vazaios, Greece – 52.62
15. Mikel Schreuders, Aruba – 52.65
16. Markus Lie, Norway – 52.77

Japan’s Shuya Matsumoto won the first circle-seeded heat with 51.99, edging Canada’s Javier Acevedo (52.07) and Brazil’s Caio Pumputis (52.50) with a big finish. Acevedo, after missing semis in his first two events of the meet, now has been top-6 in two prelims today. He went a personal best in the 50 back earlier, and although this 100 IM wasn’t quite his best, it was enough to qualify for semi-finals.

Maxime Grousset of France, best known as a freestyler but who has been swimming the 100 IM for fun this season, won the penultimate heat with 51.94. He went out quickly on the fly, but fell to second place behind USA’s Michael Andrew on the back and breast legs. Grousset brought it home with his strong freestyle to beat Andrew by nearly three-tenths. Andrew, the 2018 champion, qualified seventh (52.21) after missing semis in the 100 breast on Wednesday.

Shaine Casas of USA, the top seed in the event, led from start to finish, but Canada’s Finlay Knox actually got his hand to the wall first and won the heat by .01, 51.95 to 51.96. Italy’s Thomas Ceccon was third in 52.12. Knox was a medalist in the 200 IM and is now second to Grousset headed into tonight’s semi-finals.

Mikel Schreuders of Aruba qualified for semis with a new Aruban national record of 52.65.

Huseyin Sakci of Turkey and Finland’s Ronny Brannkarr tied for 17th place and competed in a swim-off for the first alternate position. Brannkarr led on the fly and back legs, heading into the breast with a lead of three-fourths of a body. Sakci, the 50 breast World Record-holder, came charging back on the breaststroke leg and pulled within .23 of Brannkarr at the 75. Sakci charged home to win on the last stroke with 52.24 to Brannkarr’s 52.28. Those times would have put both of them into tonight’s semi-finals.

Men’s 400m Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 3:32.25 – Yannick Agnel, FRA (2012)
• World Junior Record: 3:37.92 – Matt Sates, RSA (2021)
• Championship Record: 3:34.01 – Danas Rapsys, LTU (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 3:35.90 – Felix Auboeck, AUT

Top 8 Qualifiers: 

1. Kieran Smith, USA – 3:36.91
2. Matteo Ciampi, Italy – 3:37.73
3. Katsuhiro Matsumoto, Kapan – 3:37.96
4. Mack Horton, Australia – 3:38.09
5. Thomas Neill, Australia – 3:38.23
6. Antonio Djakovic, Switzerland – 3:38.57
7. Danas Rapsys, Lithuania – 3:38.71
8. Jake Magahey, USA – 3:38.74

Turkey’s Mert Kilavuz dropped 9.4 seconds to win heat 1 with 3:46.32. Spain’s Luis Dominguez won the next heat in 3:43.18, beating his entry time by 4.4 seconds. Sweden’s Victor Johansson was a no-show in that heat.

South Korea’s Woomin Kim won the third heat with 3:38.86 ahead of Brazil’s Breno Correia (3:41.89) and Great Britain’s Daniel Jervis (3:42.85). David Popovici of Romania was dead last in the heat, coming to the wall at 3:58.48. Not only did he not make it through to the final, it looked as if he were just going through a warmup for his finals swim tonight.

Japan’s Katsuhiro Matsumoto won the next heat with 3:37.96. Mack Horton of Australia made a push at the end but Matsumoto controlled the heat from start to finish. Horton was just behind with 3:38.09.

Kieran Smith of USA won the final heat ahead of Italy’s Matteo Ciampi, 3:36.91 to 3:37.73. Smith’s teammate Jake Magahey was third with 3:38.74. Matthew Sates of South Africa, the 2022 NCAA champion in the 500 free, finished sixth in the heat. Great Britain’s Tom Dean was also off his best time, coming in fourth with 3:39.79. Dean, tenth overall, just missed qualifying for the final.

Danas Rapsys from Lithuania and Antonio Djakovic of Switzerland were silver and bronze medalists last year; they qualified seventh and sixth for tonight’s final. The defending gold medalist, Felix Auboeck of Austria, isn’t swimming.

Women’s 4x50m Free Relay – Prelims

• World Record: 1:32.50 – Netherlands (2020)
• World Junior Record: 1:40.59 – Benchmark
• Championship Record: 1:34.03 – United States (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 1:34.22 – United States

Top 8 Qualifiers: 

1. China – 1:36.08
2. Australia – 1:36.14
3. USA – 1:36.17
4. Netherlands – 1:36.32
5. Great Britain – 1:37.41
6. Japan – 1:37.74
7. Sweden – 1:37.93
8. New Zealand – 1:38.45

China won heat 1 of the women’s 200 free relays, with contributions from Zhang Yufei (23.76), Liu Shuhan (24.06), Cheng Yujie (24.10), and Yang Junxuan (24.16) to clock a combined 1:36.08. Australia were second in the heat, just .06 behind China, with legs from Meg Harris (23.85), Alexandria Perkins (24.10), Brittany Castelluzzo (24.29), and Mollie O’Callaghan (23.90).

The United States (Erika Brown, Erin Gemmell, Natalie Hinds, and Alex Walsh) won the next heat, coming from behind on the final 25 meters to touch out the Netherlands, 1:36.17 to 1:36.32.

Men’s 4x50m Free Relay – Prelims

• World Record: 1:21.80 – United States (2018)
• World Junior Record: 1:27.46 – Benchmark
• Championship Record: 1:21.80 – United States (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 1:23.61 – Italy

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Netherlands – 1:23.70
2. USA – 1:24.07
3. Italy – 1:24.13
4. Japan – 1:24.17
5. Australia – 1:24.42
6. Brazil – 1:26.10
7. Spain – 1:26.29
8. Ukraine – 1:26.53

China were a no-show in heat 1 of the men’s 200 free relays. Italy emerged victorious in the heat with 1:24.13, beating Japan (1:24.17), Australia (1:24.42), and South Africa (1:29.27). Italy’s quartet consisted of Alessandro Miressi (21.26), Leonardo Deplano (20.79), Manuelo Frigo (21.07), and Paolo Conte Bonin (21.01).

The final heat of the morning went to the Netherlands, who edged the United States, 1:23.70 to 124.07. The Dutch led from start to finish, with performances from Kenzo Simons (21.28), Nyls Korstanje (20.79), Stan Pijnenburg (21.07), and Thom de Boer (20.56). Just behind were USA’s David Curtiss (21.34), Drew Kibler (20.95), Hunter Armstrong (20.94), and Shaine Casas (20.84).