2023 World Junior Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2023 WORLD JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• September 4 – 9, 2023
• Netanya, Israel
• Wingate Institute
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• How To Watch
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap| Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Heat Sheet (Start List)

With 3 days in the books, we’re officially halfway done with the 2023 World Junior Championships. Day 4 will be underway shortly, featuring a mix of short sprints and mid-distance events. The relay of the day will be the boys 4×200 free relay.

DAY 4 PRELIMS EVENT SCHEDULE

• Girls 50 Backstroke – Prelims
• Boys 50 Butterfly – Prelims
• Girls 400 Freestyle – Prelims
• Boys 200 Breaststroke – Prelims
• Girls 200 Individual Medley – Prelims
• Boys 4×200 Freestyle Relay – Prelims

DAY 4 PRELIMS HEAT SHEET (START LIST)

After great performances in the girls 100 back earlier in the meet, Australians Jaclyn Barclay and Iona Anderson are the top 2 seeds in the girls 50 back this morning. There’s almost a half-second gap between the pair and the next-fastest seed, setting them up well for more success for Team Australia.

Following a great swim in the 400 IM on day 1 of the meet, Canada’s Ella Jansen enters the girls 400 free as the top seed. She enters with the top time by over 2 seconds, and given how she swam in the 400 IM, it appears she could have a very good race in her in the 400 free.

Jansen is pulling double duty, as she’s also entered the girls 200 IM this morning. Of note, the 400 IM champion, American Leah Hayes, is the top seed in the girls 200 IM today. Hayes is the top seed in the 200 IM by a stunning margin – just shy of 5 seconds.

GIRLS 50 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 27.49 – Minna Atherton, Australia (2016)
• Championship Record: 27.81 – Gabi Fa’Amausili, New Zealand (2015)
• Time for 16th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 30.46

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Iona Anderson (Australia) – 28.16
2. Erika Pelaez (United States) – 28.48
3. Miri Sasaki (Japan) – 28.69
4. Giada Gorlier (Italy) – 28.84 (TIE)
5. Jaclyn Barclay (Australia) – 28.84 (TIE)
6. Milla Drakopoulos (South Africa) – 28.88
7. Levenia Sim (Singapore) – 28.93
8. Teagan O’Dell (United States) – 28.96
9. Wang Xinyi (China) – 29.12
10. Delia Lloyd (Canada) – 29.14
11. Jaeyun Song (South Korea) – 29.19
12. Jessica Thompson (South Africa) – 29.21
13. Natalie Tuzilova (Czech Republic) – 29.26
14. Nika Sharafutdinova (Ukraine) – 29.28
15. Vanda Svidrnochova (Czech Republic) – 29.37
16. Isabelle Gibson (New Zealand) – 29.41 (TIE)
17. Milan Glintmeyer (New Zealand) – 29.41 (TIE)

**Update: The swim-off has now been completed. Isabelle Gibson won the race, swimming a 29.00 to Milan Glintmeyer‘s 29.05. As such, Gibson will be advancing to the semifinals tonight.**

Australia’s Iona Anderson popped a 28.16 this morning to lead the field in the girls 50 backstroke. Her time came in 0.32 seconds ahead of Erika Pelaez, who finished 2nd overall in 28.48.

Fellow Australian Jaclyn Barclay, the gold medalist in the 100 back, tied for 4th this morning with a 28.84. In the 100 back, Barcley went out in 28.97 in finals, which indicates she’ll be much faster either tonight in semifinals or tomorrow night in finals.

There was a tie for 16th this morning between the two swimmers from New Zealand in the field. Isabelle Gibson and Milan Glintmeyer both went 29.41. As they tied for 16th, there will be a swim-off later in the session to determine who will advance to the semifinals tonight.

BOYS 50 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 22.96 – Diogo Ribeiro, Portugal (2022)
• Championship Record: 22.96 – Diogo Ribeiro, Portugal (2022)
• Time for 16th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 25.01

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Casper Puggaard (Denmark) – 23.73
2. Lukas Edl (Austria) – 24.14
3. Maxim Skazobtsov (Kazakhstan) – 24.17
4. Enoch Robb (Australia) – 24.22
5. Wang Xinhe (China) – 24.27
6. Milos Milenkovic (Montenegro) – 24.28
7. Maro Miknic (Croatia) – 24.36
8. Filip Senc-Samardzic (Canada) – 24.37
9. Jarden Eaton (South Africa) – 24.44
10. Ondrej Slavik (Czech Republic) – 24.45
11. Daniele Momoni (Italy) – 24.52
12. Thomas Pattison (Australia) – 24.53
13. Vlad Mihalache (Romania) – 24.61 (TIE)
14. Szymon Misiak (Poland) – 24.61 (TIE)
15. Jacob Wimberly (United States) – 24.63
16. Tobias Kern (Czech Republic) – 24.64

Denmark’s Casper Puggaard, the 100 fly gold medalist from last night, was dominant in the boys 50 fly prelims this morning, throwing down a 23.73. Puggaard had a solid margin between him and the 2nd-fastest swimmer this morning, Austria’s Lukas Edl. Edl swam a 24.14.

Kazakhstan’s Maxim Skazobtsov was right behind Edl, swimming a 24.17.

The U.S. only saw one of its swimmers make it through to the semifinals. Jacob Wimberly came in 15th with a 24.63, while Ethan Harrington finished 19th this morning in 24.72.

GIRLS 400 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 3:56.08 – Summer McIntosh, Canada (2023)
• Championship Record: 4:05.42 – Lani Pallister, Australia (2019)
• 2024 Olympic ‘A’ Standard: 4:07.90
  • ‘B’ Standard: 4:09.14
• Time for 8th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 4:19.79

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Ella Jansen (Canada) – 4:09.48
2. Addison Sauickie (United States) – 4:09.64
3. Jamie Perkins (Australia) – 4:10.54
4. Madi Mintenko (United States) – 4:11.12
5. Agostina Hein (Argentina) – 4:11.33
6. Julie Brousseau (Canada) – 4:11.38
7. Ruka Takezawa (Japan) – 4:12.17
8. Amelia Weber (Australia) – 4:12.87

Ella Jansen led the field in the girls 400 free this morning, swimming a 4:09.48. Jansen will have to pace herself today, as she has a full slate. She’s also set to race in the 200 IM later in the session. She was in control of her 400 free this morning, splitting 2:03.28 on the opening 200m, then came home in 2:06.20.

American Addison Sauickie was the only other swimmer in the field under 4:10 this morning, taking 2nd overall in 4:09.64.

The U.S., Canada, and Australia each saw both their swimmers advance into tonight’s final. For Canada, Julie Brousseau, the bronze medalist from the girls 400 IM, came in 6th this morning with a 4:11.38.

American Madi Mintenko touched 4th this morning with a 4:11.12, finishing just behind Australia’s Jamie Perkins, who came in 3rd with a 4:10.54. The Aussies also saw Amelia Weber finish 8th this morning, stopping the clock in 4:12.87.

BOYS 200 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 2:08.04 – Dong Zhihao, China (2023)
• Championship Record: 2:09.40 – Josh Matheny, United States (2019)
• 2024 Olympic ‘A’ Standard: 2:09.68
  • ‘B’ Standard: 2:10.33
• Time for 8th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 2:18.99

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Jordan Willis (United States) – 2:13.41
2. Sai Mak (Hong Kong) – 2:13.74
3. Riku Yamaguchi (Japan) – 2:14.22
4. Josh Bey (United States) – 2:14.60
5. Chanwook Park (South Korea) – 2:14.62
6. Xavier Ruiz (Puerto Rico) – 2:15.45
7. Yamato Okadome (Japan) – 2:16.44
8. Finn Kemp (Luxembourg) – 2:16.51

16-year-old American Jordan Willis posted the top time of the morning in the boys 200 breast, swimming a 2:13.41. The performance represents a small personal best, dipping just under Willis’ previous mark of 2:13.50. He was incredibly consistent this morning, going out in 30.54, then splitting 34.31, 34.17, and 34.39 on the remaining 50s.

Fellow American Josh Bey came in 4th this morning with a 2:14.60, touching just over a second off his personal best of 2:13.39.

Hong Kong’s Sai Mak, the top seed coming into the event, came in 2nd this morning with a 2:13.74. Of note, he clocked the fastest final 50 split in the field this morning, coming home in a speedy 34.15.

There were a pair of notable DQs in the event this morning, including Australia’s Gideon Burnes and Italy’s Christian Mantegazza, both of whom were seeded to make the final.

GIRLS 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 2:06.89 – Summer McIntosh, Canada (2023)
• Championship Record: 2:11.03 – Viktoria Gunes, Turkey (2015)
• 2024 Olympic ‘A’ Standard: 2:11.47
  • ‘B’ Standard: 2:12.13
• Time for 8th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 2:23.74

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Leah Hayes (United States) – 2:12.19
2. Ella Jansen (Canada) – 2:14.11
3. Haley McDonald (United States) – 2:14.80
4. Jaimie de Lutiis (Australia) – 2:14.82
5. Giulia Vetrano (Italy) – 2:14.96
6. Julie Brousseau (Canada) – 2:15.27
7. Chiara Della Corte (Italy) – 2:15.33
8. Kamonchanok Kwanmuang (Thailand) – 2:16.87

American Leah Hayes, the gold medalist in the 400 IM from day 1, swam a 2:12.19 to establish the top time of the morning by nearly 2 seconds. Hayes is a heavy favorite in this event, as she was the top seed coming into the event by nearly 5 seconds. We can expect her to be quite a bit faster in tonight’s final than she was this morning.

Of note, Canada’s Ella Jansen and Julie Brousseau both qualified for the final of the 200 IM shortly after making the 400 free final. Jansen was 2nd this morning, swimming a 2:14.11, while Brousseau came in 6th with a 2:15.27. It’s worth mentioning that while the double was tough this morning, the turnaround tonight will be even tighter, as the 400 free final and 200 IM final are separated by only the boys 50 free final.

American Haley McDonald was also a 2:14 this morning, taking 3rd overall in 2:14.80. Australian Jaimie de Lutiis came in 4th with a 2:14.82.

BOYS 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 7:08.37 – United States (2019)
• Championship Record: 7:08.37 – United States (2019)
• Time for 8th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 7:34.70

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. United States – 7:20.45
2. China – 7:21.85
3. Canada – 7:23.48
4. Italy – 7:23.62
5. Australia – 7:24.14
6. Croatia – 7:24.76
7. Poland – 7:25.82
8. Brazil – 7:26.61

The U.S. earned the top seed for tonight’s final of the boys 4×200 free relay, clocking a 7:20.45 in prelims this morning. Ryan Erisman (1:51.51), Jacob Wimberly (1:49.21), Nathan Szobota (1:50.41), and Norvin Clontz (1:49.32) teamed up to post the top time by over a second. As they replace some of the members of the relay tonight, the U.S. should be quite a bit faster tonight.

The field was pretty tight this morning, with 1st through 8th being separated by only 6 seconds.

Keep an eye on Australia tonight. The Aussie squad flew under the radar a little bit this morning, taking 5th with a 7:24.14. However, they should be significantly faster tonight as they swap out their lineup. The most impactful change will be Flynn Southam, who was the 200 free champion from earlier in the meet.