Day 2 of 5 at the 2012 World Short Course Championships in Istanbul, Turkey did not fail to live up to the hype. There were a ton of great head-to-head battles expected in the 8 medal finals; those that came to fruition were electric, and those that didn’t were thanks to some exciting spoilers from outside lanes.
Women’s 100 Free – SEMIFINAL
After American Megan Romano didn’t have a great first day overall (though I wouldn’t characterize it as “bad” either), she’s come out sharp on day 2 of Short Course Worlds. She swam a 52.86 in the women’s 100 free, leading the field early and often en route to a 52.86 for the top seed headed into this final.
Winning the other heat, and taking the 2nd seed, is German Britta Steffen in 53.09 swimming a very typical back-half swim. She should still have a lot more in her for finals but will need to be out much faster, even considering how she usually paces this race for the second 50, to contend.
China’s Yi Tang took 3rd in 53.13 followed by Australian Angie Bainbridge in 53.30. A second German (Daniela Schreiber) also made the final in 53.41, despite employing an old-school, standing start; as did a second American in Jessica Hardy who tied her for 5th.
Russia’s Veronika Popova missed the final in 11th in 53.87; and Marieke Guehrer was 9th in 53.59.
Men’s 400 IM – FINAL
Japan’s Daiya Seto, despite his youth, had a big psychological advantage coming into this race as he had, generally speaking, taken Hungarian veteran Laszlo Cseh for a ride throughout this fall’s World Championship series.
Seto stayed even with Cseh through the first 200 meters, which would typically be advantage Cseh. Seto, however, showed big improvements from the last time we saw him swim this race on his breaststroke, and opened up a big gap over the Hungarian. Cseh seemed to get hung up on a number of his walls in the breaststroke leg, not getting through the turn quick enough, and that cost him. The two split almost identically on the freestyle, which left Seto to win in 3:59.15.
That swim makes him the first Asian swimmer under four minutes, breaking his own continental record set earlier this year that was a 4:00.02. He’s the 5th man in history to clear that four minute barrier in this race.
Cseh, one of the other men who have done so, was 2nd in 4:00.50. That’s faster than he’s been since 2009, and so despite falling short of some big European pressures, it was a very good swim for him.
David Verraszto took the bronze in 4:02.87, as nobody was ever really in the race with the top two. Verraszto overtook the other Japanese swimmer, Kosuke Hagino, on the breaststroke leg: ironically, none of this young batch of Japanese IM’ers have great breaststroke legs (though Seto’s improvements change that story a bit).
Former NCAA Champion Gal Nevo of Israel was 5th in 4:04.29, and current Wisconsin Badger Michael Weiss of the United States was 7th in 4:07.67.
Women’s 50 Breaststroke – FINAL
Both Ruta Meilutyte and Alia Atkinson cleaned up the small issues they had in the semi-finals of the 50 breaststroke, and as such the result was exactly as it had been: Meilutyte winning in 29.44, a new European and World Championship Record, and Alia Atkinson in 29.67 for silver, just missing her semi-final swim. She’s now the second-fastest in history in the event, though still a good distance from Jessica Hardy’s World Record.
Atkinson and Meilutyte are both supreme breaststrokers in long course and short course. They both have powerful pullouts, and both are very quick over the water. Meilutyte is perhaps a bit better on the turnover though, and that got her the gold.
Australian Sarah Katsoulis took bronze in 29.94. She was the swimmer that Meilutyte just jumped for second-best in history. Denmark’s Rikke Moeller-Pedersen was 4th in 30.00 followed by American Jessica Hardy in 30.01.
Rebecca Ejdervik was 7th in 30.12; she was unable to get back under 30 after breaking the Swedish Record a few weeks ago.
Men’s 100 Backstroke – FINAL
Many swimmers have found out painfully already this week how important underwaters are in short course swimming; especially in a race like the 100 backstroke, where 60% of the race is underwater.
That, however, doesn’t totally negate the over-water part of the race, as proven by American Matt Grevers. He and Stanislav Donets anticipated a tight battle in this swim, and while Donets looked to have put the swim away with a big last underwater, the 6’8″ Grevers made up that ground in a hurry.
At the final lunge, Grevers exposed huge power whereas Donets hit the wall with more of a whimper and Grevers won in 49.89 to Donets’ 49.91.
Brazil’s Guilherme Guido, swimming from lane 1, took the lead on the first 50; while he couldn’t hold onto that lead, he hung around well enough on the close to touch in 50.50.
Australia’s Ashley Delaney took 4th in 50.61; followed by his countrymate Robert Hurley in 50.63. That’s a good swim for Delaney, but Hurley will be disappointed to not make that medal stand as he was half-a-second better during the World Cup. Turkey’s Iskender Baslakov shaved another .01 seconds off of his own National Record with a 50.76 for the home crowd. He thrived under the pressure and the 22-year old seems to have a bright future.
Women’s 50 Fly – SEMIFINAL
Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen Gray, with a trio of powerful finishing strokes, took the top seed in this women’s 50 fly semi-final with a 25.62, overtaking at the touch American Christine Magnuson (25.65).
China’s Lu Ying tied with Magnuson in 25.65, and Canadian power-packed 15-year old Noemie Thomas was 4th in 25.76. Canada doesn’t officially recognize NAG Records in the 50’s, but that would tie her prelims swim for the mark if they did.
The other American, Claire Donahue, will also swim the final in 6th with a 25.84, and former NCAA swimmer, Estonian Triin Aljand, was 8th in 25.96.
In a very tightly-packed semi, where 1st and 15th were separated by only half-a-second, at least one surprising name was left out when Aleksandra Herasimenia from Belarus took 11th in 26.01.
Men’s 50 Free – SEMIFINAL
Setting up a middle-lane rematch of their European Championship matchup, France’s Florent Manaudou (20.92) and Vladimir Morozov (20.95) won their respective heats to advance to the final of the men’s 50 free.
Morozov won with much more ease than did Manaudou, but both seemed like they still had another gear to kick in for finals.
Trinidad & Tobago’s George Bovell took 3rd in 21.09 followed by his World Cup traveling mate Anthony Ervin in 21.17.
The Ukraine’s Andrei Govorov (21.27); American Josh Schneider (21.28); and a pair of Italians in Marco Orsi (21.37) and Federico Bocchia (21.41) will round out the final.
Women’s 100 Back – FINAL
Olivia Smoliga was already among the greatest high school backstrokers in American history; she now rightfully is pushing her way into the ranks of the greatest backstrokers in American history, period. Swimming from an outside lane (lane 1 has done well at this meet), Smoliga won the women’s 100 back rather handily in 56.64.
For all of her speed, she really is good at controlling it on the front-half and bursting home in this 100 backstroke race. What’s maybe most impressive is that she’s now held her taper for nearly four weeks since breaking the U.S. National High School Record in the 100 yard version of this race before Thanksgiving.
Demark’s Mie Nielsen, herself even younger than Smoliga at only 16, rebroke her Danish Record again with a 57.07. The Czech Republic picked up their first medal of the meet thanks to bronze from Simona Baumrtova, making her only the third swimmer in the history of her country to medal at a World Championship (long course or short course).
That left Rachel Goh, the favorite coming into the meet, off of the podium in 57.31 despite turning with the lead.
The Ukraine’s Daryna Zevina couldn’t ever get up to speed and ended up 7th in 57.67.
Men’s 100 Breaststroke – FINAL
Fabio Scozzoli entered this race as the favorite, and that’s just how he left, taking the victory in 57.10. The only swimmer to seriously challenge him in the home stretch was Slovenian Damir Dugonjic, who took 2nd in 57.32 – a bit slower than he was at Euro’s.
For Dugonjic, a former multiple-time NCAA Champion in the event, that is a first-ever World Championship medal for him; picking up a great tradition in these short course World Championships from Peter Mankoc.
American Kevin Cordes, making an appearance on his first international roster (major, minor, junior, senior, or otherwise) picked up a medal with a third-place finish in 57.83.
Dugonjic’s former college teammate Martti Aljand was 4th in 57.85, followed by the other American Mike Alexandrov in 57.86. Russia’s Viatcheslav Sinkevich was 6th in 57.88 after a poor start; he should be able to clear that up on the medley to keep the Russians in the hunt for the relay crown.
Japan’s Akihiro Yamaguchi is sitll getting his short course legs under him and was 7th in 58.26.
Women’s 100 IM – FINAL
When Lithuanian-born Ruta Meilutyte came to Plymouth Leander in the UK a few years ago, she tried to convince her coaches that she was a sprint freestyler. That, of course, was before she became the world’s best sprint breaststroker at just 15-year old; but she never lost that pure, all-around speed that she had as a youngster.
Therefore, it should be no surprise that she’s put herself in medal position in the 100 IM by winning the first semi-final in 59.15.
She is just a hair behind Alia Atkinson from Jamaica in 58.94 and Jing Zhao of China in 59.12. In the final, expect Meilutyte to be at-or-near the back of the pack at the turn, but really explode on the second-half and try to run some folks down.
Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu is 4th in 59.17, followed by a nice bounce-back from Belarusian Aleksandra Herasimenia.
America’s top finisher, Melanie Margalis, just missed the final as it took under a minute for a top-8 placement. She was a 1:00.12.
Men’s 100 Fly – FINAL
No man lost this men’s 100 fly; South Africa’s Chad le Clos simply won amidst three fantastic swims in this final with a 48.82 Championship and African Record, while Tom Shields was 2nd in 49.54 and Ryan Lochte bronze in 49.59: all three easily best times.
South African Chad le Clos, though maybe a few years behind, is following a similar arch to his career as did one Michael Phelps (the man le Clos upended for Olympic Gold in the 200 fly this year). He began as primarily a 200 butterflier at the international level, but over the last 18-months or so has really bloomed into both a great sprint butterflier and a very good IM’er and middle-distance freestyler. He may never hit the level that Phelps is at, but who can?
Though just short course, this may give Lochte some pause as to a switch from the 100 back to the 100 fly; the road doesn’t seem to be a whole lot easier in this stroke to gold medals in 2016.
The Netherlands’ Joeri Verlinden was 4th in 50.45.
Women’s 800 Free – FINAL
The final heat of this women’s 800 free held pretty true, aside from China’s Danlu Xu who snuck in 7th from the morning heats.
New Zealand’s Lauren Boyle was stunningly good in this race, swimming an 8:08.62 that nearly broke Rebecca Adlington’s Championship Record from 2008 (when Adlington was swimming as well as we’ve seen any distance swimmer since Janet Evans). With the swim, Boyle ranks 8th all-time and breaks both the New Zealand and Oceanic Records in this race. She has a tendancy to swim really well at big meets, but this was a shock even from her as it was 8 seconds better than her previous best time.
Even the great distance swimmer Lotte Friis could never really make Boyle sweat much, finishing 2nd in 8:10.99 (also a top-notch time).
American Chloe Sutton, taking perhaps a last swing at this 800 before settling into a focus on the 400 headed toward Rio, was an 8:15.53 for bronze. That’s her first global medal in the pool, though she’s got one in open water from 2008.
Hannah Miley, who dominated the 400 IM on the meet’s first day, showed off just how good of a technician she is with an 8:16.09 for 4th, fighting to hold off Spain’s Erika Villaecija-Garcia on the last 100 meters (8:16.90).
American 15-year old Becca Mann was 6th in 8:19.27; about three seconds slower than her winning time from the Berlin World Cup stop in October.
Men’s 800 Free Relay – FINAL
The Americans may have expected to run away with this 800 free relay, especially with a pair of individual medalists from the race in their lineup, but that’s not quite what happened.
Ryan Lochte led off in nearly an American Record of 1:41.17 (he was a 1:41.08 at this meet in 2010). The U.S. front-stacked this relay, putting individual bronze medalist Connor Dwyer 2nd in 1:43.04.
At the halfway mark, though, with their two biggest guns out of the way, across the pool from the Americans the Aussies sat only a second back after 1:42’s from Tommaso D’Orsogna and Jarrod Killey.
Michael Klueh, who’s been swimming well all fall, was the big difference-maker here for the Americans, as his 1:43.20 (to a 1:44.5 from Kyle Richardson of Australia) gave the Americans a two-and-a-half second cushion handing off to the final leg.
Though American anchor Matt McLean didn’t have his best swim ever, even a 1:42.3 from Bobby Hurley wasn’t going to run down his 1:43.99.
The Americans took gold in 6:51.40 with the Aussies 2nd in 6:52.29. Germany had three very good legs (including a 1:41.93 leadoff from Paul Biedermann), but couldn’t stick another one in to finish higher than bronze with a 6:53.22.
The Brazilians were disqualified, but wouldn’t have medal’ed anyway.
No interest or money in short course swimming. Just an appetizer for long course. There is about zero press coverage of these championships, unfortunately for swimming
Grevers still doing fast times in the pool : Best prelim on 50 back !!! Donets is only .30 behind .
Phelps was 153 200M LC Fly when he was 18……
and he went (basically) the same time when he was 20
when Phelps was 21 he went 1:53 in his long course 200 butterfly (which at the time was the world record) Le Clos is only 20 and he has already gone a 1:52.
Natural progression. i’m pretty sure any of the top swimmers right now had better times at their current age than Phelps back thing. but what had Phelps accomplished by the time he was 20? Le Clos is good, but he is no Phelps.
Good for Us to have more contention with other countries for the relays wins . It will provide more suspense in the races . yipiiiiiiiiiii
Jessica Hardy swims the 100 free just before her best race, the 50 breast. I can’t definitely understand some tactics. Jessica, let your place to Lia Neal in the 100 free and keep your energy for your best race! It’s weird.
Ruta Meilutyte is so explosive. It’s impressive to watch.
Good win for Matt Grevers and good first medal for Kevin Cordes.
For the men’s 4X200 free relay, American swimming fans have to be ready to watch much closer races than before. Without Michael it’s just a little harder to win.
I think a part of it is that the Americans still don’t take the individual stroke 50s too seriously and consider them somewhere between an afterthought and a children’s race. At least their media officer seems to have gotten the US swimmers to stop talking about how unexpectedly medaling in one of those races at a WC reminded them of their 8& under days because it came across as a little condescending to the folks who take those races more seriously.
Close race to come in the men’s 50 free. I think Florent Manaudou will win thanks to his start. But Vlad Morozov is really on fire. And again what an awful start from Anthony Ervin! If he could improve that part of the race he would win. He’s the fastest swimmer between the walls but it will be impossible for him to win tomorrow if he’s 1 meter behind Florent Manaudou after 15 meters.
Yesss Ervin has such speed and he knows well His starts has to be improved , more explosive from the blocks ! other wise he would content for the win . he was behind only because of his 2 poor starts .
I hope Megan Romano has now understood after her great 100 free semi-final she had to forget backstroke to focus only on freestyle and especially the 100 free. It’s her best race for the next years!
She is truly talented ! she had her shift lesson today ! >Important for the next years relays to challenge the dutch .