2016 SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 6th – December 11th, 2016
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- WFCU Centre
- SCM (25m)
- Prelims: 9:30 AM EST/Finals: 6:30 PM EST
- Start Lists/Results
- Live Stream ($)
In a rather shocking turn of events, the top two seeds in the men’s 100 freestyle failed to qualify for the semi-finals this morning in the preliminaries. South Africa’s Chad Le Clos finished 5th in the 15th of 16 heats in 48.31, a time that ultimately wasn’t close to qualifying, earning him 30th place. Top seed and 2012 World Champion Vladimir Morozov of Russia then continued his disappointing meet in heat 16, touching 2nd in 47.82. Despite taking 2nd in the final heat, it was only good enough for 18th overall, missing the 16 man semi-final.
Along with those two missing, Olympic silver medalist from this past summer in Rio Pieter Timmers of Belgium missed the semis as well, placing 27th in 48.15.
Taking the top seed was American Blake Pieroni, who put up a time of 46.76 in heat 15. Six of the sixteen qualifiers came out of non-circle-seeded heats, including three of the top five. Canada’s Yuri Kisil took the #2 spot in 46.79 from heat 13, and Park Tae Hwan (47.19) and Simonas Bilis (47.39) qualified 4th and 5th out of heats 12 and 13 respectively.
This really opens up the race, as it looked like it would come down to Morozov and Le Clos for the title as the two battled throughout the World Cup circuit in the event, with Morozov always coming out on top in this particular event. Further opening it up was 4th place finisher in the 200 free Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago not showing up for his heat. Now it looks as though Pieroni, Bilis, Park and Kisil become the favorites after the morning. American Michael Chadwick has also swam well this week, and he qualified 11th overall in 47.60.
This concludes a very disappointing week in terms of individual events for Morozov, who was seeded 1st in all four of his events but will leave with zero individual golds. He took silver in the 100 breast and 50 free, and was off the podium in the 100 IM, the event that he set the World Record in earlier this year.
Morozov will still swim on Russia’s medley relays over the final two days, and Le Clos will swim the 50 fly final tonight.
Pieroni is doing great – after being on Rio – that builds momentum
Man, Le Clos was faster in the fly… ouch. Morozov has honestly just been off this whole meet, he actually dropped off a little after his last IM record, though he was still winning. Dylan Carter’s got some good momentum right now.
They must have gone out to the club last night.
What the hell le clos? How could your 100 fly be faster than your 100 free? His best 100 free is like a 46. What gives?
I have to admit that man(Le Clos) is ridiculously photogenic. Also, slower than his 100 fly? What gives?
He probably didn’t care for this event. He’s done what he wanted here