2022 FINA WORLD JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- August 30-September 4, 2022
- Lima, Peru
- Long Course Meteres (50m), Prelims/Semis/Finals
- Meet Site
- Live Results
- Entries List
The 2022 World Junior Championships will begin next Tuesday in Lima, Peru. Despite many countries being absent (United States, Australia, China, Great Britain, Canada, Germany, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Lithuania, and Russia), there are still plenty of exciting matchups and names to watch next week.
CAN JAPAN GO 1-2 IN THE 400 IM?
Mio Narita and Ayami Suzuki both had big swims at Junior Pan Pacs, and are set to swim again next week. Narita came within a tenth of her best time at Junior Pacs in the 400 IM, going a 4:36.79 to win. Had her teammate Suzuki not gotten out-touched by American Kayla Han, they would’ve claimed 1-2 at Junior Pan Pacs.
Going into World Junior, they are seeded 1-2 in the 400 IM. They will be challenged by Vivien Jackl from Hungary (4:45.82), and Emma Carrasco Cadens from Spain (4.46.23), both of which competed at Euro Juniors.
It will be interesting to see how the duo handles the quick turnaround between Junior Pan Pacs and World Juniors, and if they can continue their dominance in the 400 IM.
MERVE TUNCEL VS. EVERYONE ELSE IN DISTANCE FREE
With so many countries absent at this year’s World Juniors, the door is wide open for Merve Tuncel to sweep the distance freestyle races. Tuncel has a busy schedule as she is entered in the 200, 400, 800, and 1500 freestyles.
The Turkish record holder won the 400 (4:07.30), 800 (8:28.32), and 1500 (16.13.68) at Euro Juniors and will look to do the same here. Her closest competitor is Ruka Takezawa from Japan, who entered with a 4:10.58, 8:36.67, and 16:31.29.
Tuncel did not go best times at Euro Juniors, so she could put down some exciting performances next week in her best events.
TIGHT RACE FOR THE 50/100 FREE TITLES
The sprint freestyle races are a completely different story than the distance free races. Bianca Andreea- Costea and Jana Pavalic are both seeded first with a 25.34. They are closely followed by Matilde Biagiotti with a 25.52. All three girls competed in the A-final at Euro Juniors placing 2nd, 5th, and 7th respectively.
The 100 free is similar story, but with Hungarian Nikolett Padar and Italian Marina Cacciapuoti in the mix also. Padar is seeded first with a 54.69, followed by Cacciapuoti (55.47). Padar went 1-2 with her teammate Dora Molnar at Euro Juniors, but Molnar is not competing in the 100 free World Juniors.
It is a very similar group of girls as it was at Euro Juniors, but will the outcome be different next week?
WIDE OPEN BUTTERFLY
Last time this meet took place, in 2019, Torri Huske, Claire Curzan, and Anastasiya Shkurdai were top three in the sprint butterfly events. The events are wide open this time in the absence of the US and other countries, and five girls are entered within a second of each other in the 100 fly.
Japan’s Mizuki Hirai is top seed in both the 50 (26.80) and 100 (59.31), but is followed closely by Italy’s Paola Borrelli (59.45). Borrelli’s teammate Anna Porcari is also in the mix with 1:00.03 along with Korean Hajung Yang (59.51).
Hirai, along with the rest of the Japan’s team, will also be coming straight from Junior Pan Pacs, throwing another unknown factor into these races.
HUNGARY VS ITALY REMATCH IN 400 MEDLEY RELAY
Last month at Euro Juniors, Hungary and Italy placed 2nd and 3rd behind France. Only 0.22 seconds separated the two teams. France did not enter this event at World Juniors, as they only have one girl entered in the meet. Though the exact lineups of the relays for World Juniors is unknown both teams have all the relay members entered in the meet.
At Euro Juniors, Nikolette Padar gave Hungary the edge with her 54.04 anchor leg. Italy had a faster fly leg from Paola Borrelli (59.35), but the teams were virtually the same in the back and breast legs. Italy will likely need to generate a larger lead this time going into the freestyle leg to hold off Padar.
With Japan in the mix also, this relay could shape up to be very exciting to watch.