2015 FINA Junior World Championships: Ruck Rattles Jr World Record At Day 3 Finals

2015 WORLD JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

WOMEN’S 50M BUTTERFLY – Semifinals

  • WR: 24.43 Sarah Sjoestrom (SWE) 5 JUL 2014 Boras (SWE)
  • CR: 26.32 Svetlana Chimrova (RUS) 29 AUG 2013 Dubai (UAE)
  • WJ: 26.26 Rozaliya Nasretdinova (RUS) 20 AUG 2014 Nanjing (CHN)

Japan’s Rikako Ikee blasted a new meet record from the second semifinal, taking the top spot in the night’s first semifinal event. Her time of 26.30 broke the record by .02, but is the top seed by almost three tenths into the final.

She’ll be chased by the winner of the first semi, Russia’s Mariia Kameneva (26.59). From there, things got really tight, with spots 3 through 6 separated by just about a tenth.

Lucia Lassman of Australia and Canada’s Penny Oleksiak tied fort third at 26.80. China’s top entrant, Wang Jingzhuo, was just behind in 26.84, and the other Australian into the final is Gemma Cooney in 26.91.

Also into the top 8: Hungary’s Szonja Azokol in 27.00 and Slovakia’s Barbora Misendova in 27.02.

MEN’S 50M FREESTYLE – Semifinals

  • WR: 20.91 Cesar Cielo (BRA) 18 DEC 2009 Sao Paulo (BRA)
  • CR: 22.11 Luke Percy (AUS) 28 AUG 2013 Dubai (UAE)
  • WJ: 22.00 Yu Hexin (CHN) 20 AUG 2014 Nanjing (CHN)

Australian Kyle Chalmers and American Michael Andrew will be set up for their first head-to-head showdown in the 50 free final, after each swimmer won his respective semifinal tonight.

Chalmers is the top seed after going 22.44, and Andrew was close behind in 22.50, coming off a rough night 2 but putting up a pair of nice swims on night 3.

Also in the hunt will be Hungary’s Oszkar Lavotha, who was 22.55. Don’t sleep on Felipe de Souza, either. He’s the fast-rising Brazilian threat in this race, and was 22.67 in prelims for the fourth seed.

Turkey’s Huseyin Sakci is into the final as well, leading a very tight group in spots 5-8. He was 22.71, Russia’s Vladislav Kozlov 22.72, Italy’s Giovanni Izzi 22.74 and Brazil’s Pedro Spajari 22.76.

WOMEN’S 200M BACKSTROKE – Final

  • WR: 2:04.06 Melissa Franklin (USA) 3 AUG 2012 London (GBR)
  • CR: 2:09.74 Kylie Stewart (USA) 28 AUG 2013 Dubai (UAE)
  • WJ: 2:07.29 Daria K Ustinova (RUS) 20 APR 2015 Moscow (RUS)

Australia’s Minna Atherton has been on a tear this week. She won her second gold medal and took down her second meet record with a 2:09.11 in the girls 200 back final.

Atherton beat China’s Liu Yaxin, who was also under the old meet record at 2:09.44, and Canada’s Taylor Ruck also snuck under the meet record from way out in lane 7, going 2:09.49. Ruck could be in line for two medals today if she can hold her place in the 100 free later on.

Canada would finish third and fourth, with Meryn McCann adding a 2:10.34 to just miss medals.

American Claire Adams came from an outside lane, going 2:10.50 for fifth. She beat out Russia’s Irina Prikhodko, who was the second finisher out of prelims and actually dropped time down to a 2:10.64 while moving back four spots.

Great Britain’s Rosie Rudin was 2:12.23 for 7th, and Japan’s Natsumi Sakai rounds out the finishers in 2:12.51.

Men’s 100M Butterfly – Final

  • WR: 49.82 Michael Phelps (USA) 1 AUG 2009 Rome (ITA)
  • CR: 52.40 Daniil Pakhomov (RUS) 26 AUG 2015 Singapore (SIN)
  • WJ: 51.33 Li Zhuhao (CHN) 7 AUG 2015 Kazan (RUS)

Russia’s Daniil Pakhomov continued to rule the low 52s in the 100 fly, breaking his own meet record and claiming gold with a 52.28.

That won by exactly six tenths of a second, blowing out the field. The silver medal went to Brazil’s Vinicius Lanza in 52.88, and the only other swimmer under 53 was Russia’s Daniil Antipov at 52.99. The Russians nabbed gold and bronze in this event.

Missing from the final, of course, was American Michael Andrewwho fell to 9th last night during a busy but somewhat disappointing session. Andrew’s best time would have earned him silver in this race.

Spain’s Alberto Lozano finished fourth in 53.10, with Poland’s Michal Chudy right behind in 53.25.

Brazil’s other finalist was Henrique Painhas in 53.44 – he took sixth. Italy’s giacomo Carini was seventh in 53.51, and American Ryan Hoffer fell to eighth with a 53.53

WOMEN’S 100M BREASTSTROKE – Semifinals

  • WR: 1:04.35 Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) 29 JUL 2013 Barcelona (ESP)
  • CR: 1:06.61 Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) 29 AUG 2013 Dubai (UAE)
  • WJ: 1:05.21 Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) 10 AUG 2014 Sheffield (GBR)

Turkey’s Viktoria Gunes continues to roll towards a potential breaststroke sweep, taking the top spot out of semifinals in the girls 100 breast. Gunes, who won the 50 breast on day 2, won the second semifinal in 1:06.90, once again flirting with the Ruta Meilutyte meet record without quite breaking it.

In the other semifinal, Maria Astashkina of Russia was the top swimmer, going 1:08.30. That means that if nothing changes, Gunes should be the heavy favorite into the final.

Sweden’s Sophie Hansson was second to Astashkina in her heat, going 1:08.34 and sitting third overall. Second in Gunes’s heat was Great Britain’s Katie Matts, who is now fourth in 1:08.39.

Japan’s Runa Imai is into the medal hunt with a 1:08.69, as is Italian Giulia Verono at 1:08.97.

Japan and Russia will each get a second entrant into the final, with Yukino Miyasaka going 1:09.24 for the former and Daria Chikunova 1:09.27 for the latter.

MEN’S 50M BACKSTROKE – Semifinals

  • WR: 24.04 Liam Tancock (GBR) 2 AUG 2009 Rome (ITA)
  • CR: 25.14 Michael Andrew (USA) 27 AUG 2015 Singapore (SIN)
  • WJ: 25.09 Evgeny Rylov (RUS) 20 AUG 2014 Nanjing (CHN)

The top three times all came out of the second semifinal in the boys 50 back, but the finalists are all bunched together very tightly heading into the final. American Michael Andrew led the way in his second swim of the night, going 25.56.

Not far behind are Egypt’s Mohamed Samy (25.61) and Canada’s Javier Acevedo (25.63).

Venezuela’s Robinson Molina won the first semifinal in 25.74 and now sits fourth into the final.

Egypt will have two medal threats, with Youssef Abdalla just a few tenths out of first at 25.75. Also into the final: Greece’s Nikolaos Sofianidis (25.78), Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez (25.84) and Russia’s Roman Larin (25.92).

WOMEN’S 100M FREESTYLE – Final

  • WR: 52.07 Britta Steffen (GER) 31 JUL 2009 Rome (ITA)
  • CR: 53.95 Taylor Ruck (CAN) 26 AUG 2015 Singapore (SIN)
  • WJ: 53.84 Shen Duo (CHN) 19 AUG 2014 Nanjing (CHN)

Canada pulled off a 1-2 in the girls 100 free, led by a new meet record from rising star Taylor Ruck. Ruck, 16, broke her own meet record from prelims, set at 53.95. Her 53.92 bagged gold, and moves her to within a tenth of the junior world record held by Youth Olympic Games champ Shen Duo of China.

Ruck’s Canadian teammate Penny Oleksiak was second in 54.65, just touching out Russia’s Arina Openysheva (54.78).

Japan’s Rikako Ikee, coming off of a great 50 fly semifinal earlier in the night, added .01 to her semifinal time, winding up fourth in 54.82.

Australia’s duo of Shayna Jack and Lucy McJannett took 5th and 6th, with Jack going 55.38 and McJannett 55.39. Rounding out the A final were Japan’s Sachi Mochida (55.56) and American Stanzi Moseley (56.49).

MEN’S 800M FREESTYLE – Final Heat

  • WR: 7:32.12 Zhang Lin (CHN) 29 JUL 2009 Rome (ITA)
  • CR: 7:45.67 Mack Horton (AUS) 28 AUG 2013 Dubai (UAE)
  • WJ: 7:45.67 Mack Horton (AUS) 28 AUG 2013 Dubai (UAE)

Top seed Ernest Maksumov led early, but China’s Yang Jintong put together a furious late charge to take over the lead and win in 7:55.19. Yang needed every bit of that final lead, too, as it turned out both men were battling the top time from the morning heats, Spain’s Cesar Castro.

Yang’s time grabbed gold, and Castro’s 7:57.21 held up for silver, an impressive feat out of the morning heats. Maksumov finished second in that final heat in 7:57.40, but fell to bronze once Castro’s time was accounted for.

Australia’s Joshua Parrish, also out of the morning heats, took fourth overall in 7:57.43, just a tick away from a medal. Brazil took fifth overall with Brandonn Almeida‘s 7:59.49, the last man under eight minutes.

Hungary’s Kristof Rasovsky was 8:00.76 for sixth, and Mexico’s Ricardo Vargas‘s 8:01.60 from the early heats held up for seventh overall. Rounding out the top 8 was Greek swimmer Dimitrios Negris at 8:04.42.

MIXED 4X100M FREESTYLE RELAY – Final

  • WR: 3:23.05 United States (USA) 8 AUG 2015 Kazan (RUS)
  • CR: 3:28.74 Australia (AUS) 28 AUG 2013 Dubai (UAE)
  • WJ: 3:27.02 China (CHN) 17 AUG 2014 Nanjing (CHN)

Canada pulled away with the mixed free relay title and a new meet record to close day 3, getting the best female split of the field and the second-best male split.

Taylor Ruck continued her big day, anchoring with the best female split in the pool to take home her second gold medal. Ruck split 53.69 in her third swim of the session, making her the fastest female by about seven tenths of a second. And swimming second, Markus Thormeyer came up with the second-best male split at 48.77 – he event outsplit Australian star Kyle Chalmers, who has been a sprinting force to be reckoned with so far this week.

Javier Acevedo led off in 50.42 for Canada, and 100 free silver medalist Penny Oleksiak was 54.83 as Canada went 3:27.71 to smash a full second off the meet record. They went under the officially-listed junior world record of 3:28.74 from Australia in 2013, though China should hold that record with their 3:27.02 from last summer’s Youth Olympic Games.

Australia also got under the old world record, going 3:28.59. That was thanks to a 48.89 split from Chalmers, plus the second-best female split with a 54.44 from Shayna Jack. Anchor Lucy McJannett was 54.92 and Jack Cartwright led off in 50.34 for the Aussies.

Russia finished solidly in the bronze medal slot, just two tenths behind Australia but a full second ahead of Brazil. Their female splits were both among the field’s best (Mariia Kameneva was 54.77 and Arina Openysheva 54.70) and Vladislav Kozlov led off in 49.74 as Russia went 3:28.79.

Brazil was 3:29.82, finishing just outside the medals just like they did in the men’s 4×100 free relay earlier in the week. Felipe de Souza had the best male split of the field at 48.56, but it wasn’t enough to overcome two middle-of-the-pack female splits for a medal.

The U.S. led early on Maxime Rooney‘s field-best leadoff split of 49.21 (a new lifetime-best for him), but fell back to 5th over the next three legs, finishing in 3:30.03. Italy had a similar run, sitting second after Alessandro Miressi‘s 49.36 leadoff, but falling to sixth in 3:30.57.

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Danjohnrob
8 years ago

Way to go Canada!!! I can’t remember a session of international caliber swimming in my lifetime in which Team Canada showed such depth! 🙂

emg1986
Reply to  Danjohnrob
8 years ago

From what i’ve seen this year at the Pan Ams, worlds and junior worlds it’s fair to say that Canadian swimming has a very bright future!

bobo gigi
8 years ago

2 facts about the US team at these world junior championships:

1. About 50% of the swimmers are out of shape. They do not only repeat their times from 3 weeks ago but are even very far from them. I feel very sorry for these talented kids. But no surprise unfortunately. They have peaked for early August while the other nations have sent fresh swimmers who had that meet as biggest goal of the summer.
On the other hand, that’s still better than at the track and field world championships in Beijing this week where about 80% of the American athletes are either out of shape or even injured. Normal. The pros start their season in April much earlier… Read more »

Rafael
Reply to  bobo gigi
8 years ago

Bobo, I Agree.. there is a very big chance that Sweden and Canada pass US on Rio on 4×100 free..

tm
Reply to  bobo gigi
8 years ago

bobo, this is only partially true and a much more complex issues than you describe. some of it is the mentality of “only the Olympics matter” something some of us have criticized on this message board. as far as track and field the us has used this selection system for the last 40 plus years with great success. it has not worked on a few occasions especially the two big meets in Beijing (08 and 15). it is more complex than just moving the selection meet (trials or usatf) closer to the worlds/Olympics. other changes need to be made such as pre selecting the people that have always performed well and supplementing that with people from the selection meet so… Read more »

CoachGB
Reply to  tm
8 years ago

No way pre selection. Our system is you do it that day. It is the fairest and takes out the human decisions on preferences. Other countries love under different systems and we have always had a fair system without human interference. Most countries don’t field a complete team and this is the U.S where everyone walks in that day with a chance. It works and is fair.

commonwombat
Reply to  CoachGB
8 years ago

AUS, the only other team that generally fields “full teams”, works on the same “one shot saloon” system with top2 at Trials & beat the QT. The drawback is that you have swimmers who cannot “come up” twice a year/fail to replicate domestic swims in international waters. The serial offenders in this regard have littered Olympic & Worlds teams for decades & have been labelled “tourists” by officials.

Whilst the one-shot saloon DOES take the litigation aspect out of play, does it necessarily result in the best outcomes/the right swimmers making the team. The answer has to be “debateable”. Maybe there needs to be some leeway allowed.

IF there are positions on the team that have not been filled at… Read more »

bobo gigi
8 years ago

Congrats to Atherton and Ruck. Australia is the new home of backstroke. And Ruck is really amazing. 53.92 just after swimming the 200 back final. Wow! Looks like her freestyle has much more improved than her backstroke in the last few months. Her addition to the already strong Canadian freestyle relays will make them big medal contenders in the next years.
And overall this year, everybody talked about GB but I have been much more impressed by the birth or rebirth of Canada. By far the nation with the most impressive progression in my opinion. We have seen them perform very well at Pan Ams, then at worlds and now at world juniors.
New PB for Rooney in… Read more »

Rafael
Reply to  bobo gigi
8 years ago

Based on the relay (boys and now the mixed) the favorites for 100 are Chalmers Ribeiro and Rooney
Thromeyer Miressi and Spajari a little behind

bobo gigi
Reply to  Rafael
8 years ago

Yes I agree. On paper Chalmers should win but as I wrote below it’s tough to hold a taper and he was great in Kazan for the relay. So the race will be probably much closer than anticipated. Rooney has a 3rd successful meet in 4 weeks. That’s impressive to see him swim a best time right now. He should have given his secret to his teammates who really struggle for most of them. Hopefully the US coaches put him only in the 4X200 free relay final, and not in the prelims, to save energy for the 100 free which starts the following day.
Sorry if I’ve missed something but who is Ribeiro? 🙂 Is it the same guy… Read more »

Rafael
Reply to  bobo gigi
8 years ago

Brandonn improved his 800 free PB by almost 3 seconds.. but he waited too much to attack, his last 100 was FASTER than his first 100 free (57,60 on the last and 57,95 on the first!!), if he raced it correctly he could have broken the South american adult record.
He walked out of water like he was not even tired, that pissed me a lot.. he will have to change that on the 1500.. Expecting him to bo 4:13 4:12 and 1500 to 15:05..

Rafael
Reply to  Rafael
8 years ago

So Brandonn is on a good shape, but he really needs to be more agressive on his races..

Rafael
Reply to  bobo gigi
8 years ago

And Ribeiro is Souza, his name is Felipe Souza Ribeiro!!

bobo gigi
Reply to  Rafael
8 years ago

Thanks for the clarification. 🙂
I don’t see Almeida beaten in the 400 IM but I expect a good fight from Grieshop too in about 4.15. If Almeida swims 4.12/4.13 he will be alone.

FINA bites
Reply to  bobo gigi
8 years ago

Well Canada didn’t do as well as expected at Worlds, but that was understandable given that they were under such pressure to perform well for the hometown crowd at Pan-Ams (which they did), which was a reasonable trade-off for this unique year for them, in my opinion. GB still ahead of Canada at Worlds, but I agree Canada even more impressive progression, at least for Juniors, despite GBR 1-2 in the girl’s 4IM. I wish Ruck would have changed her affiliation to USA given all her living/training in AZ. The USA really needs her sprinting ability give our dearth! But then again CAN needs her for their resurgence too, eh.

IAN
8 years ago

Atherton is amazing, I’d be happy if she swims sub 2.10, she made it close to 2.09, that would give her final in Kazan again. And her best distance already is 50m, she was 28.3 in Australian National Championships and I think she may swim sub28 here.

Franklin in age 15 was 28.5, 1.00.1 and 2.08 on PanPacific.

Seebohm was 59.5 and 2.10.1 back in 2007.

Some great results here.

Chalmers was disappointing a little bit but it’s hard to swim sub48 in relay back to back in age of 17.

bobo gigi
Reply to  IAN
8 years ago

Are Alex Walsh and Regan Smith the American answers to the Australian backstroke industry? I think so.
On the day of her 14th birthday at US junior nationals, Alex Walsh won the 200 back in 2.10.65 and 2 days later she won the 100 back in 1.00.84.
In the same race 13-year-old Regan Smith was second in 1.01.32.
I think both kids have a tremendous future.
But the Australians girls put the bar very high.

Rafael
8 years ago

Commonwombat I could say the same about Brazilian girls Brazil front guys are on par at least with australian guys but the girls way behind

commonwombat
Reply to  Rafael
8 years ago

True, but they were probably not expected to contend given the general status of BRA female ranks.

Gina Rhinestone
8 years ago

USA did not medal tonight . The other medalist nations can bask in the moonlight till someone comes on to tell us that it is only a matter of months till the U.S has someone Better .

FINA bites
Reply to  Gina Rhinestone
8 years ago

I overslept and had to rush to work and only just saw the results now. I was disappointed that not only did the USA not medal, but they failed to advance anyone from 2 of the 4 semis for tomorrow’s finals; and only Michael Andrew advanced in the other two. Thank god he was able to bounce back. But yes, I’m sure someone better will come along soon. 😉

anonymus
8 years ago

germany and china tied for last place
a rare thing to see in a relay

anonymus
8 years ago

chalmers with “only” 48.8 split, AUS would have won if he could have repeated his 47.6, anyways still very decent

Gina Rhinestone
Reply to  anonymus
8 years ago

It ended up in the right order . Jack Cartwright is only 16 & Canada deserved to win with their 1-2 in the w 100. KC need not go max every swim –

commonwombat
Reply to  Gina Rhinestone
8 years ago

Yes, Ruck was the “deal breaker” for CAN in that race being a whole different level above the rest of the girls. Chalmers IS only human, not the infallible wonder some would portray (or seek to portray) him to be. Cartwright left them with a deficit and Chalmers did what he could to put them back in the race. AUS girls, especially Jack, probably swam above their individual form. RUS were even across the board; USA sunk by the weakness of their female legs.

anonymus
Reply to  commonwombat
8 years ago

just to clarify; im not disappointed in chalmers performance whatsoever, just played that could’ve would’ve game there

Aussie
Reply to  Gina Rhinestone
8 years ago

I am a big fan but Chalmers showing lots of inconsistency this week :/

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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