The first day of the 2014 World Short Course Championships in Doha, Qatar are underway, where 5 finals and 5 semi-finals are on the schedule.
Refresh often as we will be updating recaps as the races happen below.
2014 Short Course World Championships
- Meet website
- Doha, Qatar
- December 3-7, 2014 (Wednesday through Sunday)
- Prelims 9:30 am / Finals 6:00 pm (local time)
- Start Lists
- Live results
- Live photo stream
Men’s 200 Freestyle – FINALS
- 2012 World Champ: 1:41.92 – Ryan Lochte – Poland
- 2010 World Champ: 1:41.08 – Ryan Lochte – United States
- Meet Record: 1:41.08 – Ryan Lochte – United States – 2010
- World Record: 1:39.37 – Paul Biedermann – Germany – 2009
The first gold medal of the 2014 World Short Course Championships went to the FINA World Swimmer of the Year: Chad le Clos. Le Clos sat in 2nd for most of this race as he let the hard-charging Serb Velimir Stjepanovic take a half-second lead early.
Surprisingly, though, Stjepanovic, who is a great 400 swimmer, ran out of gas in a big way on the last 50 meters – splitting just 26.84 (second slowest of the field).
As he faded, le Clos took up the baton and charged to the front, eventually winning in 1:41.45.
Russian Danila Izotov took 2nd in 1:41.67, using a big last 50 kick (by contrast, his 25.43 was the fastest) to hold off the two-time defending champion Ryan Lochte (1:42.09).
Dominik Kozma, the top seed in prelims, was a little faster in finals with a 1:42.25, and though a great finishing kick almost caught Lochte for him, the 23-year old wound up in 4th.
Hungary’s Peter Bernek was 5th in 1:42.44, and Cristian Quintero, after breaking a Venezuelan Record in prelims, slid to 8th in 1:43.45.
Women’s 50 Breast – Semi-Finals
- 2012 World Champ: 29.44 – Ruta Meilutyte – Lithuani
- 2010 World Champ: 29.83 – Rebecca Soni – United States
- Meet Record:
29.44 – Ruta Meilutyte – Lithuania – 201228.81 – Ruta Meilutyte – Lithuania – 2014 - World Record: 28.80 – Jessica Hardy – United States – 2009
Lithuanian teen sensation Ruta Meilutyte already holds the World Records in the 50 and 100 breaststroke in long course, plus the 100 breaststroke in short course, but this 50 SCM record is the one that has eluded her so far in her career.
She didn’t quite get that mark in semi-finals, but she was incredibly close with a 28.81 – just missing Jessica Hardy’s 28.80 suited World Record from 2009.
The swim did, however, break both the Lithuanian National Record of 28.89 (Meilutyte’s old personal best) as well as the Championship Record of 29.44 that she used to win this title in 2012.
She’s not the only swimmer within range of that record. Jamaican Alia Atkinson was a 28.99 for the 2nd seed, which just missed her own National Record of 28.94.
Those two were well ahead of the field, with the Netherlands’ Moniek Nijhuis taking 3rd in 29.69 – just .01 shy of her National Record.
Rounding out the finalists are: Australian Leiston Pickett (29.79), Sweden’s Jennie Johansson (30.08), Australia’s Sally Hunter (30.08), Russia’s Valentina Artemeva (30.31), and American Emma Reaney (30.32).
Men’s 100 Back – Semi-Finals
- 2012 World Champ: 49.89 – Matt Grevers – United States
- 2010 World Champ: 49.07 – Stanislav Donets – Russia
- Meet Record: 48.95 – Stanislav Donets – Russia – 2010
- World Record: 48.94 – Nicholas Thoman – USA – 2009
Australian 21-year old Mitch Larkin swam a 49.62 in the men’s 100 backstroke to take the top seed in the semi-finals. That missed his Australian Record set earlier this year, but is still faster than anyone else in his country’s history has been.
The rest of the top 13 in this final were tightly bunched between 50.1 and 50.9, led by Brazilian Guilherme Guido in 50.12 and Japan’s Ryosuke Irie in 50.16. Those two along with Matt Grevers (50.26) will surround Larkin in finals and all came out of heat 2 in the semis – giving Larkin some new scenery for the next round.
Germany’s Christian Diener took 5th in 50.32, followed by the second American Eugene Godsoe in 50.42. Poland’s Radoslaw Kawecki (50.54) and France’s Ben Stasiulis (50.68) round out the finalists. The biggest name to miss the final was Britain’s Chris Walker-Hebborn. He swam a 50.76 to put him 10th – missing the final by less than a tenth.
Women’s 200 Butterfly – FINALS
- 2012 World Champ: 2:02.20 – Katinka Hosszu – Hungary
- 2010 World Champ: 2:03.59 – Mireia Belmonte Garcia – Spain
- Meet Record:
2:02.20 – Katinka Hosszu –Hungary – 20121:59.61 – Mireia Belmonte – 2014 - World Record:
2:00.78 – Liu Zhige – China – 20091:59.61 – Mireia Belmonte – 2014
In our day 1 finals preview, we warned our readers not to sleep on Mireia Belmonte, who was the “Katinka Hosszu of this meet before Katinka Hosszu was the “Katinka Hosszu” of this meet. In her first finals swim of the evening, Belmonte made us look good, breaking the World Record in the women’s 200 fly with a 1:59.61. That crushed by over a second the 2009 suited record of China’s Liu Zige.
This record, and the win for that matter, was all done on the last 50 meters. Hosszu had a half-second lead going into the final 50 before Belmonte split 30.65 and Hosszu split 32.72. The final margin didn’t indicate just how good of a race this was, but the splits and the video (which we will have after the session) do.
Hosszu took 2nd in 2:01.12 – still a marvelous swim for her and a new lifetime best and Hungarian Record by a full second.
Lost in the wake was Germany’s Franziska Hentke in 2:03.89 – just off of her German Record swim from last year’s European Championships.
China’s Yufei Zhang was 4th in 2:04.91, followed by Italy’s Alessia Polieri (2:05.52), American Cammile Adams (2:06.35), and Australian Brianna Throssell (2:06.40).
Men’s 100 Breast – Semi-Finals
- 2012 World Champ: 57.10 – Fabio Scozzoli -Italy
- 2010 World Champ: 56.80 – Cameron van der Burgh – South Africa
- Meet Record:
56.80 – Cameron van der Burgh – South Africa – 201056.43 – Adam Peaty – Great Britain – 2014 - World Record: 55.61 – Cameron van der Burgh – South Africa – 2009
Britain’s Adam Peaty re-broke his own British National Record in the 100 SCM breaststroke with a 56.43 in the semi-finals, which zooms him to 2nd in the world this year. That swim cleared his own 57.02 in prelims, and before that the mark was a 57.44 from Michael Jamieson set late last year.
There’s one potential surprise still sneaking around for Peaty though, who was half-a-second clear of the field in this semi-final. That swim ranks him only 2nd in the world this year, behind Brazil’s Felipe Franca. Franca was a 57.21 for the 6th seed in the semi’s.
Other than that, the biggest threat appears to be Russian 19-year old Kirill Prigoda, who was the 2nd seed in 56.93 – a Russian Record of his own.
Japan’s Yasuhiro Koseki, in 57.06, will swim on Peaty’s other side, and the defending silver medalist Damir Dugonjic is the 4th seed in 57.06.
Completing the top 8 are the World Record holder Cameron van der Burgh (57.18), Franca, France’s Giacomo Perez-Dortona (57.24), and American Cody Miller (57.28).
Germany’s Marco Koch, historically one of the best short course breaststrokers in the world, missed the final with a 10th-place 57.47. The second American Brad Craig took 14th in 57.80.
Women’s 100 Back – Semi-Finals
- 2012 World Champ: 56.64 – Olivia Smoliga – United States
- 2010 World Champ: 56.08 – Natalie Coughlin – United States
- Meet Record:
56.08– Natalie Coughlin – United States – 201055.70 – Katinka Hosszu – Hungary – 2014 - World Record: 55.23 – Shiho Sakai – Japan – 2009
Most of the world’s top pure backstrokers have skipped this year’s Short Course World Championships, but the three best in attendance all made the final of the women’s 100 back. Ukraine’s Daryna Zevina took the top spot in the semi’s in 56.23, winning heat 1 over the 2nd qualifier Emily Seebohm of Australia in 56.32.
Denmark’s Mie Nielsen is the 5th seed in 56.87, but is still a threat to take the gold in finals.
Also a threat is Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu, the defending champion, who was a measured 56.65 for the 3rd seed. Her Wednesday schedule shows three other races, all for medals, so it’s no surprise that Hosszu wasn’t going full-steam in this 100 back (whether by fatigue or control).
Britain’s Georgia Davies is the 4th seed in 56.82.
After Nielsen came Australian youngster Madi Wilson, part of a rookie nucleus at this meet that is performing very well for that country. Brazil’s Etiene Medeiros took 7th in 57.13, and another American slid into the 8th spot as Kathleen Baker was a 57.25.
The other American, also a high school senior, Amy Bilquist was 12th in prelims in 57.65. Canadian Hilary Caldwell took 14th in 57.88.
Men’s 100 Butterfly – Semi-Finals
- 2012 World Champ: 48.82 – Chad Le Clos – South Africa
- 2010 World Champ: 50.23 – Evgeny Korotyshkin – Russia
- Meet Record: 48.82 – Chad Le Clos – South Africa – 2012
- World Record: 48.48 – Evgeny Korotyshkin – Russia – 2009
Defending champion Chad le Clos took the top spot heading into finals of the men’s 100 fly with a 49.25 in Wednesday’s semi-finals.
Most of the big names made it safely through, though only one of the two heats lived up to what it could have been. Australia’s Tommaso D’Orsogna took the 2nd seed in 49.69 out of the same heat as Le Clos, and the two were safely in front of heat 1.
Heat 2, however, led by American Tom Shields (49.91) was a much better battle with the top five finishers all placing just two-tenths apart.. For Shields, swimming in the same heat as Ryan Lochte (50.09 – 6th qualifier overall), that gives him a leg-up on the decision for who will swim the spot in prelims and who will swim it in finals on the American 400 medley relay later in this meet.
Brazil’s Marcos Macedo is the 4th qualifier in 50.03, followed by Kosuke Hagino (50.07), Lochte, and Yauhen Tsurkin from Belarus (50.14) all in that same heat.
Russia’s Evgeny Korotyshkin, the World Record holder, kept hope alive with a 50.26 to take the 8th spot. Those not as fortunate include Britain’s Adam Barrett (50.35), Poland’s Pawel Korzeniowski (50.40), Germany’s Steffen Deibler (50.41), and Venezuela’s Albert Subirats (51.06).
Women’s 400 Individual Medley – Finals
- 2012 World Champ: 4:23.14 – Hannah Miley – Great Britain
- 2010 World Champ: 4:24.21 – Mireia Belmonte Garcia – Spain
- Meet Record:
4:23.14 – Hannah Miley– Great Britain – 20124:21.05 – Katinka Hosszu – Hungary – 20144:19.86 – Mireia Belmonte – Spain – 2014 - World Record:
4:20.83 – Katinka Hosszu – Hungary – 20144:19.86 – Mireia Belmonte – Spain – 2014
In the first matchup of the day between Mireia Belmonte and Katinka Hosszu, both swimmers were as good as they’ve ever been in the 200 fly, and Belmonte’s out-of-this-world swim was just too good.
In this 400 IM, Belmonte’s swim was again out-of-this-world, though in this case Hosszu couldn’t match her best.
The Spaniard swam a new World Record of 4:19.86, which once again by a full second broke the old record. That old record was a 4:20.83 done by Hosszu done in this same pool at the Doha World Cup stop earlier this year.
On this day, Hosszu could only muster a 4:22.94 for 2nd place. She once again led Belmonte for the first half of this race, but another big Belmonte closing kick did Hosszu and the record in.
Britain’s Hannah Miley took 3rd in 4:24.74 – a time about 1.6 seconds slower than she was in 2012 to win gold in this same event.
American Elizabeth Beisel missed the podium in 4th place with a 4:25.56, followed by Japan’s Miho Takahashi (4:27.61) and the other American Caitlin Leverenz (4:28.74). Oddly enough, Leverenz, renowned for her breaststroke speed, was slower than all five of the swimmers ahead of her in the 100 meters of breaststroke.
Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay – Finals
- 2012 World Champ: 3:06.40 – United States
- 2010 World Champ: 3:04.78 – France
- Meet Record:
3:04.78– France – 20103:03.78 – France – 2014 - World Record: 3:03.30 – United States – 2009
The men’s 400 free relay final was an entirely different landscape in finals than prelims. Whereas in the morning, only two swimmers were better than 46.5 (and neither of them raced in finals); in the evening, it took a couple of 45’s or a lot of 46-lows to be in the hunt for a medal.
France got that and then some as they roared to a new Meet Record of 3:03.78 – breaking the 2010 effort of 3:04.78 done by their countrymates four years ago.
The splits:
- Clement Mignon – 47.05
- Fabien Gilot – 46.13
- Florent Manaudou – 44.80
- Mehdy Metella – 45.80
Manaudou’s 44.80 means he now moves within range of the 44.94 World Record belonging to Amaury Leveaux – which has stood since 2008 in the individual.
Meanwhile, the French had to come from behind (and even after Manaudou’s impressive split, they still were only 2nd) thanks to an explosive leadoff from Russian Vlad Morozov of 45.51. That broke the Meet Record in the individual 100 free. Joined by Sergei Fesikov (46.01), Danila Izotov (45.79), and Mikhail Polishchuk (46.87), the Russians were four-tenths behind in 3:04.18 for 2nd place. Everyone on that Russian relay swam very well, they just didn’t have an anchor to hold off France’s young star Metella. When Evgeny Sedov gets healthy for Worlds in 2015 and the Olympics in 2016, that won’t be a problem much longer for Russia.
The Americans took 3rd in 3:05.58 – though they were out of medal position (6th after Jimmy Feigen, 7th after Matt Grevers) until Ryan Lochte and Tom Shields anchored in matching 46.02’s. Lochte’s swim pulled them to 3rd, and Shields’ snuck past Italy for the bronze 3:05.58-3:05.79.
Australia took 5th in 3:06.48 after a 46.56 leadoff from Cameron McEvoy; Belgium was 6th in 3:07.54, Japan was 7th in 3:07.79, and Brazil, without Cesar Cielo, was 8th in 3:08.31. Cielo probably would’ve pulled the Brazilians up a few spots, but not enough to medal. Joao de Lucca had a nice 45.65 split for Brazil, though.
Women’s 4×200 Freestyle Relay – Finals
- 2012 World Champ: 7:39.25 – United States
- 2010 World Champ: 7:35.94 – China
- Meet Record: 7:35.94 – China – 2010
- World Record: 7:35.94 – China 2010
The 800 free relay records in short course meters are a very odd thing, because the event is almost never swum outside of Short Course Worlds – it’s not done at Euros, it’s not done in the World Cup, and it’s not done at Duel in the Pool.
The result is a rather soft Chinese World Record from 2010 that the Dutch women crushed in 7:32.85 – and even that doesn’t seem out of anyone’s immediate grasp with a stronger field.
Not to discount the Dutch swim – they had two fantastic legs, combined with two solid swims from women who are more sprinters than 200 freestylers. The splits:
- Inge Dekker – 1:54.73
- Femke Heemskerk – 1:51.22
- Ranomi Kromowidjojo – 1:54.17
- Sharon van Rouwendaal – 1:52.73
Van Rouwendaal and Heemskerk were the two fastest splits of the entire finals field.
China had a well-balanced relay for silver, getting a 1:53.26 leadoff from Yuhan Qiu to finish in a combined 7:37.02. Australia was 3rd in 7:38.59.
The Hungarians were 8th in prelims, but putting Katinka Hosszu on this relay for her 4th swim of the day pulled them all the way up to 4th in 7:39.21. Hosszu was a 1:53.13 on the anchor – she’s capable of better than that when fully rested, but after a brutal two-hour session, that’s a memorable effort.
The defending champion Americans took 5th in 7:39.48. Their splits:
- Shannon Vreeland – 1:55.22
- Kathleen Baker – 1:54.22
- Katie Drabot – 1:54.74
- Elizabeth Beisel – 1:55.30
The Americans have now medaled in this race in just 6 out of 12 all-time short course World Championships.
Japan took 6th, Sweden was 7th, and Russia was 8th.
This championship is going great, with WR breaking in almost every event.
So I have finally caught up with every race of the day. My thoughts…
Chad looks like he’ll be tough to beat this week.. his 200 free was very smooth and his 100 fly semi looked easy.
Ruta is a speed demon and her physique is amazonian. Her power is remarkable, I think Hardy’s record is living on borrowed time. Atkinson could play spoiler, but I don’t really see it.
Larkin – Impressive. The rest, nobody looked too threatening to me.
Mireia proving again what a great swimmer she is! Her 200 fly is still improving and I really think Liu Zige’s once ‘untouchable’ LC record is within her grasp. A woman under 2.00 on 200bu.. pioneering stuff.… Read more »
No Ledecky on the relay? Why not?
CraigH – because she’s currently in Greensboro, North Carolina for Winter Nationals.
That’s the joke of the day ! so fun
Well, interesting first day.
Hosszu didn’t perform badly.
Miss Belmonte was just in the zone today as you say in USA.
Sub 2 minutes in the 200 fly with Hosszu as great rabbit! Wow! 😯
Sub 4.20 in the 400 IM with Hosszu as great rabbit! Wow! 😯
The Spanish girl always has a monster back-half.
Very impressive. What a motor she has!
She’s ready for a monster week. She will be hard to beat in the 400 free and the 800 free.
But I have a serious rival for her with Sharon Van Rouwendaal. Philippe Lucas is a genius and what he does with the Dutch girl for one year is amazing. She… Read more »
great analysis. some athletes are truly outstanding in SCM or SCY but not nearly the same in LCM, but some like ledecky are better in LCM than SCM/SCY. i was fairly disappointed by the us team in day one. other than superman lochte’s three stellar swims in the evening (and two in the morning) a few other did ok and some were very disappointing (dwyer and feigen). the women without ledecky and franklin are lacking depth and today it really showed, not even the reliable beisel was able to medal. people here are complaining it is all the same and same faces (MP, lochte, clary, franklin, ledecky) and others arent getting chances to compete in a big meet, but when… Read more »
I’d include Marco Orsi in the mix for the men’s 100 free… maybe. He had the second fastest split (45.39) in the relay and he looked good doing it. That said, he had the second fastest split in the 4×100 at Barcelona (I think he was 46-something.) and didn’t really come through in the individual event.
Somebody here said that every time they watch Manadou swim, they want to apologize to the water… He’s big, big man and immensely powerful. It looks like he’s pulverizing the water.
So here’s a question: FINA have already awarded World Female Swimmer of the Year to Hosszu despite what Ledecky did this year. What happens if Belmonte goes on a run and breaks at least two more world records? She is the current record-holder in both the 400 and 800, and she’s on fire right now. How can you award World Swimmer of the Year before the end of a World Championships?? FINA is going to end up with egg on their faces once again.
They are not even enough smart to give their awards after these world championships.
Anyway, Ledecky deserved it.
But it’s not so important.
i am sure in their minds SCM is not the same as LCM. Anyway Hoszu might have put the most volume than anyone but ledecky by far had the best quality with two WRs in the 400, one in the 800 and two in the 1500. i dont think we will see that happen in a long long time, if ever.
I agree. Of course FINA should wait until the biggest meets of the year are done.
Ruta gets off the blocks like a cannon! A .61 reaction time for her 50 breaststroke. There isn’t a woman in world that can touch her and, I daresay, I don’t know if any of the men can either.
Vlad 45.5 on lead-off… It won’t be the Manaudou show afterall. Mireia is on fire! Who would have predict those results after this morning?
Ruta & Peaty look imperious in the 50. Rouwendaal went 1.52.8 on the Dutch anchor, that is hugely Impressive. She could swim very fast over 400 & 800 this week.
Disappointed CWH & Barrett just missed finals. Both just slighty off their best times but a lot faster than they had managed during the WC. Nice big drop from Davies, too.. she will be hard to beat in the 50m.
1:52.7 split from Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands. Second only to Femke Heemskerk. Looks like she’s got some speed to go with all that endurance! I’ve said it before, and I still believe she is going to be Ledecky’s biggest competition in the years to come.