2014 Youth Olympic Games: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

by Samuel Wood 14

August 17th, 2014 News

WATCH LIVE

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

SESSION START TIMES

Prelims begin at 10AM local time and finals begin at 6PM local time. Around the world that’s:

  • 7PM/3AM U.S. West Coast Time
  • 8PM/4AM U.S. Mountain Time
  • 9PM/5AM U.S. Central Time
  • 10PM/6AM U.S. East Coast Time
  • 11PM/7AM Rio de Janeiro Time
  • 3AM/11AM London Time
  • 4AM/Noon Berlin/South Africa Time
  • 6AM/2PM Moscow Time
  • 11AM/7PM Tokyo Time
  • Noon/8PM Sydney Time

Some of the sport’s best young talents have gathered in Nanjing, China for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.  If today’s prelims are any indication, we are set for an exciting few days in the Jiangsu province.

The first event on tonight’s program is the men’s 400 free.  Egypt’s Ahmed Akram will be the favorite heading into tonight’s final. The young Egyptian picked up the top seed en route to an Egyptian national record time of 3:52.02.  Look for Poland’s Jacek Wojdak to be on Akram’s heels tonight. The 18-year-old put down a quick 3:52.80 in prelims.

Next up we’ll see the women’s 50 breast semi-final. Lithuanian phenom and current 50 and 100 breast world record holder Ruta Meilutyte, though not the top seed, is still the woman to beat tonight. Meilutyte secured the third seed earlier today behind Hungary’s Anna Szatankovics (32.02) and Dalma Sebestyen (32.09). Meilutyte’s mark of 32.11 is well off her world record time of 29.48 set last year, though we’ll likely see her prelim time lowered significantly tonight.

China’s Guangyuan Li locked up the number one seed in the men’s 100 back prelims with a time of 55.33, Romania’s Robert Glinta was second in 55.46. USA’s Patrick Mulane snagged the eight seed in 56.28.

Clara Smiddy was one of two American’s to lock up a top seed, putting down a time of 1:01.73 in the women’s 100 back. Smiddy clocked a 1:01.37 last week at Nationals, taking home sixth place. South American record holder Natalia de Luccas will be close behind, qualifying second with a time of 1:02.05.

 Carlos Claverie broke a Venezuelan national record in the men’s 100 breast this morning with a blistering 1:01.62. Claverie has a comfortable lead over the rest of the field, though just .92 separates the 2-8 positions.

American Meghan Small will lead the way in the women’s 200 IM heading into the semi-final. Small’s time of 2:15.24 was just ahead of South African Marlies Ross’s mark of 2:15.45. Five women went sub-2:16 in today’s prelims.

The final event of the session is the mixed 4×100 freestyle relay. It would be an upset to say the least if China doesn’t take the gold after flirting with the world record this morning. The Chinese quartet put down a time of 3:29.36, almost four seconds ahead of second place seed Brazil.

 

MEN’S 400M FREESTYLE FINAL:

Ukraine’s Mykhailo Romanchuk took home gold in the 400 free with a blistering time of 3:49.76, well ahead of second place Alberto Marcelo Acosta of El Salvador in 3:51.32. Henrik Christiansen of Norway earned bronze with a 3:51.55

WOMEN’S 50M BREASTSTROKE SEMI:

Dalma Sebestyen of Hungary and Georgina Evans of Great Britain both tied for first in semi-final flight number one, each touching in 32.27. The second heat saw world record holder Ruta Meilutyte earn the top seed heading into tomorrows final, cruising to a time of 31.67. Coming in second was Germany’s Julia Willers in 31.94.

Advancing to Finals:

1. Ruta Meilutyte LTU (31.67)

2. Julia Willers GER (31.94)

3. Anna Sztanikovics HUN (32.01)

4. Sophie Hansson SWE (32.02)

5. Anastasiya Malyavina UKR (32.03)

6. Jiwon Yang KOR (32.22)

7. Dalma Sebestyen HUN (32.27)

8. Georgina Evans GBR (32.27)

 

MEN’S 100M BACKSTROKE SEMI:

Italy’s Simmone Sabbioni will have the top seed heading into tomorrow’s final. Sabbioni’s mark of 54.48 was just ahead of China’s Guangyuan Li, who took qualified second at 54.52. Russian Evgeny Rylov was the final sub-55 swimmer, winning the first semi-final heat and qualifying third in 54.86. American Patrick Mulcare managed to squeak into finals with a clutch swim of 55.99.

Advancing to Finals:

1. Simmmon Sabbioni ITA (54.48)

2. Guangyuan Li CHN (54.52)

3. Evgeny Rylov RUS (54.86

4. Apostolos Christou GRE (55.09)

5. Andrei Robert Glinta ROU (55.10)

6. Marek Ulrich GER (55.55)

7. Luke Greenbank GBR (55.70)

8. Patrick Mulcare USA (55.99)

 

WOMEN’S 100M BACKSTROKE SEMI:

Natalia de Luccas of Brazil opened things up in the women’s 100 back semi, winning heat 1 in 1:02.06. Italian Ambra Esposito took second in the heat at 1:02.22. Jessica Fullalove of Great Britain locked up the top seed for tomorrow’s final, winning heat 2 in 1:01.35.  American Clara Smiddy snagged the number two position with a swim of 1:01.38.  New Zealand’s Bobbi Gichard took third in 1:01.70.

Advancing to Finals:

1. Jessica Fullalove GBR (1:01.35)

2. Clara Smiddy USA (1:01.38)

3. Bobbi Gichard NZL (1:01.70)

4. Natalia de Luccas BRA (1:02.06)

5. Danielle Hanus CAN (1:02.12)

6. Ambra Esposito ITA (1:02.22)

7. Irina Prikhodko RUS (1:02.24)

8. SWIMOFF: Maaike de Waard NED vs. Tereza Grusova CRO (1:02.34)

 

MEN’S 100M BREASTSTROKE SEMI:

Russia’s Anton Chupkov put down a scorching 1:00.84 in the first semi heat, a good distance ahead of German Max Pilger who took second in 1:02.58. The second semifinal heat saw Carlos Claverie take first in 1:01.70. Ippei Watanabe of Japan took second in 1:02.00.

Advancing to Finals:

1. Anton Chupkov RUS (1:00.84)

2. Carlos Claverie VEN (1:01.70)

3. Ippei Watanabe JPN (1:02.00)

4. Chad Crous RSA (1:02.30)

5. Max Pilger GER (1:02.58)

6. David Horvath HUN (1:02.63)

7. Nikola Obrovac CRO (1:02.79)

8. Andreas de Queiroz Mickosz BRA (1:02.89)

WOMEN’S 200M IM FINAL:

Vietnam’s Vien Nguyen won gold in the women’s 200 IM with a time of 2:12.66.  Nguyen surged ahead of Hong Kong’s Bernadette Haughey in the final 50, with Haughey settling for silver in 2:13.21. American Meghan Small managed to sneak onto the podium, earning a bronze medal with a time of 2:14.01.

 

MIXED 4X100M FREESTYLE RELAY FINAL:

China earned their first gold in the pool this Games, taking the mixed 4×100 freestyle relay in dominating fashion. The Chinese quartet not only took home gold, but also took down the world junior record time of 3:28.96.  Brazil took second in 3:31.55 and Australia rounded out bronze in 3:31.76.

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Thanos
9 years ago

Isn’t 18 the upper age limit for the youth Olympics ? I personally think that restricting each country to four swimmers is ridiculous. I am sure the times in the junior pan in two weeks will be faster.

bobo gigi
9 years ago

Meghan Small is much slower than a week ago in Irvine.
2.11.83 vs 2.14.01 today.
Jet lag?

Good times overall.

whoknows
Reply to  bobo gigi
9 years ago

Possibly. How many swimmers are able to maintain their performance level from one week to the next. I think it’s best to look at how they raced, regardless of time.

Reply to  bobo gigi
9 years ago

BOBO,
probably.Jet Lag is not something to be easy surpassed for some people.I think at least a couple of brazilians are suffering of something like that because their times are a bit off.

Danjohnrob
9 years ago

Although I enjoy the fact that Team USA is very successful and at least competitive in most Olympic races, it’s kind of exciting that athletes from smaller countries and traditionally less competitive swimming nations like El Salvador, Romania and Croatia can win medals and qualify for finals in the Youth Olympic Games.

I haven’t taken the time to try and understand the qualification rules for the YOG, but they seem awfully restrictive, perhaps to keep costs low as well as to maintain the above stated even playing field. I shudder to think what the US Swimming team would look like if we were only allowed 4 male and 4 female swimmers! However, it seems like USS has set up our… Read more »

whoknows
Reply to  Danjohnrob
9 years ago

I agree! Let’s not forget Vietnam! Great performance! The smiles on these competitors faces shows their enjoyment of this experience!

whoknows
Reply to  whoknows
9 years ago

The YOG DNA label is not a logo, I t is a signature stamp!
But it does not sign off everything. It only signs off what is like it:
Olympic (excellent, friendly, respectful) & Young (creative, fresh,
dynamic, free…)

Michael Phelps wants to know -“Do you have YOG DNA?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjEojbK-0VA

There are rules for using the label.
http://www.fie.ch/download/letters/2010/info/9/en/YOG%20DNA%20Brand%20Book%20-%20EN%20-%202010-18-06.pdf

whoknows
Reply to  Danjohnrob
9 years ago

DNA stands for “DNA”…
It’s a “label” set up for the youth Olympics by the IOC.
The uniting of mankind.
“Do you have YOG DNA?”

Danjohnrob
Reply to  whoknows
9 years ago

Whoknows, thank you for taking the time to explain! I didn’t think it could possibly be referring to scientific DNA, but I was just complicating things! 🙂

Emmanuel
Reply to  whoknows
9 years ago

Whoknows, is right. That’s correct answer.

whoknows
9 years ago

Great competition! A lot of good young talent. Great experience for those who were chosen to participate! The opening ceremonies were on par with any regular Olympic opening I’ve seen. The first hour is the parade of flag bearers. Start at about 01:08:15 for the good stuff! The most spectacular part is the building of the dream tower at 01:36:15. You won’t believe what you are seeing!

Rafael
9 years ago

Chupkov time is a new jr wr.

HKSWIMMER
9 years ago

Santana 47.73 split very strong.

Rafael
Reply to  HKSWIMMER
9 years ago

The last chinese girl who was? 53,43 split. Santana amazing when he went 48,35 he did 48 flat on relay

About Samuel Wood

Samuel Wood swam club and high school for 12 years,  choosing not to pursue a college career for academic reasons. He is a junior at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale where he studies political science and journalism.  In the summer months Samuel is an instructor at Miller Aquatics in Homer, Illinois where …

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