2018 SC Worlds: Day One Prelims Live Recap

2018 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, December 11th – Sunday, December 16th
• Hangzhou, China
• Tennis Centre, Hangzhou Olympic & International Expo Center
• SCM (25m)
• Provisional Entry List
• Entries Book
• Meet Schedule
• Prelims: 9:30 am local, 8:30 pm ET / Finals: 7:00 pm* local, 6:00 am ET
• U.S. Live Stream (Finals – First Three Days)
• U.S. Live Stream (Prelims, Finals Last Day)
• FINA TV Livestream (All Sessions)
• Live Results (Omega)

^{* the final night of finals will be one hour earlier, starting at 6:00 pm local and 5:00 am ET}

The first day of the 2018 FINA Short Course World Championships is here, and we’ll kick off the competition with 11 events on the first morning. You can check out our preview of today’s competition here.

Men’s 400 Free – Prelims

• WR – 3:32.25 – Yannick Agnel – 15 NOV 12
• CR – 3:34.32 – Peter Bernek – 5 DEC 14
• WJ – 3:39.48 (Best Time)

Top 8:

1. Danas Rapsys – LTU – 3:36.65
2. Henrik Christiansen – NOR – 3:38.04
3. Fernando Scheffer – BRA – 3:39.10
4. Zane Grothe – USA – 3:39.73
5. Aleksandr Krasnykh – RUS – 3:39.86
6. Martin Malyutin – RUS – 3:39.86
7. Gabriele Detti – ITA – 3:39.89
8. Wojciech Wojdak – POL – 3:40.36

Danas Rapsys of Lithuania threw down a strong swim in the middle heat of the prelims, posting a 3:36.65 that shattered the Lithuanian record by four seconds and moving him up to  #12 all-time.

Six under men finished under 3:40. Norway’s Henrik Christiansen took the 2nd seed with a 3:38.04, followed by Fernando Scheffer of Brazil in 3:39.10.

Zane Grothe is the only USA representative in this event, and the only real distance swimmer on the USA’s men’s roster, and he had the 4th-fastest time of the morning with a 3:39.73, as he threw down some outside smoke to win the final heat out of lane one.

A pair of Russian swimmers were just behind Grothe, as Aleksandr Krasnykh and Martin Malyutin touched in the exact same time of 3:39.86.

Italian veteran Gabriele Detti touched just o.03s behind the Russians, posting a 3:39.89, and Poland’s Wojciech Wojdak rounded out the top eight with a 3:40.36.

Women’s 200 Free – Prelims

• WR – 1:50.43 – Sarah Sjostrom – 12 AUG 17
• CR – 1:50.78 – Sarah Sjostrom – 7 DEC 14
• WJ – 1:53.07 (Best Time)

1. Mallory Comerford – USA – 1:52.52
2. Ariarne Titmus – AUS – 1:52.66
3. Veronika Andrusenko – RUS – 1:54.11
4. Femke Heemskerk – NED – 1:54.16
5. Michelle Coleman – SWE – 1:54.22
6. Federica Pellegrini – ITA – 1:54.46
7. Wang Jianjiahe – CHN – 1:54.63
8. Barbora Seemanova – CZE – 1:54.82

The USA’s Mallory Comerford will swim in lane 4 tonight after posting a 1:52.52 in the 4th heat. Australia’s Ariarne Titmus challenged Comerford over the final strokes of that race, and the two will race side-by-side tonight after Titmus took the #2 seed with a 1:52.66.

Heat 5 proved to be an even more exciting battle, as Veronika Andrusenko of Russia, the Netherlands’ Femke Heemskerk, and Michelle Coleman of Sweden dueled it out, with the lead changing several times. Andrusenko got the touch at the wall, touching in 1:54.11, followed closely by Heemskerk in 1:54.16 and Coleman in 1:54.22.

Long course world record holder Federica Pellegrini won the final heat with a 1:54.46. Wang Jianjiahe of China had the 7th-fastest time with a 1:54.63 while dueling Comerford and Titmus in the 4th heat, and Barbora Seemanova just barely took the final spot with a 1:54.82. Three other ladies finished within 1:54.87 and 1:54.88, just missing out on the final.

Men’s 200 Butterfly – Prelims

• WR – 1:48.56 – Chad le Clos – 5 NOV 13
• CR – 1:48.61 – Chad le Clos – 7 DEC 14
• WJ – 1:51.30 (Best Time)

1. Daiya Seto – JPN -1:49.88
2. Li Zhuhao – CHN, – 1:51.28
3. Luiz Melo -BRA – 1:51.31
4. Aleksandr Kharlanov – RUS – 1:51.58
5. Zach Harting -USA – 1:51.66
6. Antani Ivanov – BUL – 1:51.81
7. Chad le Clos – RSA – 1:51.90
8. Nic Brown – AUS – 1:52.15

Daiya Seto looked strong and in control all the way through the penultimate heat, and he’ll go in tonight with the fastest time this morning, a 1:49.88.

Women’s 50 Breaststroke – Prelims

• WR – 28.56 – Alia Atkinson – 6 OCT 18
• CR – 28.81 – Ruta Meilutyte – 3 DEC 14
• WR – 29.84 (Best Time)

1. Ruta Meilutyte – LTU – 29.56
2. Katie Meili – USA – 29.94
3. Martina Carraro – ITA / Alia Atkinson – JAM- 30.00
4. (tie)
5. Ida Hulkko – FIN – 30.13
6. Jenna Laukkanen – FIN – 30.19
7. Miho Teramura – JPN / Jessica Hansen – AUS – 30.20
8. (tie)
9. Ariana Castiglioni – ITA – 30.21
10. Fanny Lecluyse – BEL – 30.34
11. Suo Ran – CHN – 30.42
12. Emily Seebohm – 30.46
13. Petra Chocova – CZE – 30.48
14. Mariia Temnikova – RUS – 30.49
15. Kim Busch – NED – 30.58
16. Feng Junyhang – CHN – 30.69

Unsurprisingly, the usual suspects will race in tonight’s semifinals. Ruta Meilutyte, who holds the meet record, took the fastest time of the morning with a 29.56. Katie Meili was the only other woman under 30.0, touching in 29.94.

Martina Carraro of Italy set a new national record, and world record holder Alia Atkinson celebrated her 30th birthday, as the two women tied with a time of 30.00 on the nose.

Emily Seebohm, more known for her backstroke abilities, advanced through to the semis with a time of 30.46, good for 12th.

Men’s 100 Backstroke – Prelims

• WR – 48.88 – Xu Jiayu – 11 NOV 18
• CR – 48.95 – Stanislav Donets – 10 DEC 10
• WJ – 48.90 – Kliment Kolesnikov – 22 DEC 17

1. Guilherme Guido – BRA – 49.57
2. Ryan Murphy – USA – 49.72
3. Xu Jiayu – CHN – 49.83
4. Matt Grevers – 50.12
5. Robert Glinta – ROU – 50.22
6. Mitchell Larkin – AUS – 50.27
7. Christian Diener – GER – 50.28
8. Simone Sabbioni – ITA – 50.62
9. Radoslaw Kawecki – POL/ Ryoksuke Irie – JPN – 50.73
10. (tie)
11. Kliment Kolesnikov – RUS – 50.76
12. Apostolos Christou – GRE – 50.92
13. Guilherme Basseto – BRA – 50.94
14. Anton Loncar – CRO – 51.09
15. Andrei Shabaov – RUS – 51.16
16. Thomas Ceccon – ITA – 51.30

Guilherme Guido won a head-to-head battle with Matt Grevers in the 3rd heat, as the Brazilian beat the the 2012 Olympic gold medalist and took the top time of the morning with a 49.57. Grevers finished with a 50.12, good for the 4th seed heading into tonight.

It was another great race in the 4th heat, as the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, Ryan Murphy topped Xu Jiayu, the short course world record holder and arguably Murphy’s biggest rival heading into 2020, 49.72 to 49.83.

Once again, pretty much everyone you’d expect to be the mix did enough to qualify for semis. Mitch Larkin took the 6th seed in 50.27, Ryosuke Irie touched tied for 9th with a 50.73, and junior world record holder Kliment Kolesnikov took 11th with a 50.76.

Women’s 400 IM – Prelims

• WR – 4:18.94 – Mireia Belmonte – 12 AUG 17
• CR – 4:19.86 – Mireia Belmonte – 3 DEC 14
• WJ – 4:23.33 (Best Time)

1. Katinka Hosszu – HGN – 4:23.59
2. Fantine Lesaffre – FRA – 4:27.74
3. Lara Grangeon – FRA – 4:27.91
4. Ilaria Cusinato – ITA – 4:28.02
5. Melanie Margalis – USA – 4:29.14
6. Catalina Corro – ESP – 4:31.02
7. Sakiko Shimizu – JPN – 4:31.12
8. Miho Takahashi – JPN – 4:31.13

The Iron Lady Katinka Hosszu opened up her Worlds campaign by taking the top time in prelims by over four seconds. She’s still five seconds off of the world record, but we’ve seen Hosszu drop that kind of time before from prelims to finals.

A pair of French swimmers, Fantine Lesaffre and Lara Grangeon, were the only other two women under 4:28 this morning, touching in 4:27.74 and 4:27.91, respectively.

Ilaria Cusinato was in the lead halfway through heat two, the same heat as the two French women, and while she couldn’t hold them off, her time of 4:28.02 was good enough for the 4th-fastest time of the morning. Catalina Corro also qualified out of that heat, touching in 4:31.02.

Three more women made it out of the final heat, led by Melanie Margalis, who touched 2nd in that heat with at time of 4:29.14, while Japanese teammates Sakiko Shimizu and Miho Takahashi paced each other for the final two spots, touching right next to each other with times of 4:31.12 and 4:31.13.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke – Prelims

• WR – 55.61 – Cameron van der Burgh – 15 NOV 09
• CR – Felipe Franca de Silva – 4 DEC 14
• WJ – 57.27 – Nicolo Martinenghi – 16 DEC 17

1. Ilya Shymanovich – BLR – 56.47
2. Fabio Scozzoli – ITA – 56.94
3. Andrew Wilson – USA – 57.01
4. Wang Lizhuo – CHN – 57.03
5. Felipe Lima – BRA – 57.14
6. Yashuhurio Koseki – JPN – 57.15
7. Kirill Prigoda – RUS – 57.17
8. Nicolo Martinenghi – ITA – 57.27
9. Cameron van der Burgh – RSA,- 57.39
10. Arno Kamminga – NED – 57.41
11. Watanbe Hayato – JPN – 57.53
12. Anton McKee – ISL/ Fabian Schwingenschlogl, GER – 57.57
13. (tie)
14. Marco Koch – GER – 57.60
15. Joao Gomes – BRA – 57.62
16. Michael Andrew – USA – 57.63

Ilya Shymanovich followed up some success on the World Cup circuit with the top seed this morning, touching in 56.47, almost a half second faster than anyone else. Fabio Scozzoli was the only other man under 57, touching in 56.94.

It was quite bunched up after those two, with the rest of the top eight finishing within 0.26s of each other. Leading that group was Andrew Wilson, just over the 57 mark at 57.01, followed closely by Wang Lizhuo in 57.03. Felipe Lima, Yashuhurio Koseki and Kirill Prigoda were also closely bunched, finishing in 57.14,  57.15 and 57.17 respectively, with world junior record holder Nicolo Martinenghi rounding out the top eight in 57.27.

World record holder Cameron van der Burgh made the semis with a 57.39, good for 9th.

Women’s 100 Backstroke – Prelims

• WR – 55.03 – Katinka Hosszu – 4 DEC 14
• CR – 55.03 – Katinka Hosszu – 4 DEC 14
• WJ – 55.99 (Best Time)

1. Olivia Smoliga – USA – 55.47
2. Emily Seebohm – AUS – 57.08
3. Katinka Hosszu – HUN – 57.09
4. Simona Kubova – CZE – 57.13
5. Kathleen Baker – USA – 57.16
6. Minna Atherton – AUS – 57.17
7. Michelle Coleman – SWE – 57.21
8. Georgia Davies – GBR – 57.24
9. Akase Sayaka – JPN – 57.36
10. Moronuki Emi – JPN – 57.42
11. Fu Yuanhui – CHN – 57.66
12. Alicja Tchorz – POL – 57.78
13. Anastasiia Fesikova – RUS – 57.85
14. Mimosa Jallow – FIN – 57.93
15. Margherita Panziera – ITA – 58.14
16. Mathilde Cini – FRA – 58.16

Olivia Smoliga put up a statement swim, as she appeared to stay close tot he world record line throughout the race, ultimately touching less than a half second short of that mark, and setting an American record, in a 55.57.

Tonight and tomorrow she’ll have to fend off a strong field that’ll include Emily Seebohm, world record holder Katinka Hosszu, and long  course world record holder Kathleen Baker.

Men’s 200 IM – Prelims

• WR – 1:49.63 – Ryan Lochte – 14 DEC 12
• CR – 1:49.63 – Ryan Lochte – 14 DEC 12
• WJ – 1:52.48 (Best Time)

1. Wang Shun – CHN – 1:53.18
2. Caio Pumputis – BRA – 1:53.33
3. Josh Prenot – USA – 1:53.44
4. Fujimori Hiromasa – JPN – 1:53.48
5. Leonardo Coehlo – BRA – 1:53.53
6. Jan Switkowski – POL – 1:53.60
7. Kliment Kolesnikov – RUS – 1:53.63
8. Mitch Larkin – AUS – 1:53.69

Wang Shun went out with the fastest fly split in the field, and hung on to win heat 5 and put up the fastest time of the morning with a 1:53.18.

It was a three man race in heat 4, with Caio Pumputis taking it with a 1:53.33, followed closely by Josh Prenot (1:53.44) and Fujimori Hiromasa (1:53.53).

The next four-fastest finishers touched within 0.16s of each other. Leonardo Coehlo won the 3rd heat with a 1:53.53, while Jan Switkowski won heat two with a 1:53.60. A pair of backstroke stars, Kliment Kolesnikov and Mitch Larkin, took the final two spots with times of 1:53.63 and 1:53.69.

Women’s 4×100 Free – Prelims

• WR – 3:26.53 – Netherlands – 5 DEC 14
• CR – 3:26.53 – Netherlands – 5 DEC 14
• WJ – 3:32.63 (Best Time)

1. USA – 3:29.52
2. Netherlands – 3:32.67
3. Russia – 3:33.33
4. China – 3:33.42
5. Japan – 3:33.99
6. Germany – 3:34.31
7. Hong Kong, China – 3:41.08
8. Turkey – 3:41.86

With eight of eleven teams advances to finals, there wasn’t. ton of incentive for the top teams to push it too hard, but we still got some big swims.

Team USA took the top seed by over three seconds, as the team of Lia Neal, Veronica Burchill, Erika Brown, and Kelsi Dahlia combined for a time of 3:29.52. Dahlia anchored in 51.25, the fastest time in the field by well over a second.

Netherlands put up the 2nd fastest time, thanks in part to a 52.46 by the legendary Ranomi Kromowidjojo.

Men’s 4×100 Free – Prelims

• WR – 3:03.30 – USA – 19 DEC 09
• CR – 3:03.78 – France – 3 DEC 14
• WJ – 3:12.56 (Best Time)

1. Russia – 3:05.16
2. Brazil – 3:05.70
3. USA – 3:05.72
4. Italy – 3:08.18
5. Japan – 3:08.26
6. Australia – 3:08.56
7. Belarus – 3:11.52
8. China – 3:11.97

Three teams finished under 3:06, setting up what should be a great battle tonight.

Russia led the way with a 3:05.16. All four swimmers split within a half second of each other, with Evgeny Rylov leading the way with a 46.09 leadoff.

Brazil trotted out a stronger-looking lineup, but the fastest split came not from veterans Marcelo Chierighini or Cesar Cielo, but Breno Correia, who blistered a 45.32, making him the only man who split under 46 on a non-leadoff leg, and doing so by a wide margin.

Ryan Held got the USA started with a 45.82, a new American Record, and making him the only man besides to Correia to get under 46. Held’s time set a new American Record, would’ve won the individual 100 in 2016, and been pretty much a guaranteed medal just about every year before that. Held won’t be swimming the event individually, but with the Americans able to add in Caeleb Dressel and Blake Pieroni tonight, we should be in for a great three-way race in finals.