2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships: Day 7 Finals Preview

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
• Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
• The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
• Meet site
• Competition Schedule
• FinaTV Live Stream
• Entry Lists
• Results

In the second to last finals session of the 2019 World Championships, the semifinals of the women’s 50 free/50 breast and men’s 50 back will be contested. The sprinting continues with new world champions to be crowned in the women’s 50 fly, men’s 50 free, and men’s 100 fly. The evening will tone down to the women’s 800 free final and conclude with the mixed 4×100 free relay final.

Day 7 Finals Events:

• Women’s 50 Fly- Final
• Men’s 50 Free- Final
• Women’s 50 Free- Semifinals
• Women’s 50 Breast- Semifinals
• Men’s 100 Fly- Final
• Men’s 50 Back- Semifinals
• Women’s 800 Free- Final
• Mixed 4×100 Free Relay- Final

The main storyline to follow are Americans Caeleb Dressel and Regan Smith and the anticipation of their follow-up finals swims after breaking world records in their respective events. Dressel made history in the 100 fly and broke Michael Phelps‘ 2009 supersuit world record. Later in the session, 17-year-old Regan Smith broke Missy Franklin‘s 2012 world record in the 200 back. With a world record under their belts, can the fastest swimmers in their respective events snag a world title?

Day 7 Finals Top Storylines to Follow:

• Caeleb Dressel will be swimming in two finals this evening, the 100 fly and 50 free. Dressel earned his first individual world record with his 49.50 semifinals time in the 100 fly. Dressel also leads the 50 free with a 21.18, just 0.03s off his American record. Tonight, Dressel could have a shot at going 2-for-2 defending world titles and breaking world records.
• 17-year-old Regan Smith, after breaking her first world record, will be gunning for her first world title in the 200 back final. Missy Franklin‘s world titles in 2011/2013 were the last American champions in this event.
• After battling illness and opting out of the 200/1500 free, Katie Ledecky will make her return in her signature race, the 800 free. Ledecky and American teammate Leah Smith both swam 8:17s in prelims and will swim side-by-side. 400 free champ Ariarne Titmus and Italian Simona Quadarella will also be challengers against the Americans.
• Swede sprint star Sarah Sjostrom has two more chances to earn an individual title at this meet. In the 50 fly final, Sjostrom is seeded first with a 24.79, eight-tenths ahead of her nearest competitor. If she wins, it will become her 3rd-consecutive event title and have the most event titles. Sjostrom will also fend to defend her 50 free world title in the semifinals alongside the Campbell sisters, Americans Abbey Weitzeil and Simone Manuel, and Olympic champions Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Pernille Blume.
• World record holder Lilly King will contest in the 50 breast semifinals. However, Italians Martina Carraro and 14-year-old Benedetta Pilato established themselves as major medal contenders in prelims. 2013 champ and former world record-holder Yulia Efimova will also swim to get a spot into the final.
• 20-year-olds Kliment Kolesnikov and Michael Andrew headline the men’s 50 back semifinals among an experienced field. With multi-time defending champ Camille Lacourt now retired, the 20-year-olds along with Jeremy Stravius, Zane Waddell, Ryan Murphy, and Xu Jiayu will all swim to claim the newly-opened title into tomorrow’s final.