2021 FINA WORLD CUP – BERLIN

• October 1-3, 2021
• Europasportpark Pool (SSE), Berlin, Germany
• Short course meters (25m)
• 2021 FINA World Cup Schedule
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 1 Recap
• Entries/Results

WOMEN’S 400 IM – FASTEST HEAT

WR 4:18.94 BELMONTE Mireia ESP 12 AUG 2017 Eindhoven (NED)
WC 4:18.94 BELMONTE GARCIA Mireia ESP 12 AUG 2017 Eindhoven (NED)
WJ 4:23.33 BEST TIME

GOLD – Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN), 4:31.15
SILVER – Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR), 4:34.74
BRONZE – Kristyna Horska (CZE), 4:35.47

We’re used to seeing powerhouse Katinka Hosszu of Hungary dominate the IM events across the FINA World Cup circuit but, sans the multi-Olympic medalist from 2016, it was her countrymate Zsuzsanna Jakabos‘ turn.

Touching in a time of 4:31.15, 32-year-old Jakabos won decisively, clearing the field by over 3 seconds. Runner-up status went to Israel’s teenage sensation Anastasia Gorbenko in 4:34.74 while Czech athlete Kristyna Horska rounded out the top 3 in 4:35.47.

For perspective on these times, Jakabos owns a lifetime best of 4:25.61 in this event, a result she registered to take bronze at the 2012 European Short Course Championships.

MEN’S 1500 FREE – FASTEST HEAT

WR 14:08.06 PALTRINIERI Gregorio ITA 4 DEC 2015 Netanya (ISR)
WC 14:15.49 ROMANCHUK Mykhailo UKR 22 OCT 2016 Singapore (SGP)
WJ 14:27.78 BEST TIME

GOLD – Florian Wellbrock (GER), 14:35.23
SILVER – Kirill Martynychev (RUS), 14:37.11
BRONZE – Sven Schwarz (GER), 14:45.83

The host nation went 1 & 3 in this men’s 1500m free, led by Olympic medalist Florian Wellbrock.

24-year-old Wellbrock posted a time of 14:35.23 to keep Russian Kirill Martynychev at bay, with tonight’s runner-up getting to the wall almost 2 seconds behind.

Joining Wellbrock on the podium was 19-year-old Sven Schwarz, hitting a time of 14:45.83. For Schwarz, his outing here easily overtakes his previous short course season-best, which was a mark of 14:52.63 produced just last week at the German Short Course Championships.

MEN’S 50 BACK – FINAL

WR 22.22 MANAUDOU Florent FRA 6 DEC 2014 Doha (QAT)
WC 22.61 MARSHALL Peter USA 22 NOV 2009 Singapore (SGP)
WJ 22.77 KOLESNIKOV Kliment RUS 14 DEC 2018 Hangzhou (CHN)

GOLD – Christian Diener (GER), 23.29
SILVER – Ole Braunschweig (GER), 23.62
BRONZE – Quintin McCarty (USA), 23.64

Germany’s own Christian Diener got it done for gold once again, following up his 200m back victory from last night with the 50m top prize this evening.

Diener posted a time of 23.29 in the race, setting himself apart from the field by .33. His teammate Ole Braunschweig was next in line in 23.62, just .02 ahead of USA’s Quintin McCarty and his time of 23.64.

McCarty is just 17 years of age, making his FINA World Cup Series debut here in Berlin and the Colorado kid did it in spades. He nailed a personal best and also overtook the unofficial 18&U age group record for SCM. We have the previous quickest effort on record of men’s 18&U being held by Michael Taylor in 23.84 from 2016.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE – FINAL

WR 1:50.43 SJOSTROM Sarah SWE 12 AUG 2017 Eindhoven (NED)
WC 1:50.43 SJOSTROM Sarah SWE 12 AUG 2017 Eindhoven (NED)
WJ 1:52.85 SANCHEZ Kayla Noelle CAN 16 DEC 2018 Sheffield (GBR)

GOLD – Madi Wilson (AUS), 1:54.00
SILVER – Katja Fain (SLO), 1:54.38
BRONZE – Isabel Gose (GER), 1:55.57

Although well off her own personal best of 1:52.77, Aussie Madi Wilson got the job done for gold in this women’s 200m free. in 1:54.00

Wilson already put up a career-quickest mark to capture bronze in the 50m free final last night, after having been hospitalized for COVID-19 during her last International Swimming League (ISL) match.

Slovenian Katja Fain was the other sub-1:55 swimmer of the field, capturing silver in 1:54.38 while Isabel Gose of Germany was tonight’s bronze medalist in 1:55.57. Gose was the 2019 European Junior Swimming Champion in this event.

MEN’S 200 IM – FINAL

WR 1:49.63 LOCHTE Ryan USA 14 DEC 2012 Istanbul (TUR)
WC 1:51.09 SETO Daiya JPN 29 SEP 2018 Eindhoven (NED)
WJ 1:52.48 SETO Daiya JPN 7 NOV 2012 (JPN)

GOLD – Matt Sates (RSA), 1:51.45 *WORLD JUNIOR RECORD
SILVER – Danas Rapsys (LTU), 1:54.00
BRONZE – Yakov Toumarkin (ISR), 1:54.57

There may have been world-class athletes in this race, such as Lithuanian Olympian Danas Rapsys, but the men’s 200m IM tonight was entirely the Matt Sates show.

The 18-year-old from South Africa scorched the pack en route to clocking the fastest time of his life, ultimately hitting the wall in 1:51.45.

Not only did that obliterate the 1:55.43 he logged just earlier this month at the South African Short Course Championships, but it also establishes a new World Junior Record. The previous WJR stood at 1:52.48, so Sates dropped that down by merely one second in this one swim.

Sates already did damage here yesterday, with the teen collecting 400m free silver and 100m IM gold last night. As mentioned, the South African is set to become a future Bulldog, scheduled to join the University of Georgia squad in the spring.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK – FINAL

WR 54.89 ATHERTON Minna AUS 27 OCT 2019 Budapest (HUN)
WC 55.23 SAKAI Shiho JPN 15 NOV 2009 Berlin (GER)
WJ 55.99 NIELSEN Mie NED 13 DEC 2013 (DEN)

GOLD – Louisse Hansson (SWE), 56.03
SILVER – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 56.16
BRONZE – Kylie Masse (CAN), 56.31

After yesterday’s explosive 50m back among Dutch speedster Kira Toussaint and Canadians Maggie MacNeil and Kylie Masse, some expected this same trio to take over the women’s 100m back final this evening in Berlin.

However, Louise Hansson of Sweden had other plans, with the Toronto Titan crushing a new lifetime best en route to taking gold. Hansson delivered big-time, clocking 56.03 to get to the wall ahead of MacNeil’s 56.16 and Masse’s 56.31.

Hansson already knocked down a new lifetime best this morning, producing a mark of 56.78. However, opening in 27.15 and closing in 28.88 this evening, the Swede took things to an entirely new level, registering a new Swedish national standard. The previous national record stood at the 56.57 Michelle Coleman put on the books in 2018.

MEN’S 50 BREAST – FINAL

WR 25.25 van der BURGH Cameron RSA 14 NOV 2009 Berlin (GER)
WC 25.25 van der BURGH Cameron RSA 14 NOV 2009 Berlin (GER)
WJ 26.26 BEST TIME

GOLD – Arno Kamminga (NED), 26.00
SILVER – Fabian Schwingenghlogl (GER), 26.13
BRONZE – Peter Stevens (SLO), 26.34

The top two finishers from yesterday’s 100m breast turned in the same result this evening in this 50m breast.

Dutch ace Arno Kamminga grabbed the gold here, registering a result of 26.00, while runner-up German Fabian Schwingenschlogl was right behind in 26.13. Slovenia’s Peter Stevens notched a mark of 26.34 to comfortably win bronze in the race.

Kamminga’s time was within striking distance of his own Dutch record, a mark of 25.84 he logged en route to tying Italian Fabio Scozzoli for the bronze at the 2019 European Short Course Championships. Schwingenschlogl owns a PB of 25.87 from the 2018 FINA Short Course World Championships, while Stevens’s PB is right in that range at 25.85.

WOMEN’S 50 FLY – FINAL

WR 24.38 ALSHAMMAR Therese SWE 22 NOV 2009 Singapore (SGP)
WC 24.38 ALSHAMMAR Therese SWE 22 NOV 2009 Singapore (SGP)
WJ 25.14 IKEE Rikako JPN 14 NOV 2017 Tokyo (JPN)

GOLD – Holly Barratt (AUS), 24.77
SILVER – Emma McKeon (AUS), 25.10
BRONZE – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 25.13

In a blistering 24.77, Aussie Holly Barratt pulled off the upset in this women’s 50m fly event, beating out teammate Emma McKeon and Canadian MacNeil.

34-year-old Barratt blasted the only sub-25 second time of the field, throwing down a big-time 24.77 to easily beat out the 100m fly Olympic gold medalist MacNeil and bronze medalist McKeon. Mckeon hit 25.10 for silver tonight while MacNeil registered 25.13 for bronze.

MacNeils’ time actually checks in as a new Canadian national record, overtaking Olympic medalist Penny Oleksiak’s previous mark of 25.20 from 2018.

Barratt’s time slices .03 off of her previous PB of 24.80, keeping the Aussie as the world’s 11th fastest performer in history.

MEN’S 100 FREE – FINAL

WR 44.94 LEVEAUX Amaury FRA 13 DEC 2008 Rijeka (CRO)
WC 44.95 MOROZOV Vladimir RUS 16 NOV 2018 Singapore (SGP)
WJ 46.11 KOLESNIKOV Kliment RUS 21 DEC 2018 (RUS)

GOLD – Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 45.73
SILVER – Jesse Puts (NED), 46.52
BRONZE – Blake Pieroni (USA), 46.74

The 100m freestyle Olympic champion from 2016 and silver medalist from 2020, Kyle Chalmers of Australia, won this short course edition of his pet event decisively.

Splitting 21.90/23.83, 23-year-old Chalmers posted a winning time of 45.73, the only sub-46 second result of the field. Next in line was Dutchman Jesse Puts who clocked 46.52 while American Blake Pieroni was right there in 46.74.

Chalmers has been as fast as 45.54 from 2018, so tonight’s performance was right up there in terms of his career top performances.

The same goes for Puts, with the 2016 Short Course World Champion the 50m free logging a new Dutch national record tonight. He split 22.06/24.46 to come in behind Chalmers, surpassing the previous Dutch standard of 46.76 Thom De Boer established in July of this year.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – FINAL

WR 1:02.36 MEILUTYTE Ruta LTU 12 OCT 2013 Moscow (RUS)
=WR 1:02.36 ATKINSON Alia JAM 6 DEC 2014 Doha (QAT)
=WR 1:02.36 ATKINSON Alia JAM 26 AUG 2016 Paris-Chartres (FRA)
WC 1:02.36 MEILUTYTE Ruta LTU 12 OCT 2013 Moscow (RUS)
=WC 1:02.36 ATKINSON Alia JAM 26 AUG 2016 Chartres (FRA)
WJ 1:02.36 MEILUTYTE Ruta LTU 12 OCT 2013 (RUS)

GOLD – Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR), 1:04.44
SILVER – Eneli Jefimova (EST), 1:04.95
BRONZE – Lydia Jacoby (USA), 1:05.20

Israel’s versatile Anastasia Gorbenko simply raced lights out in this women’s 100m breaststroke, firing off a time of 1:04.44 to take the World Cup Berlin title.

Opening in 30.54 and closing in 33.90, the 18-year-old soared to the wall in a time that hacked her previous national standard of 1:05.28 from 2020 to bits.

Joining her in the record-breaking party was 14-year-old Eneli Jefimova, with the Estonian firing off a huge 1:04.95 to snag silver. Jefimova’s previous own national record stood at this morning’s 1:05.18, a time which surpassed her prior mark of 1:05.62 from last December.

American Olympic gold medalist Lydia Jacoby was also on the podium tonight, with the Alaskan earning bronze in 1:05.20, a new personal best. That time also overtakes the unofficial United States women’s 18&U age record of 1:06.32 Lilly King put up in 2012.

MEN’S 200 FLY – FINAL

WR 1:48.24 SETO Daiya JPN 11 DEC 2018 Hangzhou (CHN)
WC 1:48.56 le CLOS Chad RSA 5 NOV 2013 Singapore (SGP)
WJ 1:49.89 KUAN-HUNG Wang TPE 16 NOV 2020 Budapest (HUN)

GOLD – Chad Le Clos (RSA), 1:50.32
SILVER – Tom Shields (USA), 1:50.51
BRONZE –  Hubert Kos (HUN), 1:53.97

South Africa’s Chad Le Clos exacted revenge on American Tom Shields, beating him tonight in this 200m fly after Shields came out victorious yesterday in the 100m fly sprint.

Le Clos took the gold here in 1:50.32, narrowly getting to the wall ahead of Shields’ 1:50.51. Further back was 18-year-old Hungarian Hubert Kos, who collected bronze in 1:53.97.

Le Clos remains as the World Cup Record holder in this event, having established the mark at a speedy 1:48.56 in 2013. That once was the World Record in this event before Japan’s Daiya Seto surpassed it in 1:48.24 in 2018.

MIXED 4×50 FREE RELAY – FINAL

GOLD – U.S. 1:31.50
SILVER – GER 1:32.32
BRONZE – HUN 1:33.34