2021 SC World Champs: Day 3 Heats Live Recap

2021 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, December 16th – Tuesday, December 21st
• Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
• SCM (25m)
• Prize Money
• Meet Site
• Psych Sheet
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• FINA Live Results
• Omega Live Results

This morning’s (or night, depending on where you’re located) action will include heats of the men’s 100 IM, 50 back, 50 free, and 200 breast, as well as the women’s 50 fly, 100 IM, 200 back, and the mixed 200 medley relay.

Now that we’ve had two nights of finals, there are 11 individual Gold medalists, and a few potential sweeps in the works. This morning will be the first step in Daiya Seto attempting to sweep the men’s IMs, after he won Gold in the 200 IM on day 1. Seto is in the fastest circle-seeded heat of the men’s 100 IM this morning.

Women’s 200 fly champion Zhang Yufei will be back in action in the 50 fly this morning. Yufei is known for her explosive speed going out in fly races, so it should be exciting to see how she’s able to hold up in a field that also features Sarah Sjostrom and Ranomi Kromowidjojo. Defending 100 fly Olympic Champion and LCM World Champion Maggie MacNeil is also in the mix.

After winning the men’s 100 back in an upset on day 2, Shaine Casas will be racing in the men’s 50 back. Ilya Shymanovich will also be taking his next step towards sweeping the men’s breast events, as he’s the #2 seed in the men’s 200 breast.

Louise Hansson will not be competing in the women’s 200 back after winning the 100 back on day 2. Similarly, women’s 400 IM champion Tess Cieplucha won’t be in the women’s 100 IM today.

MEN’S 100 IM – HEATS:

• World Record: 49.28 – DRESSEL Caeleb (USA) 22 NOV 2020
• Championship Record: 50.63 – KOLESNIKOV Kliment (RSF) 14 DEC 2018
• World Junior Record: 50.63 – KOLESNIKOV Kliment (RSF) 14 DEC 2018

ENTRY LISTS

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Daiya Seto (JPN) – 51.52
2. Caio Pumputis (BRA) – 51.99
3. Finlay Knox (CAN) – 52.05
4. Tomoe Hvas (NOR) – 52.48
5. Marco Orsi (ITA) – 52.53
6. Sunwoo Hwang (KOR) – 52.56
7. Yakov Toumarkin (ISR)/Kliment Kolesnikov (RSF) – 52.62
8. –
9. Leonardo Coelho (BRA) – 52.80
10. Helko Gigler (AUT) – 52.81
11. Georgios Spandoukis (GRE)/Marcin Cieslak (POL) – 52.85
12. –
13. Nic Fink (USA) – 52.87
14. Bernhard Reitshammer (AUT) – 52.91
15. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 52.96
16. Andreas Vazaios (GRE) – 52.98

Daiya Seto is one step closer to winning his 2nd event of these World Championships. The IM superstar led the prelims field by a comfortable margin of 0.47 seconds, touching just 0.23 seconds off his seed time.

Brazil’s Caio Pumputis was the only other swimmer in the field under 52 seconds this morning, turning in a 51.99 to put him in lane 4 for the 1st heat of semifinals tonight. Pumputis’ swim was a great prelims performance, coming in just 0.16 seconds off his personal best (51.83), which is also the Brazilian Record.

Canada got a great swim out of Finlay Knox, who took 3rd with a 52.05. We’ll be on record-watch for Knox tonight, as he’s nearing Javier Acevedo‘s Canadian Record of 51.76.

Top-seeded Marco Orsi finished 2 seconds off his seed time, but still managed a 5th-place showing, putting him in a middle lane for semifinals.

Greece’s Andreas Vazaios, who was looked at as a medal contender heading into the meet, narrowly made it back for the semifinals tonight, touching in 52.98. Vazaios will be swimming in an outside lane tonight as he attempts to advance to the final.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – HEATS:

• World Record: 24.38 – ALSHAMMAR Therese (SWE) 22 NOV 2009
• Championship Record: 24.47 – KROMOWIDJOJO Ranomi (NED) 14 DEC 2018
• World Junior Record: 25.14 – IKEE Rikako (JPN) 14 NOV 2017

ENTRY LISTS

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 24.92
2. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) – 24.97
3. Maaike de Waard (NED) – 25.12
4. Claire Curzan (USA) – 25.17
5. Zhang Yufei (CHN) – 25.20
6. Arina Surkova (RSF) – 25.33
7. Torri Huske (USA) – 25.43
8. Farida Osman (EGY) – 25.60
9. Silvia di Pietro (ITA) – 25.64
10. Elena di Liddo (ITA)/Holly Barratt (AUS) – 25.67
11. –
12. Sara Junevik (SWE) – 25.69
13. Emilie Beckmann (DEN) – 25.75
14. Julie Jensen (DEN) – 25.76
15. Anna Ntountounaki (GRE) – 25.81
16. Marie Wattel (FRA) – 25.82

Sarah Sjostrom led the way in these heats, as she and Ranomi Kromowidjojo were the only swimmers under 25 seconds. The Netherlands is looking to have a ferocious duo in this race, as Maaike de Waard took 3rd this morning in 25.12.

The Americans have a stellar young pair as well. Claire Curzan clocked a 25.17 to finish 4th, making her the #3 American all-time in the event. Torri Huske came in 7th with a 25.43, making her the #8 American all-time.

200 fly champion from last night, China’s Zhang Yufei, clocked a 25.20 to come in 5th, easily advancing to semifinals.

Reigning 100 fly Olympic Champion and LCM World Champion Maggie MacNeil (Canada) DNS’d (did not swim) the 50 this morning. MacNeil hasn’t done much individual racing so far at this meet. She finished 10th in prelims of the 100 back on day 1, but didn’t go on to race in the semifinals. MacNeil has been competing on Canada’s relays, however. She split 24.85 on the fly leg of the women’s 200 medley relay last night.

MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – HEATS:

• World Record: 22.22 – MANAUDOU Florent (FRA) 6 DEC 2014
• Championship Record: 22.22 – MANAUDOU Florent (FRA) 6 DEC 2014
• World Junior Record: 22.77 – KOLESNIKOV Kliment (RSF) 14 DEC 2018

ENTRY LISTS

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Kliment Kolesnikov (RSF) – 23.14
2. Gabriel Fantoni (BRA) – 23.15
3. Shaine Casas (USA) – 23.23
4. Pavel Samusenko (RSF) – 23.26
5. Christian Diener (GER) – 23.28
6. Kacper Stokowski (POL) – 23.33
7. Guilherme Guido (BRA) – 23.47
8. Lorenzo Mora (ITA)/Jan Cejka (CZE) – 23.49
9. –
10. Michele Lamberti (ITA) – 23.50
11. Mohamed Samy (EGY)/Apostolos Christou (GRE) – 23.54
12. –
13. Ole Braunschweig (GER) – 23.57
14. Robert Glinta (ROU) – 23.58
15. Simon Bucher (AUT) – 23.63
16. Alexis Santos (POR)/Tomas Franta (CZE) -23.75

First things first, we have some stuff to get straightened out. There was a tie for 16th and a tie for 18th this morning, so 2 swim-offs will be required. The first will determine whether Portugal’s Alexis Santos or Czech Republic’s Tomas Franta advances to semifinals, and the 2nd will determine whether Belarus’ Grigori Pekarski or France’s Mewen Tomac is the 2nd alternate for semifinals. The swim-offs will be conducted following the mixed medley relay this morning, and we’ll update you with the results here.

Russia had the best showing in these heats, with Kliment Kolesnikov taking 1st in 23.14, and Pavel Samusenko 4th in 23.26. Brazil wasn’t too far off, as Gabriel Fantoni clocked a 23.15 for 2nd, and Guilherme Guido took 7th in 23.47.

USA’s Shaine Casas, who won the men’s 100 back last night over Kolesnikov, was 23.23 this morning, touching 3rd.

WOMEN’S 100 IM – HEATS:

• World Record: 56.51 – HOSSZU Katinka (HUN) 7 AUG 2017
• Championship Record: 56.70 – HOSSZU Katinka (HUN) 5 DEC 2014
• World Junior Record: 57.59 – SHKURDAI Anastasiya (BLR) 22 NOV 2020

ENTRY LISTS

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 58.36
2. Maria Ugolkova (SUI) – 59.05
3. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 59.06
4. Kayla Sanchez (CAN) – 59.17
5. Diana Petkova (BUL) – 59.19
6. Mariia Kameneva (RSF) – 59.34
7. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA) – 59.38
8. Abbey Weitzeil (USA) – 59.44
9. Lena Kreundl (AUT)/Bailey Andison (CAN)/Costanza Cocconcelli (ITA) – 59.45
10. –
11. –
12. Emelie Fast (SWE) – 59.50
13. Melanie Margalis (USA) – 59.54
14. Qianting Tang (CHN) – 59.56
15. Mona McSharry (IRL)/Kim Busch (NED) – 59.65
16. –

Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko, who is fresh off an upset Gold medal performance in the women’s 50 free last night, stormed to the fastest swim of the morning in the 100 IM. Gorbenko touched in 58.36, marking the only time under 59 seconds in the field. She was also less than half a second off her personal best (57.90), which is also the Israeli Record.

Kayla Sanchez, who has already broken the 100 free Canadian Record, took 4th this morning in 59.17. Sanchez will also have the final of the 100 free tonight, so it will be interesting to see how she performs in the semifinals here. USA’s Abbey Weitzeil is in the same boat, as she’ll be racing both events tonight as well.

Ireland’s Mona McSharry, who competes collegiately for the Tennessee Volunteers, broke her own Irish Record to tie for 15th this morning. McSharry’s time of 59.65 brought the Irish Record down under 1:00 for the first time.

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – HEATS:

• World Record: 20.16 – DRESSEL Caeleb (USA) 21 NOV 2020
• Championship Record: 20.26 – MANAUDOU Florent (FRA) 5 DEC 2014
• World Junior Record: 20.98 – SIMONS Kenzo (NED) 22 DEC 2019

ENTRY LISTS

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Ben Proud (GBR) – 20.91
2. Thom de Boer (NED) – 20.94
3. Ryan Held (USA)/Josh Liendo (CAN) – 21.01
4. –
5. Lorenzo Zazzeri (ITA) – 21.08
6. Leonardo Deplano (ITA) – 21.33
7. Ian Ho (HKG) – 21.36
8. Jesse Puts (NED) – 21.39
9. Matej Pus (SVK)/Nicholas Lia (NOR)/Daniel Zaitsev (EST)/Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 21.44
10. –
11. –
12. –
13. Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) – 21.46
14. Daniil Markov (RSF) – 21.50
15. Michael Andrew (USA) – 21.52
16. Abdelrahman Sameh (EGY) – 21.53

Great Britain’s Ben Proud led the heats narrowly over Netherlands’ Thom de Boer. Ryan Held and Josh Liendo came in 3rd at 21.01, making it so that the top 4 swimmers this morning were all within 0.1 seconds of each other.

There was a rare 4-way tie for 9th this morning, between Slovakia’s Matej puts, Norway’s Nicholas Lia, Estonia’s Daniel Zaitsev, and France’s Maxime Grousset.

USA’s Michael Andrew came in 15th this morning, touching in 21.52, just 0.02 seconds off missing out on advancing.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – HEATS:

• World Record: 1:58.94 – McKEOWN Kaylee (AUS) 28 NOV 2020
• Championship Record: 1:59.23 – HOSSZU Katinka (HUN) 5 DEC 2014
• World Junior Record: 2:00.03 – FRANKLIN Missy (USA) 22 OCT 2011

ENTRY LISTS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Isabelle Stadden (USA) – 2:03.26
2. Rhyan White (USA) – 2:04.08
3. Margherita Panziera (ITA) – 2:04.58
4. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 2:04.79
5. Anastasiya Shkurdai (BLR) – 2:04.98
6. Xuwei Peng (CHN) – 2:05.12
7. Kira Toussaint (NED) – 2:05.27
8. Daryna Zevina (UKR) – 2:05.36

USA went 1-2 this morning, with Isabelle Stadden handily taking the top spot, and Olympian Rhyan White touching 2nd. Stadden used a strong back half 1:02.61, featuring a huge final 50 of 30.87, to pull away from her heat, clocking a 2:03.26.

White, on the other hand, was out the fastest of anyone this morning, splitting a 1:00.12 on the opening 100, and coming home in 1:03.96.

30-year-old Ekaterina Avramova out of Turkey narrowly missed out on advancing, finishing 9th with a 2:06.00.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – HEATS:

• World Record: 2:00.16 – PRIGODA Kirill (RSF) 13 DEC 2018
• Championship Record: 2:00.16 – PRIGODA Kirill (RSF) 13 DEC 2018
• World Junior Record: 2:03.23 – YAMAGUCHI Akihiro (JPN) 14 DEC 2012

ENTRY LISTS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Arno Kamminga (NED) – 2:03.17
2. Erik Persson (SWE) – 2:03.24
3. Mikhail Dorinov (RSF) – 2:03.87
4. Will Licon (USA) – 2:04.06
5. Marco Koch (GER) – 2:04.47
6. Caio Pumputis (BRA) – 2:04.61
7. Nic Fink (USA) – 2:04.72
8. Haiyang Qin (CHN) – 2:04.83

Let’s start with who didn’t make it: #2 seed Ilya Shymanovich has been relegated to alternate status after finishing 10th this morning with a 2:04.99. The swim was somewhat shocking since Shymanovich won the 100 breast last night in a new Championship Record.

Arno Kamminga led the way in these heats, clocking a 2:03.17 to edge out Sweden’s Erik Persson (2:03.24).

The USA was the only country to pick up two finals spots, with both Will Licon and Nic Fink advancing. Licon took the race out the fastest of anyone, swimming a 59.60 on the opening 100. He would go on to clock a 2:04.06 for 4th. Fink, the Bronze medalist in the 100 breast last night, swam a 2:04.72 for 7th. For Fink, it was his 2nd race of the session, as he already qualified for semifinals of the 100 IM.

Similarly, Brazil’s Caio Pumputis made this final after qualifying for semis of the 100 IM.

MIXED 4×50 MEDLEY RELAY – HEATS:

• World Record: 1:36.18 – Netherlands – 7 NOV 2021
• Championship Record: 1:36.40 – United States – 13 DEC 2018

ENTRY LISTS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. United States – 1:37.74
2. Russian Swimming Federation – 1:37.99
3. Netherlands – 1:38.38
4. Italy – 1:39.05
5. France – 1:39.28
6. Greece – 1:40.28
7. Finland – 1:40.30
8. Belarus – 1:41.02

The USA grabbed the top spot for tonight’s final with a 1:37.74. Shaine Casas (23.15), Nic Fink (25.70), Kate Douglass (24.60), and Kathleen Berkoff (24.29) teamed up to give the Americans lane 4 tonight. The men will likely stay the same on tonight’s relay, but it seems probably at least Berkoff will be replaced on the anchor. Douglass could remain on the fly split, but it’s also possible Claire Curzan or Torri Huske replace her.

Fink’s 25.70 split was the 2nd-fastest breast split in the field, which is impressive, given it was his 3rd race of the session, and it came very shortly after the 200 breast. It was Turkey’s Huseyin Sakci who posted the fastest breast split in the field: a blistering 25.23, although, Turkey squad didn’t make it to finals.