2022 FINA World Cup – Indianapolis: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2022 FINA WORLD CUP – INDIANAPOLIS

DAY ONE FINALS HEAT SHEET

Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh are among the big-name swimmers back in action during the first evening session of the final World Cup stop in Indianapolis.

After rallying past Ledecky last weekend in the women’s 400 free, McIntosh is opting to swim the 200 fly instead this weekend. Ledecky’s 400 free competition this week is a trio of teenagers from Sandpipers of Nevada (Bella Sims, Claire Weinstein, and Katie Grimes).

Seven swimmers will be seeking to clinch Triple Crowns with victories on Thursday night: Dylan Carter in the men’s 50 free, Kasia Wasick in the women’s 50 free, Chad le Clos in the men’s 100 fly, Beryl Gastaldello in the women’s 100 IM, Nic Fink in the men’s 100 breast, Shaine Casas in the men’s 200 back, and Matt Sates in the men’s 400 free. Eleven swimmers in total are looking to secure a Triple Crown this weekend — and the $10,000 bonus that comes along with it.

Carter is tied with Fink atop the series standings on the men’s side while Beata Nelson leads Siobhan Haughey on the women’s side.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE – FINAL

  • World Record: 3:51.30, Li Bingjie (CHN) – 2022
  • World Junior Record: 3:53.97, Wang Jianjiahe (CHN) – 2018
  • World Cup Record: 3:52.80, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2022

Podium:

  1. Katie Ledecky (CLB) – 3:54.04
  2. Bella Sims (CLB) – 3:58.85
  3. Erin Gemmell (USA) – 4:00.45

Bella Sims shot off the blocks fast, leading the race until the 100-meter mark, when Katie Ledecky began to take over. Ledecky pulled away from her Worlds relay teammate during the back half of the race en route to the win in 3:54.04. She was slightly slower than the 3:52.88 she swam last weekend in Toronto with Summer McIntosh pushing her every step of the way.

With Siobhan Haughey winning this event during the opening stop of this year’s World Cup series, there has now been a different champion at all three meets.

Afterward, Ledecky said she’s been enjoying learning about short-course race strategy this fall. This is just her fourth career short-course meet in her career.

“It’s fun,” Ledecky said. “It’s a different challenge just getting used to the turns and the different race strategies. I’m learning a lot and having fun with it.”

In the post-race interview, Sims talked about her strategy of going out fast instead of trying to build her pace throughout the race.

“I always try to go out in my fast just to get somewhere and try to hold it,” the 17-year-old Sandpipers of Nevada swimmer said. “I’m not very good at building so it works for me.”

MEN’S 400 FREE – FINAL

  • World Record: 3:32.25, Yannick Agnel (FRA) – 2012
  • World Junior Record: 3:37.92, Matt Sates (RSA) – 2021
  • World Cup Record: 3:32.77, Paul Biedermann (GER) – 2009

Podium:

  1. Kieran Smith (USA) – 3:35.99
  2. Danas Rapsys (LTU) – 3:37.50
  3. Jake Magahey (CLB) – 3:38.02

Kieran Smith picked up his first career World Cup victory in the 400 free after earning four medals — two silver and two bronze — across the first two stops of the series.

The 22-year-old Smith clocked a 3:35.99, more than a second faster than his previous best from Berlin.

“I’ve been chasing a win for the past three weeks,” Smith said. “It was really important to get it done here on home soil in Indy. It’s one of my favorite pools. I executed the best of the three weeks so far.”

“This puts me in a really good spot for Australia in six weeks,” he added. “So I’m really excited to swim it at short-course Worlds too.”

Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys edged University of Georgia junior Jake Magahey by half a second in the battle for second place.

WOMEN’S 50 BACK – FINAL

  • World Record: 25.27, Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 2021
  • World Junior Record: 26.13, Olivia Smoliga (USA) – 2012
  • World Cup Record: 25.81, Kira Toussaint (NED) – 2021

Podium:

  1. Kylie Masse (CAN) – 25.96
  2. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) – 26.25
  3. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 26.35

Canada’s Kylie Masse collected her second gold medal of this year’s World Cup series after also winning the 50 back in Berlin. Masse touched in 25.96, a few tenths off her personal best of 25.62 from last year’s Short Course World Championships. It’s her seventh medal in total from this year’s World Cup series.

Fellow Canadian Ingrid Wilm took silver in 26.25 while Sweden’s Louise Hansson edged Kira Toussaint by .02 seconds for the final spot on the podium.

MEN’S 200 BACK – FINAL

  • World Record: 1:45.63, Mitch Larkin (AUS) – 2015
  • World Junior Record: 1:48.02, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 2017
  • World Cup Record: 1:46.11, Arkady Vyatchanin (RUS) – 2009

Podium:

  1. Shaine Casas (USA) – 1:48.40
  2. Javier Acevedo (CAN) – 1:49.74
  3. Ryan Murphy (CLB) – 1:50.56

Shaine Casas became the first Triple Crown champion on this year’s World Cup series while also setting a new personal best with a time of 1:48.40. Still, he didn’t seem entirely satisfied after seeing his result.

“Pretty solid race, I thought I was a little faster, but I’ll take it,” said Casas, whose mood brightened when presented with the $10,000 bonus check. “Can’t be mad about that.”

Casas is taking on a double tonight with the 100 IM at the end of the session.

Silver medalist Javier Acevedo also turned in a personal-best performance, dipping under 1:50 for the first time with a 1:49.74 that also marks a new Canadian record. Ryan Murphy rounded out the podium with a time of 1:50.56, picking up his first career World Cup medal at 27 years old.

WOMEN’S 200 FLY – FINAL

  • World Record: 1:59.61, Mireia Belmonte (ESP) – 2014
  • World Junior Record: 2:02.96, Suzuka Hasegawa (JPN) – 2017
  • World Cup Record: 2:00.78, Liu Zige (CHN) – 2009

Podium:

  1. Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2:03.40
  2. Katie Grimes (CLB) – 2:04.16
  3. Alex Shackell (CLB) – 2:05.18

Summer McIntosh shaved more than three seconds off her lifetime best on her way to the 200 fly victory in 2:03.40. She held off fellow 16-year-old Katie Grimes, who took silver with a time of 2:04.16.

“Last week I did some new events, and I wanted to do more different ones for me this weekend,” said McIntosh, whose previous-best 200 fly time was a 2:06.61 from last August. “I’m doing some sprint events and also doing some longer events. I’m looking forward to the rest of my races and getting more experience and learning new things.”

Only about 20 minutes away from home, Alex Shackell rounded out the podium with a bronze medal in 2:05.18.

MEN’S 100 FLY – FINAL

  • World Record: 47.78, Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 2020
  • World Junior Record: 49.53, Li Zhuhao (CHN) – 2017
  • World Cup Record: 48.48, Evgenii Korotyshkin (RUS) – 2009

Podium:

  1. Chad le Clos (RSA) – 48.85
  2. Ilya Kharun (CAN) – 49.93
  3. Marius Kusch (GER) – 49.97

South Africa’s Chad le Clos became the second Triple Crown winner of the night with his 100 fly triumph in 48.85. He was slightly faster than his performance from Toronto and slightly slower than the 48.58 he posted in Berlin.

17-year-old Ilya Kharun became the first Canadian to break 50 seconds, taking down Joshua Liendo‘s previous national record of 50.00 from last year. Germany’s Marius Kusch also went sub-50 to snag the final spot on the podium.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST – FINAL

  • World Record: 2:14.57, Rebecca Soni (USA) – 2009
  • World Junior Record: 2:16.88, Evgeniia Chikunova (RUS) – 2021
  • World Cup Record: 2:15.42, Leisel Jones (AUS) – 2009

Podium:

  1. Lilly King (CLB) – 2:17.56
  2. Sydney Pickrem (CAN) – 2:19.77
  3. Kelsey Lauren Wog (CAN) – 2:20.59

Lilly King triumphed in this event for the second World Series stop in a row, going almost a second faster than her winning time from Toronto last weekend.

“That’s pretty much always the strategy: just get ahead and stay ahead,” said King, who was two seconds slower than her personal best from 2020. “I usually swim a lot faster when I just go for it the first 100, and that’s what I tried to do today.”

Canada’s Sydney Pickrem clocked a 2:19.77 to claim silver while racing with her mother in the crowd for the first time in a few years. Fellow Canadian Kelsey Lauren Wog took bronze in 2:20.59.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINAL

  • World Record: 55.28, Ilya Shymanovich (BLR) – 2021
  • World Junior Record: 56.66, Simone Cerasuolo (ITA) – 2021
  • World Cup Record: 55.61, Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) – 2009

Podium:

  1. Nic Fink (USA) – 56.15
  2. Yoshiki Yamanaka (JPN) – 56.82
  3. Reece Whitley (CLB) – 57.14

Breaststroke specialist Nic Fink began his quest to win Triple Crowns in all three distances with a victory in the 100 breast. He was slightly off his American Record of 55.56 from last December as he became the third Triple Crown champion of the evening.

Japan’s Yoshiki Yamanaka (56.82) held off 22-year-old American Reece Whitley for the silver medal.

WOMEN’S 50 FREE – FINAL

Podium:

  1. Katarzyna Wasick (POL) – 23.10
  2. Abbey Weitzeil (CLB) – 23.62
  3. Madison Wilson (AUS) – 23.73

Katarzyna “Kasia” Wasick just keeps improving at 30 years old. The top qualifier secured the 50 free Triple Crown with a first-place finish in a time of 23.10, which marks a new Polish record.

Wasick is now just .17 seconds off the world record held by Ranomi Kromowidjojo. The swim makes Wasick the third-fastest performer of all time behind Sarah Sjostrom and Kromowidjojo. Wasick is also now the top performer in the world this season by .63 seconds.

“I’m very happy,” Wasick said after the victory. “I mean, I surprised myself today. I looked at the clock and I was like, ‘Woah!’ I keep improving, and this is really important. I’m really happy, my family’s over there and they’re cheering hard. It was a lot of fun. I would love to come back next year.”

Abbey Weitzeil (23.62) out-touched Madison Wilson (23.73) by less than a tenth of a second for second place. It was a new personal best for Wilson, who was .16 seconds faster than last weekend in Toronto.

MEN’S 50 FREE – FINAL

  • World Record: 20.16, Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 2020
  • World Junior Record: 20.98, Kenzo Simons (NED) – 2019
  • World Cup Record: 20.48, Vladimir Morozov (RUS) – 2018

Podium:

  1. Dylan Carter (TTO) – 20.72
  2. Kyle Chalmers (AUS) – 20.81
  3. Justin Ress (CLB) – 21.23

Dylan Carter made it three Triple Crown winners in a row with his victory in the 50 free. Kyle Chalmers made Carter work for his $10,000 check, challenging just less than a tenth of a second behind Carter’s 20.72.

“It was a super close one,” Carter said. “I felt Kyle right here on my right side. I just knew I had to get my hand to the wall. But it was really fun racing these guys.

Carter and Chalmers were the only two swimmers who went sub-21 in the final as Justin Ress rounded out the podium with a 21.23 to claim bronze.

Carter is also seeking Triple Crowns in the 50 back and 50 fly later this weekend, which he said he’s not nervous about.

“No pressure,” Carter said with a smile. “Ice in the veins.”

WOMEN’S 100 IM – FINAL

  • World Record: 56.51, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2017
  • World Junior Record: 57.59, Anastasiya Shkurdai (BLR) – 2020
  • World Cup Record: 56.51, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2017

Podium:

  1. Beata Nelson (CLB) – 57.81
  2. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA) – 57.82
  3. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 58.12

Beata Nelson picked up her seventh gold medal of this year’s World Cup series with a slim .01-second victory over France’s Beryl Gastaldello, who came crushingly close to the $10,000 Triple Crown bonus.

The 100 IM was the lone event that Nelson had not won on the series, taking silver behind Gastaldello in Berlin and Toronto. Nelson was .01 seconds faster tonight than she was in Berlin.

“My mom’s in the stands,” Nelson said afterward. “Fun environment. Always a great race, always comes down to the finish, excited I could get the win. Great swim.”

Sweden’s Louise Hansson took bronze in 58.12, her second medal of the night after also taking bronze in the 50 back.

MEN’S 100 IM – FINAL

  • World Record: 49.28, Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 2020
  • World Junior Record: 50.63, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 2018
  • World Cup Record: 50.26, Vladimir Morozov (RUS) – 2018

Podium:

  1. Shaine Casas (USA) – 51.04
  2. Michael Andrew (CLB) – 51.22
  3. Javier Acevedo (CAN) – 51.38

The last race of the evening did not disappoint as Shaine Casas (51.04) outdueled Michael Andrew (51.22) on the back end of his 200 back/100 IM double.

“I love racing this guy (Andrew), he’s always out so fast,” said Casas, who was only .01 seconds off his best time. “Really fun night for me, just going to keep building from this.”

Andrew saw the race as a solid tune-up in preparation for the Short Course World Championships next month in Melbourne.

“Felt really good out there,” Andrew said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been short-course meters, but it’s a good tune-up. We have Australia coming up quickly.”

Bronze medalist Javier Acevedo dedicated his performance to Luca Urlando, who appeared to suffer an injury during prelims of the 100 IM this morning. Acevedo’s personal-best time of 51.38 marked his second Canadian record of the night.

“That one’s for Luca,” said Acevedo, who was also coming off of a 200 back double. “I feel bad for him. Praying for his return.”

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Mike Denes
1 year ago

Where does Kasia Wasick train?

Admin
Reply to  Mike Denes
1 year ago

UNLV.

Mike Denes
Reply to  Braden Keith
1 year ago

And this has no affiliation with the highly successful swim club Sandpipers of Nevada, correct?

Bud
1 year ago

Why are some Americans listed under USA and some under CLB(and what does CLB mean? Club?)

Last edited 1 year ago by Bud
Troyy
Reply to  Bud
1 year ago

Entered as their club rather than national team.

Bud
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

Yeah obviously but why? Thought this was an international event

Israel Nwanne
Reply to  Bud
1 year ago

Are all those competing for the Club Americans because it will help to determine the medals tally at the end of the competition?

Admin
Reply to  Israel Nwanne
1 year ago

No, some, like Alexa Reyna, are not.

Don’t usually see medals tables by nation at World Cup meets, though it could definitely be done!

Chris
Reply to  Bud
1 year ago

yea… weird

samuli
1 year ago

Is Wasick still training in UNLV?

Eli
1 year ago

Sims looked like she had Ledecky until the first 100.

Troyy
1 year ago

Oooh, the Daily Mail are attempting to resurrect the Simpson vs Chalmers drama.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11387991/How-Cody-Simpson-won-bragging-rights-pool-love-triangle-rival-Kyle-Chalmers.html

Simpson got nominated for GQ Sportsman of the Year award ahead of every other male Australia swimmer ha ha ha

jasmin
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

This is joke.

JimmySwim
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

LOL. What are the criteria?

The irony that that article quotes Kyle saying how damaging the speculation was and then continues to wildly speculate.

Aussie media is such trash.

jeff
1 year ago

Obv McIntosh is very fast but I’m also impressed with how Grimes continues to put up a challenge

anon
1 year ago

Hot take but the only way swimming grows as a sport is with a unified in-season and championship time-based format. In-season head-to-head success is paired with championship top times to award a monetary / place system.

The paid format for ISL and World Cup is great in theory but when times are overall slower it just leads to debates about who is rested and puts pressure on athletes to disrupt schedules.

If every athlete had a unified system that awarded points for in-season results and points for world leading times that would be amazing. It’s way easier said than done but swimming needs some type of seasonal championship format that’s monetized and actually rewards the years best swimmers.

As a… Read more »

JimmySwim
Reply to  anon
1 year ago

Swimming has always been an event-based sport. 95%+ people in the world wouldn’t care about anything except an Olympic medal or a world record.

I think it’s great that World Cups and ISL give swimmers an opportunity to compete more. But ultimately, it’s about who wins on the big stage. Participation in smaller events is obviously voluntary and always going to be less than on the world stage.

With a system you’re proposing, someone could win multiple gold medals at the Olympics breaking multiple world records but then not be considered the “world’s best”. It just doesn’t make sense.

anon
Reply to  JimmySwim
1 year ago

What I’m proposing would weight those gold medals and world records highly.

All I’m saying is that casual fans want to understand stakes. And if it’s possible having all top world swimmers on similar taper schedules showing up to similar meets that would be amazing! It’d be easier to understand and to watch.

They don’t even have to be at the same meet but let’s say meets have tiers and time standards have tiers. I would know that x time at x meet is worth or whatever.

I have almost no interest in a World cup meet because it ultimately means nothing unless a great time is dropped. Then I’ll go watch the race on replay. Even ISL meets don’t… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by anon
Joel
Reply to  anon
1 year ago

I’m loving the World Cup meets. I don’t really care about the duel meet much this weekend. Yards aren’t exciting cause I still don’t understand the times. Just a different perspective. Didn’t they also say on the breakdown that they aren’t sure who will actually swim the Duel this week?

anon
Reply to  Joel
1 year ago

you’re also hardcore swimming fan. what is there to excite anyone else?

Most of the best swimmers who qualified aren’t there. IDK who is rested or who is on what schedule. I’m more of a swimming fan than most and won’t be watching. if someone broke a world record I’ll see it on this site the next day.

What is compelling about the world cup in any way for people who don’t follow every athlete in swimming?

I’ve gotten friends with no swimming understanding or experience to lose their mind at duel meets.

Unknown Swammer
Reply to  anon
1 year ago

I think the big key here is what sponsorships reward too. Currently – it seems they’re way more skewed toward Olympic and secondarily LC World’s success. Throw enough prize money at the world cups/ISL and you more pro swimmers would start prioritizing those as well, but with such a global sport, it’s very tough to get people to disregard their national championships, continent championships for a world cup meet that requires a ton of travel/disruption.

anon
Reply to  Unknown Swammer
1 year ago

that’s fair, there’s not really much of an answer that makes sense.

I just got frustrated with ISL thinking that you solve the problem with made-up teams and a light show.

Both of those things are in the duel meet spirit but they aren’t what make duel meets work. What makes duel meets work is having the fastest people all show up and all race on similar if not the same rest schedule.

Anytime there is a different monetary benefit between sponsorships / series / etc you’ll get what we have: a lack of the best athletes racing each other on the same timelines.

how does a sport grow if the only meet that makes sense to a casual fan… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by anon
Crannman
1 year ago

Is Michael Andrew swimming the 100m IM at Worlds?

JimmySwim
Reply to  Crannman
1 year ago

I don’t believe they’ve selected swimmers for 100IM yet, but if he has a top 2 US time then presumably he would.

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

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