2022 Short Course World Championships: Day 5 Prelims Live Recap

2022 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, December 13 to Sunday, December 18, 2022
• Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre, Melbourne, Australia
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Day 5 Prelims Heat Sheets

Women’s 4×50 Medley Relay Lineups

Men’s 4×50m Medley Relay Lineups

Day five of the 2022 Short Course World Championships features prelims of the 4×50 medley relays, 400 IM, 100 butterfly, and 50 breaststroke.

In the first women’s 4×50 medley relay heat, a showdown is brewing between the American quartet of Alex Walsh, Annie Lazor, Erika Brown and Natalie Hinds and the Australian team of Kaylee McKeown, Jenna Strauch, Emma McKeon, and Madison Wilson.

World record holder Daiya Seto is looking to make it six straight short-course world titles in the 400 IM with a win tonight.

Top-seeded Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte will be aiming to bounce back in the 50 breast today after getting disqualified from Thursday’s 100 breast final for a double dolphin kick off her start.

Stay tuned for live updates below:

WOMEN’S 4×50 MEDLEY RELAY

• World Record: 1:42.38 – United States, 2018/Sweden, 2021
• Championship Record: 1:42.38 – United States, 2018/Sweden, 2021
• 2021 Champion: 1:42.38 – Sweden

Top 8:

1. Australia – 1:44.78
2. Sweden – 1:44.83
3. France – 1:44.86
4. Japan – 1:45.41
5. Netherlands – 1:46.06
6. Canada – 1:46.16
7. United States – 1:46.58
8. Czech Republic – 1:46.73

Star-studded Australia (1:44.78), defending champ Sweden (1:44.83), and dark horse France (1:44.86) led the way during the two morning heats as the only three teams under 1:45.

Australia’s Kaylee McKeown had the fastest leadoff on the backstroke leg with a split of 26.42, just ahead of Sweden’s Hanna Rosvall. Japan’s Reona Aoki (29.38) had the quickest breaststroke split, Sweden’s Sara Junevik (Sarah Sjostrom‘s replacement) had the fastest butterfly split at 24.42, and Australia’s Madison Wilson blazed the quickest anchor leg with a split of 23.36.

The U.S. women suffered a bit of a scare when Alex Walsh slipped on her backstroke start and put them in an early hole, but they rallied just enough to sneak into tonight’s final as the No. 7 seed. Walsh split 27.18 on the opener, Annie Lazor clocked a 30.14 on the breaststroke leg, Erika Brown posted a 25.17  butterfly, and Natalie Hinds brought them home with a 24.09 freestyle anchor.

MEN’S 4×50 MEDLEY RELAY

• World Record: 1:30.14 – Italy, 2021
• Championship Record: 1:30.51 – Brazil, 2014/RSF, 2021
• 2021 Champion: 1:30.51 – RSF

Top 8:

1. Italy – 1:32.31
2. France – 1:32.53
3. Germany – 1:32.56
4. Japan – 1:32.65
5. United States – 1:32.67
6. Netherlands – 1:33.20
7. Australia – 1:33.25
8. China – 1:34.25

Tonight’s final should be a thriller as five teams were separated by just a few tenths of a second during the men’s 4×50 medley relay heats.

Thomas Ceccon was the difference-maker for top-seeded Italy, posting the only sub-22 fly split in the field (21.80) to help his nation hold off France and Italy. France’s Florent Manaudou (20.73) edged Italy’s Alessandro Miressi (20.84) on the freestyle anchor, but Ceccon’s big split on the previous leg gave Italy enough of a cushion to pull out the victory in prelims.

The American quartet of Hunter Armstrong (23.34), Nic Fink (25.60), Trenton Julian (22.39), Kieran Smith (21.34) qualified fifth in a combined time of 1:32.67, just two one-hundredths of a second behind fourth-seeded Japan (1:32.65).

Australia’s Isaac Cooper threw down the fastest backstroke leadoff in the field with a 22.95, the only sub-23 split in the field. Cooper’s swim is just off his world junior record from earlier this week.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – Prelims

• World Record: 4:18.94 – Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 2017
• World Junior Record: 4:21.49, Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2022
• Championship Record: 4:19.86, Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 2014
• 2021 Champion: 4:25.55, Tessa Ciepulcha (CAN)

Top 8:

1. Leah Smith (USA) – 4:30.93
2. Sara Franceschi (ITA) – 4:31.01
3. Waka Kobori (JPN) – 4:31.19
4. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN) – 4:31.36
5. Hali Flickinger (USA) – 4:31.61
6. Ilaria Cusinato (ITA) – 4:32.94
7. Tessa Cieplucha (CAN) – 4:33.58
8. Cyrielle Duhamel (FRA) – 4:34.03

Leah Smith shaved nearly two seconds off her lifetime best from the 2018 FINA World Cup (4:32.84) to secure the top seed in the women’s 400 IM prelims. The 27-year-old American clocked a 4:30.93, less than a tenth of a second ahead of Italy’s Sara Franceschi (4:31.01).

Both Franceschi and No. 3 seed Waka Kobori of Japan were less than a second off their personal bests this morning. No. 4 seed Zsuzsanna Jakabos of Hungary and 28-year-old American Hali Flickinger could be saving some extra energy in the tank for tonight as their personal bests are both in the 4:25-range. Tonight’s final could be a tight five-way battle.

Notably absent from the race was Canada’s Sydney Pickrem. Many expected her to no-show given her recent trend in the event, but it’s still somewhat surprising considering she held the second-fastest entry time in the field.

MEN’S 400 IM – Prelims

• World Record: 3:54.81 – Daiya Seto (JPN), 2019
• World Junior Record: 3:56.47, Ilya Borodin (RSF), 2021
• Championship Record: 3:55.50, Ryan Lochte (USA), 2010
• 2021 Champion: 3:56.26, Daiya Seto (JPN)

Top 8:

1. Daiya Seto (JPN) – 4:00.35
2. Carson Foster (USA) – 4:01.34
3. Matthew Sates (RSA) – 4:02.18
4. Jake Foster (USA) – 4:02.64
5. David Schlicht (AUS) – 4:02.85
6. So Ogata (JPN) – 4:03.29
7. Alberto Razetti (ITA) – 4:04.32
8. Richard Nagy (SVK) – 4:06.26

Daiya Seto‘s quest for six consecutive SCM world titles in this event got started on a good note as the 28-year-old led the heats with a 4:00.35. As the owner of the world record (3:54.81), though, he can go a lot faster.

Carson Foster finished less than a second behind Seto, also well off his personal best of 3:57.99 from last year’s Short Course Worlds.

Matthew Sates qualified third, just a couple tenths off his personal best of 4:01.98 from the 2021 FINA World Cup. Carson’s older brother, Jake, claimed the fourth seed behind Sates with a huge swim of 4:02.64. Australia’s David Schlicht was the only other swimmer sub-4:03 in the heats.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – Prelims

• World Record: 54.59, Kelsi Dahlia (USA), 2021
• World Junior Record: 55.39, Claire Curzan (USA), 2021
• Championship Record: 54.61, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2014
• 2021 Champion: 55.04, Maggie MacNeil (CAN)

Top 16:

1. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 55.74
2. Torri Huske (USA) – 56.01
3. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) – 56.46
4. Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 56.53
5. Angelina Kohler (GER) – 56.56
6. Maaike de Waard (NED) – 56.67
7. Ai Soma (JPN) – 56.72
8. Katerine Savard (CAN) – 56.85
9. Lana Pudar (BIH) – 56.89
10. Claire Curzan (USA) – 56.90
11. Helena Bach (DEN) – 57.15
12. Moe Tsuda (JPN) – 57.22
13. Seoyeong Kim (KOR) – 57.26
14. Giovanna Tomanik Diamante (BRA) – 57.70
15. Helena Gasson (NZL) – 57.51
16. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) – 57.85 (tie)
17. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) – 57.85 (tie)

Torri Huske flew out to a 25.50 mark at the midway point of this race, but Louise Hansson caught her down the stretch as the 26-year-old Swede out-split the current LCM world champion 14.85 to 15.66 on the final length of the pool. At 55.74, Hansson was the only swimmer sub-56 in prelims, reaching the wall just .72 seconds off her lifetime best from October.

The top three qualifiers (Hansson, Huske, and Alexandria Perkins) all came from the third heat while Canada’s Maggie MacNeil won the fourth heat in 56.53. Seven swimmers were separated by less than a second in prelims.

There will be a swim-off between Australia’s Brittany Castelluzzo and Finland’s Laura Lahtinen to determine the final spot in tonight’s semifinal. Update: Lahtinen went nearly a second faster in the swim-off, edging Castelluzzo, 56.88 to 57.76, to clinch the No. 16 seed. 

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – Prelims

• World Record: 47.78, Caeleb Dressel (USA), 2020
• World Junior Record: 49.53, Li Zhuhao (CHN), 2017
• Championship Record: 48.08, Chad le Clos (RSA), 2016
• 2021 Champion: 48.87, Matteo Rivolta (ITA)

Top 16:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 48.81
2. Matteo Rivolta (ITA) – 49.43
3. Youssef Ramadan (EGY) – 49.64
4. Ilya Kharun (CAN) – 49.66
5. Matthew Temple (AUS) – 49.85
6. Chad le Clos (RSA) – 49.88
7. Marius Kusch (GER) – 49.89
8. Simon Bucher (AUT) – 50.06
9. Yuya Sakamoto (JPN) – 50.09
10. Yuya Tanaka (JPN) – 50.22
11. Jakub Majerski (POL) – 50.30
12. Jan Sefl (CZE) – 50.44
13. Shaun Champion (AUS) – 50.54
14. Daniel Zaitsev (EST) – 50.55
15. Nyls Korstanje (NED) – 50.59
16. Adilibek Mussin (KAZ) – 50.64

21-year-old Swiss standout Noe Ponti was the only swimmer sub-49 in the 100 fly prelims, lowering his national record from October (49.38) by more than half a second down to 48.81. Ponti is now the sixth-fastest performer of all time in the event, continuing his momentum after taking silver in the 50 fly (21.96) and bronze in the 200 fly (1:49.42) on the first two nights of competition in Melbourne. He set national records in both of those races as well.

Italy’s Matteo Rivolta qualified second with a 49.43 ahead of 20-year-old Egyptian Youssef Ramadan (49.64), who was just a tenth of a second off his national record.

17-year-old Ilya Kharun threw down a huge swim, lowering his Canadian record to 49.66 and coming just about a tenth of a second shy of the world junior record (49.53) from 2017.

Never count out 200 fly champion Chad le Clos, who qualified sixth (49.88) behind Australia’s Matthew Temple (49.85).

The U.S. didn’t put any swimmers in the semifinals after Shaine Casas scratched and Michael Andrew ranked 30th overall, placing seventh in the fifth heat with a 51.93.

WOMEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – Prelims

• World Record: 28.56, Alia Atkinson (JAM), 2018
• World Junior Record: 28.81, Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 2020
• Championship Record: 28.81, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2014
• 2021 Champion: 29.34, Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR)

Top 16:

1. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) – 29.10
2. Qianting Tang (CHN) – 29.38
3. Lara van Niekerk (RSA) – 29.45
4. Louise Imogen Clark (GBR) – 29.51
5. Lilly King (USA) – 29.53
6. Anna Elendt (GER) – 29.59
7. Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 29.63
8. Veera Kivirinta (FIN) – 29.72
9. Florine Gaspard (BEL) – 29.79
10. Reona Aoki (JPN) – 29.81
11. Chelsea Hodges (AUS) – 29.84
12. Ida Hulkko (FIN) – 29.89
13. Klara Thormalm (SWE) – 30.06
14. Andrea Podmanikova (SVK) – 30.14
15. Fleur Vermeiren (BEL) – 30.22
16. Macarena Ceballos (ARG) – 30.33

Championship record holder Ruta Meilutyte led the 50 breast prelims with a time of 29.10, exactly half a second slower than her lifetime best from October.

No. 2 seed Qianting Tang clocked a 29.38, just off her personal-best 29.19 from October. South Africa’s Lara van Niekerk lowered her African record from August (29.62) to take the third seed while Great Britain’s Louise Imogen Clark was close behind in 29.51.

No. 5-7 seeds Lilly King (29.53), Anna Elendt (29.59), and world junior record holder Benedetta Pilato (29.63) were separated by less than a tenth of a second in prelims.

MEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – Prelims

• World Record: 24.95, Emri Sakci (TUR), 2021
• World Junior Record: 25.85, Simone Cerasuolo (ITA), 2021
• Championship Record: 25.41, Cameron van der Burgh (RSA), 2018
• 2021 Champion: 25.53, Nic Fink (USA)

Top 16:

1. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 25.71
2. Adam Peaty (GBR) – 26.01
3. Zibei Yan (CHN) – 26.06
4. Nic Fink (USA) – 26.07
5. Haiyang Qin (CHN) – 26.13
6. Yuya Hinomoto (JPN) – 26.15
7. Simone Cerasuolo (ITA) – 26.16
8. Michael Andrew (USA) – 26.17
9. Huseyin Sakci (TUR) – 26.26
10. Peter Stevens (SLO) – 26.31
11. Grayson Bell (AUS) – 26.37
12. Carl Ait Kaci (FRA) – 26.37
13. Sam Williamson (AUS) – 26.42
14. Man Hou Chao (MAC) – 26.46
15. Mikel Schreuders (ARU) – 26.47
16. Masaki Niiyama (JPN) – 26.51 (tie)
17. Olli Kokko (FIN) – 26.51 (tie)

Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi was a full three-tenths of a second ahead of what was otherwise a very competitive men’s 50 breast field. No. 2 seed Adam Peaty had eight swimmers within three-tenths of him.

China put a pair in the top eight (No. 3 seed Zibei Yan and No. 5 seed Haiyang Qin) along with the United States. Defending champion Nic Fink qualified fourth for the U.S. with a 26.07 while Michael Andrew bounced back from a disappointing showing in the 100 fly with a 26.17 for the eighth seed.

Make it 2-for-2 for Finland in swim-offs this morning. After tying Japan’s Masaki Niiyama at 26.51 in prelims, Finland’s Olli Kokko beat Niiyama by .26 seconds in the head-to-head showdown to conclude the session.