2022 Short Course World Champs: Day 3 Finals 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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• Live Results

DAY 3 FINALS HEAT SHEETS

Day three of the 2022 Short Course World Championships is here, bringing us finals of the men’s and women’s 100 free, 200 fly, 100 breast, 4×50 free relay, and men’s 400 free. There will also be the semifinals of the men’s and women’s 50 back and 100 IM. There were no event scratches for this session.

Tonight is the night where we’ll get to see whether 18-year-old Romanian superstar David Popovici can reach the same heights in short course racing as he has in long course. Popovici will be going up against World Record holder Kyle Chalmers in tonight’s final of the men’s 100 free.

The women’s 100 free will see Emma McKeon go up against Siobhan Haughey in what is sure to be another one of the top races of the session.

Another highly anticipated race will be the showdown between Lilly King and Ruta Meilutyte in the women’s 100 breast final.

WOMEN’S 100M FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Record: 50.25 – Cate Campbell, AUS (2017)
• World Junior Record: 51.45 – Kayla Sanchez, (2018)
• Championship Record: 50.98 – Siobhan Haughey, HKG (2021)
• 2021 Champion: 50.98 – Siobhan Haughey, HKG

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Emma McKeon (Australia) – 50.77 (Championship Record)
2. SILVER: Siobhan Haughey (Hong Kong) – 50.87
3. BRONZE: Marrit Steenbergen (Netherlands) – 51.25
4. Madi Wilson (Australia) – 51.70
5. Torri Huske (United States) – 52.04
6. Taylor Ruck (Canada) – 52.08
7. Beryl Gastaldello (France) – 52.13
8. Natalie Hinds (United States) – 52.24

Emma McKeon continues to prove she is one of, if not the best swimmer currently on the planet. She beat Siobhan Haughey head-to-head again tonight, speeding to a new Championship Record of 50.77. McKeon was out fast, swimming a 24.41 on the opening 50. Haughey closed the gap a tiny bit on the back half but it just wasn’t enough.

Marrit Steenbergen, who has had a terrific last two years or so, grabbed a bronze medal with a 51.25. There was a big gap between Steenbergen and fourth-place finisher Madi Wilson, who touched in 51.70.

MEN’S 100M FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Record: 44.84 – Kyle Chalmers, AUS (2021)
• World Junior Record: 46.11 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• Championship Record: 45.51 – Vladimir Morozov, RUS (2014)
• 2021 Champion: 45.57 – Alessandro Miressi, ITA

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Kyle Chalmers (Australia) – 45.16 (Championship Record)
2. SILVER: Maxime Grousset (France) – 45.41
3. BRONZE: Alessandro Miressi (Italy) – 45.57
4. David Popovici (Romania) – 45.64
5. Thomas Ceccon (Italy) – 45.72
6. (TIE) Pan Zhanle (China)/Jordan Crooks (Cayman Islands) – 45.77 (Tie)
8. Tom Dean (Great Britain) – 46.11

King Kyle got the job done on his home turf, roaring to a new Championship Record of 45.16. The race was tight at the 50m turn, but Chalmers took over on the back half, pulling away from Maxime Grousset. In the end, he finished just 0.32 seconds off his World Record from last year, marking an excellent performance.

Grousset picks up the silver medal with a 45.41, which also was under the previous Championship Record of 45.51.

David Popovici didn’t win a medal, finishing fourth in 45.64. He did, however, break the World Junior Record again, bringing it down from the 45.91 he swam in semifinals. Popovici also broke the Romanian Record with the swim.

China’s Pan Zhanle clocked a 45.77 in a tie for sixth with Jordan Crooks. For Zhanle, the swim marks a new Asian Record.

WOMEN’S 50M BACKSTROKE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 25.27 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 2021
• World Junior Record: 26.13 – Olivia Smoliga, USA (2012)
• Championship Record: 25.27 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 2021
• 2021 Champion: 25.27 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Claire Curzan (United States) – 25.60
2. Maggie MacNeil (Canada) – 25.64
3. Mollie O’Callaghan (Australia) – 25.69
4. Kylie Masse (Canada) – 25.97
5. Louise Hansson (Sweden) – 25.99
6. Hanna Rosvall (Sweden) – 26.01
7. Julie Jensen (Denmark) – 26.02 (Tie)
8. Maaike de Waard (Netherlands) – 26.02 (Tie)

Claire Curzan continues to swim well here in Melbourne, speeding to the top seed in the women’s 50 backstroke with a 25.60. She finished just ahead of World Record holder Maggie MacNeil, who swam a 25.64. For Curzan, the swim marks a new American Record, bringing down the previous mark of 25.74, which was held by Olivia Smoliga.

Right there with the top group was Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan, who swam a 25.69 tonight. O’Callaghan took second in the women’s 100 back final last night.

Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, who won the women’s 100 back last night, was the first swimmer out this evening, finishing ninth with a 26.09.

MEN’S 50M BACKSTROKE – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 22.11 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2022)
• World Junior Record: 22.77 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• Championship Record: 22.22 – Florent Manaudou, FRA (2014)
• 2021 Champion: 22.66 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Isaac Cooper (Australia) – 22.52 (World Junior Record)
2. Ryan Murphy (United States) – 22.74 (Tie)
3. Kacper Stokowski (Poland) – 22.74 (Tie)
4. Pieter Coetze (South Africa) – 22.86
5. Dylan Carter (Trinidad and Tobago) – 22.90 (Tie)
6. Lorenzo Mora (Italy) – 22.90 (Tie)
7. Marek Ulrich (Germany) – 23.03
8. Javier Acevedo (Canada) – 23.05 (Tie)
9. Apostolos Christou (Greece) – 23.05 (Tie)
10. Hunter Armstrong (United States) – 23.05 (Tie)

Where to start. I guess we should note first that there were a ton of ties in these men’s 50 back semifinals. Most importantly, there was a three-way tie for eighth place between Javier Acevedo, Apostolos Christou, and Hunter Armstrong, all of whom swam 23.05. That tie will have to be settled via a swim-off later in the session to determine which of the three swimmers will advance to the final tomorrow.

Ryan Murphy and Kacper Stokowski also tied for second, both swimming 22.74. For Stokowski, the swim was a personal best and a new Polish Record in the event. American Ryan Murphy was exceptional in winning the 100 back on Wednesday evening in a new personal best of 48.50. In the same session, he swam a 22.37 in the 50 backstroke leading off the American mixed medley relay as well, so he’s probably still the favorite for the individual 50 back final on Friday.

Dylan Carter and Lorenzo Mora also tied for fifth at 22.90.

Australian 18-year-old Isaac Cooper had the swim of his life tonight, speeding to a new personal best of 22.52. It was a truly exceptional swim by Cooper, marking a new World Junior Record, as well as new Oceanic and Australian Records as well. He smashed the WJR, really, as that record stood at 22.77.

WOMEN’S 200M BUTTERFLY – FINALS

• World Record: 1:59.61 – Mireia Belmonte Garcia, ESP (2014)
• World Junior Record: 2:02.96 – Suzuka Hasegawa, JPN (2017)
• Championship Record: 1:59.61 – Mireia Belmonte Garcia, ESP (2014)
• 2021 Champion: 2:03.01 – Zhang Yufei, CHN

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Dakota Luther (United States) – 2:03.37
2. SILVER: Hali Flickinger (United States) – 2:03.78
3. Elizabeth Dekkers (Australia) – 2:03.94
4. Helena Bach (Denmark) – 2:04.41
5. Lana Pudar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – 2:05.23
6. Airi Mitsui (Japan) – 2:05.40
7. Karin Uchida (Japan) – 2:05.51
8. Laura Lahtinen (Finland)

It was a 1-2 punch for the USA, with Dakota Luther winning her first-ever World Championships medal. Luther was neck-and-neck with teammate Hali Flickinger the whole way through the race, then edged into the lead on the final 50. Flickinger led for the majority of the race, though to the eye watching in real time, it wasn’t easy to tell who was actually in the lead.

Australia also picked up a medal with Elizabeth Dekkers clocked a 2:03.94 for third.

MEN’S 200M BUTTERFLY – FINALS

• World Record: 1:46.85 – Tomoru Honda, JPN (2022)
• World Junior Record: 1:49.61 – Chen Juner, CHN (2022)
• Championship Record: 1:48.24 – Daiya Seto, JPN (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 1:49.06 – Alberto Razzetti, ITA

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Chad le Clos (South Africa) – 1:48.27
2. SILVER: Daiya Seto (Japan) – 1:49.22
3. BRONZE: Noe Ponti (Switzerland) – 1:49.42
4. Alberto Razzetti (Italy) – 1:50.12
5. Kregor Zirk (Estonia) – 1:50.51
6. Teppei Morimoto (Japan) – 1:50.70
7. Trenton Julian (United States) – 1:50.94
8. Ilya Kharun (Canada) – 1:52.21

Chad le Clos was electrifying tonight in the men’s 200 fly final, speeding to a lifetime best of 1:48.27. Not only did he win gold by nearly a full second, le Clos took down the African Record with the performance as well. As he’s done all fall, le Clos took the race over on the back half, coming home in 55.78 on the final 100 after getting out in a 52.39.

Daiya Seto grabbed Japan’s first medal of the session, swimming a 1:49.22 for second. Seto briefly moved into first place on the penultimate 25m of the race, but he tightened up on the final length and le Clos blew right past him.

Noe Ponti picked up a bronze medal with his 1:49.42. Ponti broke the Swiss Record with his swim.

Kregor Zirk came in fifth with a 1:50.51, breaking the Estonian Record in the event.

WOMEN’S 100M BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 1:02.36 – Alia Atkinson, JAM/Ruta Meilutyte, LTU  (2014/2013)
• World Junior Record: 1:02.36 – Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013)
• Championship Record: 1:02.36 – Alia Atkinson, JAM (2014)
• 2021 Champion: 1:03.47 – Tang Qianting, CHN

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Lilly King (United States) – 1:02.67
2. SILVER: Tes Schouten (Netherlands) – 1:03.90
3. BRONZE: Anna Elendt (Germany) – 1:04.05
4. Tang Qianting (China) – 1:04.06
5. Lara van Niekerk (South Africa) – 1:04.12
6. Reona Aoki (Japan) – 1:04.30
7. Mai Fukasawa (Japan) – 1:04.48
8. Ruta Meilutyte (Lithuania) – DSQ

Lilly King stormed to victory in the women’s 100 breast final tonight, throwing down a speedy 1:02.67. The swim comes in just off King’s own American Record mark of 1:02.50, which she set in 2020. King was out like a bullet, splitting 29.24 on the first 50, then coming in 33.43.

Ruta Meilutyte got disqualified, though we’ve not yet heard the official reason for the DQ.

Tes Schouten grabbed the silver medal with a new personal best time of 1:03.90. The swim also marked a new Dutch Record in the event.

Anna Elendt picked up bronze with a 1:04.05, marking the second medal in this session won by a University of Texas swimmer.

MEN’S 100M BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• World Record: 55.28 – Ilya Shymanovich, BLR (2021)
• World Junior Record: 56.66 – Simone Cerasuolo, ITA (2021)
• Championship Record: 55.70 – Ilya Shymanovich, BLR (2021)
• 2021 Champion: 55.70 – Ilya Shymanovich, BLR

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Nic Fink (United States) – 55.88
2. SILVER: Nicolo Martinenghi (Italy) – 56.07
3. BRONZE: Adam Peaty (Great Britain) – 56.25
4. Qin Haiyang (China) – 56.33
5. Antoine Viquerat (France) – 56.98
6. Simone Cerasuolo (Italy) – 56.99
7. Lucas Matzerath (Germany) – 57.12
8. Yuya Hinomoto (Japan) – 57.29

It was a close race, yet Nic Fink somehow appeared to be in control the whole time, leading at every turn. He was out with a quick 26.04 on the opening 50, then came home in a 29.84. Fink was just off the Championship Record of 55.70.

Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi clocked a 56.07 for silver, while Adam Peaty earned a bronze medal with a 56.25.

Of note, Japan’s Yuya Hinomoto came in eighth tonight with a 57.29. That’s worth noting because the Japanese women’s 100 breaststrokers, Reona Aoki and Mai Fukasawa, also did not fare well, finishing last in their final as well.

WOMEN’S 100M IM – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 56.51 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2017)
• World Junior Record: 57.59 – Anastasia Shkurdai, BLR (2020)
• Championship Record: 56.70 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2014)
• 2021 Champion: 57.80 – Anastasia Gorbenko, ISR

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Marrit Steenbergen (Netherlands) – 57.65
2. Louise Hansson (Sweden) – 58.05
3. Sydney Pickrem (Canada) – 58.54
4. Beryl Gastaldello (France) – 58.61
5. Rebecca Meder (South Africa) – 58.98
6. Lena Kreundl (Austria) – 59.04
7. Mary-Sophia Harvey (Canada) – 59.13
8. Helena Gasson (New Zealand) – 59.15

Despite already having raced to a bronze medal in the women’s 100 free earlier in the session, Marrit Steenbergen clocked a 57.65 in semifinals of the 100 IM, leading the field by nearly half a second. Steenbergen was unsurprisingly excellent on the free leg, splitting a field-leading 14.04, but she was also surprisingly fast on the breast length, splitting 17.09, which fifth-fastest breast split in the filed.

Louise Hansson was next in, clocking a 58.05. There was then a half-second gap between Hansson and third finisher Sydney Pickrem.

MEN’S 100M IM – SEMIFINALS

• World Record: 49.28 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Junior Record: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• Championship Record: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 51.09 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS

RESULTS:

1. Michael Andrew (United States) – 51.40
2. Shaine Casas United States) – 51.42
3. Javier Acevedo (Canada) – 51.46
4. Andreas Vazaios (Greece) – 51.47
5. Thomas Ceccon (Italy) – 51.60
6. Finlay Knox (Canada) – 51.64
7. Bernhard Reitshammer (Austria) – 51.78
8. Carles Coll Marti (Spain) – 51.97

Michael Andrew led the field this evening in the 100 IM, using an excellent breast length to pull into the lead. Shaine Casas, his American teammate, was out very fast, splitting 22.95 on the first 50.

Canada also put two swimmers into the final: Javier Acevedo and Finlay Knox.

There were a number of national records broken in these semifinals as well. Andreas Vazaios came in fourth with a 51.47, breaking the Greek Record. Bernhard Reitshammer took seventh with a 51.78, cracking the Austrian Record. Carles Coll Marti swam a 51.97 for eighth, making the final and establishing a new Spanish Record in the event.

Although he did not make the final, Mikel Schreuders set a new Aruban Record with a 52.34, which put him 12th.

MEN’S 400M FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Record: 3:32.25 – Yannick Agnel, FRA (2012)
• World Junior Record: 3:37.92 – Matt Sates, RSA (2021)
• Championship Record: 3:34.01 – Danas Rapsys, LTU (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 3:35.90 – Felix Auboeck, AUT

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Kieran Smith (United States) – 3:34.38
2. SILVER: Thomas Neill (Australia) – 3:35.05
3. BRONZE: Danas Rapsys (Lithuania) – 3:36.26
4. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (Japan) – 3:36.87
5. Antonio Djakovic (Switzerland) – 3:37.86
6. Mack Horton (Australia) – 3:37.94
7. Jake Magahey (United States) – 3:38.12
8. Matteo Ciampi (Italy) – 3:38.98

Kieran Smith led the race basically from the start, tearing to a new American Record of 3:34.38. Smith didn’t waste any time, taking the race out hard and establishing a big lead at the 200m mark.

Thomas Neill grabbed a silver medal with a 3:35.05 after sitting in second the entire race.

The podium was rounded out by Danas Rapsys, who swam a 3:36.26.

Katsuhiro Matsumoto came in fourth, missing out on a medal, but he did break the Japanese Record in the event.

WOMEN’S 4X50M FREE RELAY – FINALS

• World Record: 1:32.50 – Netherlands (2020)
• World Junior Record: 1:40.59 – Benchmark
• Championship Record: 1:34.03 – United States (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 1:34.22 – United States

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: United States – 1:33.89 (Championship Record)
2. SILVER: Australia – 1:34.23
3. BRONZE: Netherlands – 1:35.68
4. Sweden – 1:35.68
5. China – 1:36.12
6. Great Britain – 1:37.11
7. Japan – 1:37.42
8. New Zealand – 1:37.93

The USA won the women’s 200 free relay in a new Championship Record of 1:33.89. Torri Huske led the team off in 24.08, then Claire Curzan split 23.30, Erika Brown split 23.74, and Kate Douglass anchored in a sizzling 22.77. The swim also marks a new American Record in the event.

While Douglass split was incredible, Emma McKeon was actually faster on the Australian anchor leg. McKeon swam a 22.73, an absolutely scorching 50 free split. Meg harris led the team off in 23.98, then Madi Wilson split 23.51, and Mollie O’Callaghan split 24.01. The Aussie touched in 1:34.23, breaking the Oceanic Record in the event.

MEN’S 4X50M FREE RELAY – FINALS

• World Record: 1:21.80 – United States (2018)
• World Junior Record: 1:27.46 – Benchmark
• Championship Record: 1:21.80 – United States (2018)
• 2021 Champion: 1:23.61 – Italy

RESULTS:

1. GOLD: Australia – 1:23.44
2. SILVER: Italy – 1:23.48
3. BRONZE: Netherlands – 1:23.75
4. Japan – 1:23.80
5. United States – 1:24.03
6. Spain – 1:24.83
7. Ukraine – 1:26.11
8. Brazil – 1:26.34

Australia won the men’s 200 free relay in a very tight race with Italy. Isaac Cooper led the team off in 21.25, a fantastic split for the 18-year-old. Matthew Temple swam a 20.75 on the second leg, Flynn Southam was 21.10 on the third leg, and Kyle Chalmers anchored in the blistering 20.34. The final time of 1:23.44 broke the Oceanic Record in the event.

Italy was right there with the Aussies, swimming a 1:23.48. Alessandro Miressi led off in 21.22, Leonardo Deplano then split 20.59, Thomas Ceccon 20.67, and Manuel Frigo 21.00.

Netherlands rouned out the podium, winning bronze.

Japan broke the Asian Record in the event with a 1:23.80.