2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- June 18-25, 2022 (pool swimming)
- Budapest, Hungary
- Duna Arena
- LCM (50-meter format)
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It’s time for day 2 finals of the 2022 World Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary. On the docket for day 2 of this meet are the men’s 100 breaststroke, women’s 100 butterfly, men’s 50 butterfly, and women’s 200 IM finals. Additionally, we’ll see the semi-finals for the men’s and women’s 100 backstroke, men’s 200 freestyle, and the women’s 100 breaststroke.
Day 2 Links
Day 2 features the only finals session of this meet that will have neither a distance event nor a relay event, meaning that it will be a slightly shorter session. But that doesn’t mean that we aren’t in store for an exciting night of racing because there are some big showdowns on the horizon.
In the women’s 100 butterfly, we’ll see if either Torri Huske or Claire Curzan from the USA can capture their first individual title of the meet or if the likes of Marie Wattel, Zhang Yufei, Louise Hansson, or someone else will manage to touch the wall first.
We’ll also find out who will capitalize off of the Peaty-less 100 breaststroke field as 8 men compete for the crown in the 100 breast. Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy is the top seed here, having swum a 58.46 during semi-finals but Nic Fink, Arno Kamminga, James Wilby, and Yan Zibei won’t go down without a fight.
Caeleb Dressel is also on the hunt tonight for his first individual medal of the meet in the 50 fly but he’ll need to out-swim top seed Ben Proud and co-second seed Thomas Ceccon in order to pull it off. Follow along live for all that and much as we get into night 2 of World Championships.
Men’s 100 Breaststroke Final
- World Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019 World Championships
- Championship Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019 World Championships
- 2021 Olympic Champion: Adam Peaty (GBR), 57.37
- 2019 World Champion: Adam Peaty (GBR), 57.14
- Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 58.26
- Arno Kamminga (NED)- 58.62
- Nic Fink (USA) – 58.65
- James Wilby (GBR) – 58.93
- Yan Zibei (CHN) – 59.22
- Lucas Joachim Matzerath (GER) – 59.50
- Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS) – 59.65
- Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU) – 59.80
Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi collected the first gold medal of the night, delivering a 58.26 in the men’s 100 breaststroke. Martinenghi just improved upon his own best time in this event and lowered the Italian record by 0.02 seconds from the 58.28 he swam at the Tokyo Games.
Martinenghi won a bronze medal event in this event at Tokyo 2020 but this is his first-ever individual medal at a World Championships meet. Martinenghi is now the first man to win this event at Worlds since the 2013 edition as Adam Peaty won 3 straight titles in 2015, 2017, and 2019.
Olympic silver medalist Arno Kamminga repeated the feat here in Budapest, clocking a 58.62 for the silver medal. That swim is roughly a second off his lifetime best of 57.80 from Tokyo 2020, which is the #2 time in history. Kamminga has now won silver in this event for 2 years in a row.
The American Nic Fink just pulled off his first podium finish at a long course World Championships, having won a number of medals at the short course version in December 2021. Fink hit a 58.65 to touch just 0.03 seconds after Kamminga. Like Kamminga, Fink was a bit off his PB here, which sits at a 58.37 from earlier this year.
Women’s 100 Butterfly Final
- World Record: 55.48, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2016 Olympic Games
- Championship Record: 55.53, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 2017 World Championships
- 2021 Olympic Champion: Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 55.59
- 2019 World Champion: Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 55.83
- Torri Huske (USA) – 55.64
- Marie Wattel (FRA) – 56.14
- Zhang Yufei (CHN) – 56.41
- Louise Hansson (SWE) – 56.48
- Claire Curzan (USA) – 56.74
- Brianna Throssel (AUS) – 56.98
- Farida Osman (EGY) – 57.66
- Lana Pudar (BIH) – 58.44
After collecting her first long course World Champs title in the 4×100 freestyle, Torri Huske has pulled off her first individual win by swimming an American record in the 100 butterfly. Huske threw down 55.64 to take out her own mark of 55.66, which she set in 2021 at Olympic Trials.
This swim is an improvement upon the 55.73 that she swam at the Tokyo Olympics where she placed 4th overall. Huske retains her spot as the 4th-fastest woman in the history of this event behind Zhang Yufei who won bronze here.
All-Time 100 Butterfly Performances
- Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 55.48 (2016)
- Maggie MacNeil (CAN) – 55.59 (2021)
- Zhang Yufei (CHN) – 55.62 (2020)
- Torri Huske (USA) – 55.64 (2022)
- Emma McKeon (AUS) – 55.72
The silver medalist here is France’s Marie Wattel, picking up her first-ever individual medal at a long course World Championships. Wattel dipped nearly dipped under 56 seconds here with a 56.14, which is a 0.02-second improvement upon her 56.16 PB from Tokyo 2020. Wattel finished 6th in this event last year.
Zhang Yufei of China was a 56.41 for the bronze medal and improved upon her seed heading into the final. Her time is a bit slower than her lifetime best of 55.62 from the Tokyo Olympics when she took the silver medal.
Louise Hansson of Sweden was just off the podium, hitting a 56.48 to trail Zhang by just 0.07 seconds. Claire Curzan, the USA’s other representative in this heat swam a 56.74 to trail her PB of 56.35 and placed 5th here to improve upon her 10th place finish at Tokyo.
Men’s 100 Backstroke Semi-Final
- World Record: 51.85, Ryan Murphy (USA) – 2016 Olympics
Championship Record: 52.17, Jiayu Xu (CHN) – 2019 World Championships- 2021 Olympic Champion: Evgeny Rylov (ROC), 51.98
- 2019 World Champion: Jiayu Xu (CHN), 52.43
Top 8:
- Apostolos Christou (GRE) – 52.09
- Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 52.12
- Hunter Armstrong (USA) – 52.37
- Ksawery Masiuk (POL) – 52.58
- Yohan Ndoye-Brouard (FRA) – 52.72
- Ryan Murphy (USA) – 52.80
- Ryosuke Irie (JPN) – 52.85
- Robert Glinta (ROU) – 53.00
Greek swimmer Apostolos Christou just put up a dominant swim in the second semi-final here, delivering a 52.09 Championship record. His swim is quicker than the 52.17 that Jiayu Xu of China delivered back in 2019.
This is a significant improvement upon Christou’s best time and Greek record coming into this meet of 52.77, which he put up at the 2021 European Championships. Christou moved up to the #7 position on the all-time rankings here, replacing Mitch Larkin’s 52.11.
It’ll be an interesting race with Christou in the middle lane tomorrow night. He’ll be up against the likes of world record-holder Ryan Murphy who is just 6th overall at this point, having swum a 52.80 in the semis. The #2 man so far is Thomas Ceccon who swam a 52.12 in the semi-final to drop some time from his 52.30 PB.
Murphy’s fellow American Hunter Armstrong was third in the semi-finals here with a 52.37 to out-swim Ksawery Masiuk‘s 52.58. Armstrong slightly missed his best time of 52.20 from earlier this year, while Masiuk has just cracked the 53 barrier for the first time.
The final three qualifiers for tomorrow night’s final were Yohan Ndoye-Brouard of France, Ryosuke Irie from Japan, and Robert Glinta of Romania. Notably, former World Champs record holder Jiayu of China and 2015 World Champion in this event Mitch Larkin of Australia missed out on qualifying for the final.
Women’s 100 Breaststroke Semi-Final
- World Record: 1:04.13, Lilly King (USA) – 2017 World Championships
- Championship Record: 1:04.13, Lilly King (USA) – 2017 World Championships
- 2021 Olympic Champion: Lydia Jacoby (USA), 1:04.95
- 2019 World Champion: Lilly King (USA), 1:04.93
Top 8:
- Anna Elendt (GER) – 1:05.62
- Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 1:05.88
- Qianting Tang (CHN) – 1:05.97
- Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) – 1:06.04
- Reona Aoki (JPN) – 1:06.07
- Sophie Hansson (SWE) – 1:06.30
- Molly Renshaw (GBR) – 1:06.39
- Lilly King (USA) – 1:06.40
German’s Anna Elendt pulled off the fastest swim in the semi-finals of the women’s 100 breaststroke with a 1:05.62. Elendt, who races for Texas collegiately has been improving this season and broke the German record in this event a few months ago with a 1:05.58 at the San Antonia Pro Swim.
Elendt will have a shot at cracking that record during the final on day 3 where she’ll face off against second seed Benedetta Pilato who swam a 1:05.88. This is a nice return to form for Pilato whose last major international meet ended with her being disqualified in the 100 breast at Tokyo 2020.
Pilato was just shy of the Italian record in this event, which is a 1:05.67 held by teammate Arianna Castiglioni. The #3 performer Qianting Tang was also shy of the national record, trailing the Chinese NR of 1:05.32 from Liping Ji. Qianting swam a 1:05.97 for the 3rd spot here, ahead of Lithuania’s 1:06.04.
This is a bug comeback as well for the 2012 Olympic champion Rute Meilutyte who we haven’t seen race on the world stage in a couple of years. Meilutyte recently returned to elite racing and is already set to race in the individual final of the 100 breast, having hit a 1:06.04. Her PB in this event is a 1:04.35, which is the #2 swim in history to Lilly King‘s 1:04.13.
Speaking of King, she was the 9th-fastest woman in this event, which almost made her miss out on the final. But since King’s teammate Annie Lazor got disqualified from this event and was ahead of King in the rankings, Lilly King moves up to the #8 spot and will have a chance at defending her World title.
King swam a 1:06.40 here to miss her PB and world record of 1:04.13 by more than 2 seconds. The other 3 women in the final are Reona Aoki of Japan, Sophie Hansson from Sweden, and Molly Renshaw of Great Britain.
Men’s 50 Butterfly Final
- World Record: 22.27, Andrii Govorov (UKR) – 2018 Sette Colli Trophy
- Championship Record: 22.35, Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 2019 World Championships
- 2019 World Champion: Caeleb Dressel (USA), 22.35
- Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 22.57
- Nicholas Santos (BRA) – 22.78
- Michael Andrew (USA) – 22.79
- Dylan Carter (TTO) – 22.85
- Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 22.86
- Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) – 23.01
- Ben Proud (GBR) – 23.08
- Tzen Wei Teong (SGP) – 23.29
Dressel did what we’ve seen him do time and time again by getting to the wall first here with a World Champs title-winning time of 22.57. While that was enough to win this event, Dressel was slightly slower than his lifetime best of 22.35, which he swam at the 2019 World Championships.
That 2019 swim is the second-fastest swim in history and trails the world record in the event of 22.27 that Andrii Govorov hit in 2018.
The battle for silver was heated here and Nicholas Santos ultimately managed to touch ahead of USA’s Michael Andrew. Those two men were separated by just 0.01 seconds in the event as Santos hit a 22.78 to Andrew’s 22.79.
Santos was slower than his lifetime best of 22.60 from 2019, while Andrew swam a new best time by just 0.01 seconds. This is the 4th straight World Championships where Santos has medalled in this event, having taken silver at both 2015 and 2019, along with a bronze in 2017.
For Andrew, this is his first individual medal at a major long course international meet after several years of finals swims and relay medals.
Just off the podium, Dylan Carter posted a 22.85 to also sneak under the 23-second mark, a feat that Thomas Ceccon of Italy also accomplished. Ceccon posted a 22.86 here during his second swim of the night after placing second in the 100 backstroke semi-final.
Women’s 100 Backstroke Semi-Final
- World Record: 57.45, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2021 Australian Olympic Trials
- Championship Record: 57.57, Regan Smith (USA) – 2019 World Championships
- 2021 Olympic Champion: Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 57.47
- 2019 World Champion: Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.60
Top 8:
- Regan Smith (USA) – 57.65
- Kylie Masse (CAN) – 58.57
- Claire Curzan (USA) – 58.96
- Kira Toussaint (NED) – 59.16
- Medi Harris (GBR) – 59.61
- Letian Wan (CHN) – 59.63
- Xuwei Peng (CHN) – 59.69
- Emma Terebo (FRA) – 1:00.06
The big name missing from this slate of competitors was world record-holder Kaylee McKeown who abstained from this event to focus on the 200 IM final later during this session. But without McKeown, we still have a solid lineup of swimmers including 2 former world record holders.
One of those past world record holders, Regan Smith, was the quickest woman in the semi-finals and wasn’t far off from McKeown’s current mark. Smith swam a 57.65 to establish the 6th-best performance in history. Smith’s PB and American record in the event is her 57.57 from the 2019 edition of this meet.
All-time Performances – Women’s 100 Backstroke
- Kaylee McKeon (AUS) – 57.45
- Kaylee McKeon (AUS) – 57.47
- Regan Smith (USA) – 57.57
- Kaylee McKeon (AUS) – 57.63
- Regan Smith (USA) – 57.64
- Regan Smith (USA) – 57.65
- Kylie Masse (CAN) – 57.70
- Kylie Masse (CAN) – 57.72
- Regan Smith (USA) – 57.76
Smith leads this field into finals by nearly a full second as Kylie Masse posted a 58.57 for second place. That’s more than a second off Masse’s best time, Canadian record, and 2019 World Championships-winning time of 57.70. Masse seemed to slow down towards the end of her semi-final swim, leaving us wondering if she’ll have enough in the tank to challenge Masse in the final.
Claire Curzan joined her American teammate in the top 3 here, posting a 58.96 to advance into the final. Curzan swam a 58.96 as the third and final woman to crack 59 seconds here. Curzan’s PB in the event is the 58.39 she delivered at 2022 Trials to qualify for this team.
That puts her in strong contention for the bronze medal here, but fellow finalist Kira Toussaint has been as fast as a 58.65 before for the Netherlands, meaning that she also has the potential to crack the top 3. The other finalists to watch out for here will be Medi Harris (GBR), Letian Wan (CHN), Xuwei Peng (CHN), and Emma Terebo (FRA).
Men’s 200 Freestyle Semi-Final
- World Record: 1:42.00, Paul Biedermann (GER) – 2009 World Championships
- Championship Record: 1:42.00, Paul Biedermann (GER) – 2009 World Championships
- 2021 Olympic Champion: Tom Dean (GBR), 1:44.22
- 2019 World Champion: Sun Yang (CHN), 1:44.93
Top 8:
- David Popovici (ROU) – 1:44.40
- Felix Auboeck (AUT) – 1:45.17
- Hwang Sunwoo (KOR) – 1:45.46
- Tom Dean (GBR) – 1:45.48
- Elijah Winnington (AUS) – 1:45.53
- Drew Kibler (USA) – 1:45.54
- Lukas Martens (GER) – 1:45.94
- Kieran Smith (USA) – 1:46.06
David Popovici took this event by storm during the second semi-final when he broke the world junior record with a 1:44.40 to take out the former mark of 1:44.62 from Hwang Sunwoo of Korea. Popovici improved upon his PB in this event of 1:44.68, which he swam at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
With this swim, Popovici has improved to #10 in history, replacing Ryan Lochte who has a 1:44.44. With this swim, Popovici is closer than ever to breaking the 1:44 barrier, leaving many to wonder if we’ll see the first 1:43 in years when Popovici takes to the final.
Popovici isn’t the fastest we’ve seen over the past few years as Tom Dean and Duncan Scott posted times of 1:44.22 and 1:44.26 in the Tokyo 2020 final, but his trajectory makes it seem possible that he could threaten the 1:44.00 mark.
Felix Auboeck also had a solid swim here, hitting a 1:45.17 Austrian record, taking out his own record of 1:45.70 that he swam in April 2021. Auboeck was followed by former world junior record-holder Hwang Sunwoo who hit a 1:45.46 to trail his best time by roughly a second. Hwang placed 7th in this event at Tokyo 2020 and Popovici was 4th overall.
This top 3 will need to watch their back for reigning Olympic champion Tom Dean who was just behind the leading trio with a 1:45.48 in the semi-final. He’ll return for finals and will undoubtedly be gunning for a spot atop the podium.
400 freestyle champion Elijah Winnington of Australia is #5 in the finals, while the American duo of Drew Kibler and Kieran Smith will also advance, along with Germany’s Lukas Martens.
Women’s 200 IM Final
- World Record: 2:06.12, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2015 World Championships
- Championship Record: 2:06.12, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2015 World Championships
- 2021 Olympic Champion: Yui Ohashi (JPN), 2:08.52
- 2019 World Champion: Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2:07.53
- Alex Walsh (USA) – 2:07.13
- Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2:08.57
- Leah Hayes (USA) – 2:08.91
- Rika Omoto (JPN) – 2:10.01
- Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 2:11.02
- Seoyeong Kim (KOR) – 2:11.30
- Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2:11.37
- Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) – 2:12.77
The women’s 200 IM final was all Alex Walsh. She got off to an early lead in the race and managed to hold off all other competitors, ultimately winning with a 2:07.13. Walsh established a new PB with this swim, improving upon her time of 2:07.84 from earlier in 2022.
Walsh’s time makes her the 5th fastest swimmer in history, surpassing Ye Shiwen who hit a 2:07.57 back in 2012 at the Olympics. She was almost exactly a second off the American record in this event of 2:06.15, which Ariana Kukors swam back in 2009.
Kaylee McKeown took silver here with a 2:08.57, missing her PB of 2:08.19 by around half a second. McKeown swam this event instead of her signature 100 backstroke; a decision she made to avoid facing a tough double of essentially back-to-back events. This decision was part of McKeown’s larger plan to eventually race both events during the same session.
Bronze medalist Leah Hayes had a big swim here, downing the world junior record with a 2:08.91, improving upon the 2:09.57 than Yu Yiting of China swam at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. That swim by Hayes made her the bronze medalist by more than a second as Japan’s Rika Omoto hit a 2:10.01 for 4th.
Ya’ll upset that Kaylee‘a treating this meet like Dressel treats SECs. Sorry she’s good enough to do focus on Comm Games and fool around at WCs for fun. If you don’t like it, get good. People talk about wishing the GOAT swam the 200 back at 2007 worlds. Or that Dressel would go all in for a 200 free. Kaylee‘s out here playing around for our enjoyment. Quit complaining and start enjoying
lol but Dressel still won and broke records at SECs and worlds is the bigger meet. Cope
dressel swimming the 200 free and mckeown swimming the 100 back are two entirely different things.
I know it’s hard for Murricans to understand but for Australians (and some other countries) Commonwealth Games is the #1 meet this year, not World Champs.
The hits keep on coming!
What a crock!
Next time don’t bother to show up at the Summer Olympics in order to focus on the Commonwealth Games.
Imagine winning a silver medal in your 4th best event and then having losers online act like that’s a failure. Big oof.
We expected more, that’s all
So many are devastated that they can’t use their usual ‘C1 is a choker’ shtick since she took the year off so ‘Kaylee failee’ is the thing they jumped on.
I think I speak for all of us when I say I hope Popovici paces the 200free like Phelps/Biedermann/Angel tomorrow, and not like LeClos/2021Hwang. I worry he’ll try to go out too quickly
24.2-24.5 at 50 and 50.1-50.6 at the 100, and bring it home will get him to a 1:43
Curzan also did great. I hope she gets better with handling pressure in the future. Her 56.7 is a great time, however I think she does best when she’s swimming at small level meets. non the less, one of her fastest performances and 5th in the world! Go USA
She is stagnating. Her 56.20 is from over 14 months ago, when she was still just 16 (her PB was faster than Huske’s at that time). No improvement since then, despite participating at various world-class meets.
The upward trajectory isn’t always linear.
Someone should measure that TAC pool. Maybe it’s a bit short.
Well none the less, even if she isn’t dropping time, she’s not going backwards either. She was 56.3 at trials a couple months ago which is just a tenth and a half off of her PB. 56.7 isn’t far off either
And everyone doesn’t seem to talk about her anymore, but Curzan’s teammate Charlotte Hook has also been stagnating lately too. She’s a 2:07.8 200 FL, got third at trials at 2:07.9, and has just fallen off from there. 2:08.8 at trials (another 3rd place). She’s entering the grave yard of 200 Flyers at Stanford this fall. Something is up with TAC and developing even more after success comes.
Claire Curzan doesn’t 18 years old until June 30. The pressure is on Torri Huske and Regan Smith to carry the flag in the women’s 100 meter butterfly and women’s 100 meter backstroke, respectively.
Curran is actually 56.21 from a TAC meet
Put Leah Hayes on that 4×200 relay
who exactly is she replacing? Ledecky = ON FORM, Leah Smith = ON FORM, Walsh = ON FORM. So if Weinstein, Sims, and Flickinger all woof in the prelims… maybe?
Leah Hayes had a great 200 IM, but this comment seems silly to me.
It has happened. That’s a fact. Hopefully it won’t happen to anyone else.
Feel like huske is the least consistent woman in swimming. Never does ok. Either phenomenal or let down. Coaches gotta work on her mental game
Here we go with the trolls and I think we all know from which country. Just stop. She just won a world title and beat the American record. AND just became the 4th American woman under 53 in the 100 free.
Torri Huske posted a time of 55.73 in the final of the women’s 100 meter butterfly at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. Torri Huske posted a time of 55.64 in the final of the women’s 100 meter butterfly at the 2022 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
Her 55.6 flat start should be 54.5-54.8 on medley relay. She was 56. She went 48 100 free at NCAA’s and missed finals.
Her good swims are good. Just has some questionable results. Like Michael Andrews
First, a typical flat start reaction time is 0.7 seconds. Second, a fast rolling start reaction time is 0.2 seconds. Do the math.
What questionable results? Micheal Andrew has never won a gold medal in the men’s 100 meter butterfly at the FINA World Aquatics Championships.
Michael Andrew has never posted a Top Ten All-Time Performance in the men’s 100 meter butterfly.
https://www.fina.org/swimming/rankings?gender=F&distance=100&stroke=BUTTERFLY&poolConfiguration=LCM&year=all&startDate=&endDate=×Mode=ALL_TIMES®ionId=all&countryId=
You don’t have a freakin’ clue what you are talking about.
This thought process shows you don’t see the big picture. Let me teach you.
First, reaction time is 1/3 of the equation. While .2 is more of a B relay reaction time for the 800 free relay, I’d prefer to see sub .1
The Second 1/3, the actual relay start produces higher velocity of the block. Much more force is created with steps and arm throws. This has terrific results for speed
Finally, the final 1/3 comes down to relay hype. Self centered people will never understand the motivation that comes from battling with and for three other athletes. Find me a coach that doesn’t analyze backstrokers individual times vs their relay times and I’ll show you a coach… Read more »
The poster’s moniker is so apropos. Never has a fan base had such delusions of grandeur.
56.2 and 56.1 in medley relays at the Olympics. (Should have been 54.high after going 55.6 in women’s final)
Didn’t make final 100 free at NCAA’s (cost her team 2nd place)
She can be both great and inconsistent
54 high? MacNeil went 55.3, Zhang went 55.4, and McKeon went 55.9 on the relay last year. You think Huske should’ve outsplit them all by half a second or more??
Which country?
Isn’t it obvious?
Russia?
Guess again.
Gotta work on that American record holder’s and World Champion’s mental game. That’s an interesting take.
Comments like this warrant a change of username from Meathead to Methhead
You mean a teenager isn’t as consistent as a seasoned veteran? Colour me shocked!
But always seems to be phenomenal when it matters so I’m pretty sure it’s clear who the winner is here…
As Torri Huske stands on the podium draped with a gold medal at the 2022 FINA World Aquatics Championships. The time of 55.64 in the final of the women’s 100 meter butterfly was not too shabby.