2022 World Junior Championships: Day 5 Prelims Live Recap

2022 FINA WORLD JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 30-September 4, 2022
• Lima, Peru
• Long Course Meters (50m), Prelims/Semis/Finals
• Meet Site
• Event Schedule
• Live Results
• Entries List
• Top 5 Girls’ Storylines
• Top 5 Boys’ Storylines
• Click here to download an Excel sheet with events by swimmer
• Day 4 Finals Live Recap
• FINA YouTube Link (USA, Canada)
• How to Watch

Day 5 of the 2022 World Junior Championships is set to kick off in a few hours. This morning’s prelims session will feature heats of the boys 100 free, girls 100 fly, boys 400 IM, girls 50 free, boys 50 breast, and girls 4×100 free relay. There will also be timed finals of the girls 1500 free today. The early heats of the 1500 will be swum this morning, while the fastest heat will swim with finals tonight.

Romanian 17-year-old David Popovici had yesterday off from racing but will be back in action today in the boys 100 free. Of course, the World Record holder enters as the top seed by a wide margin. Popovici is entered at 47.30, which is actually almost half a second slower than his World Record mark of 46.86 from the European Championships last month. Popovici set a new World Junior Championship Record in the 100 free leading off the boys 4×100 free relay on day 1 of the meet, swimming a 47.07.

Behind Popovici, Portugal’s Diogo Ribeiro is the #2 seed by a wide margin. Ribeiro broke the Portuguese Record in the event at the European Championships last month, roaring to a new lifetime best of 48.52. He’s been swimming well at these Championships so far, having already won gold in the boys 100 fly and 50 free, breaking the Championship Record in the 50 fly as well.

The girls 100 fly features 3 swimmers seeded under 1:00. Mizuki Hirai (Japan) comes in as the top seed at 59.31, with Paola Borrelli (Italy) and Hajung Yang (South Korea) right behind in 59.45 and 59.51 respectively. Of note, girls 50 fly champion Jana Pavalic isn’t entered in the 100 fly today.

Pavalic is instead competing in the girls 50 free this morning, where she is the top seed (25.34). Actually, Pavalic shares the top seed with Romania’s Bianca Costea, who is also entered at 25.34. Italy’s Sara Curtis is seeded 3rd with a 25.39, while Matilde Biagiotti (Italy), Lillian Slusna (Slovakia), and Alexandra Hrncarova (Slovakia) are all entered under 26 seconds as well.

After winning the boys 200 free earlier in the meet, Brazil’s Stephan Steverink comes in as the top seed in the boys 400 IM today. Steverink is seeded at 4:16.44, just ahead of Japan’s Riku Yamaguchi (4:17.33) and Riki Abe (4:18.46). Abe notably won bronze in the event at the Junior Pan Pacs last week, swimming a 4:17.96.

Italy’s Alex Sabattani (27.50) and Serbia’s Uros Zivanovic (27.64) are the top seeds in the boys 50 breast this morning by a wide margin. No other swimmer is entered under 28.2, clearing the path for what should be a really fun battle to watch between the two as we advance through the rounds of the event.

It appears Italy and Hungary are set for another girls relay battle. Italy enters as the top seed in the girls 4×100 free relay this morning, with Hungary right behind.

FINA is providing a live stream of the session on their YouTube channel. We’ve also provided that stream below.

BOYS 100 FREESTYLE – HEATS

• World Record — 46.86, David Popovici (2022)
• World Junior Record — 46.86, David Popovici (2022)
• World Jr Champ Record — 47.07, David Popovici (2022)

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Diogo Ribeiro (POR) – 48.67
2. David Popovici (ROU) – 49.14
3. Nikolas Antoniou (CYP) – 49.91
4. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 50.09 (TIE)
5. Nans Mazellier (FRA) – 50.09 (TIE)
6. Francesco Lazzari (ITA) – 50.09 (TIE)
7. Jere Hribar (CRO) – 50.29
8. Patrick Dinu (ROU) – 50.31
9. Tobias Kern (CZE) – 50.44
10. Matias Santiso (ARG) – 50.47
11. Nacho Campos (ESP) – 50.69
12. Matheus Pereira (BRA) – 50.75
13. Krzysztof Matuszewski (POL) – 50.84
14. Nikoli Blackman (TTO) – 50.87
15. Boldizsar Magda (HUN) – 50.96
16. Minkyu Noh (KOR) – 50.98

It wasn’t World Record holder David Popovici who led prelims of the boys 100 free this morning. Popovici swam a very relaxed looking 49.14 for the 2nd fastest time of the morning. Instead, it was 50 free champion Diogo Ribeiro who clocked the top time of the morning, swimming a 48.67. That swam was faster than Ribeiro’s seed time but comes in just off his lifetime best of 48.52, which he swam to set the Portuguese Record at the European Championships last month. After winning the 50 free in 21.98 last night, Ribeiro put his speed on display this morning, taking his race out in a sizzling 23.07.

Nikolas Antoniou broke the Cypriot Record in the 50 free last night, then clocked the #3 time in the 100 this morning. His 49.91 comes in about a quarter-of-a-second of the Cypriot Record in the event, which Antoniou set himself at the European Junior Championships in July.

There was a 3-way tie for 4th this morning between South Africa’s Pieter Coetze, France’s Nans Mazellier, and Italy’s Francesco Lazzari, each of whom posted a 50.09.

We’ll keep an eye on Romania’s Patrick Dinu tonight as well. Dinu swam a 50.31 for 8th this morning, but has provided excellent relay splits for Romania this week. So far, he’s split 49.47, 49.50, and 49.69 of relay exchanges, indicating he could become a medal contender if he advances through semifinals tonight.

GIRLS 100 BUTTERFLY – HEATS

• World Record — 55.48, Sarah Sjostrom (2016)
• World Junior Record — 56.43, Claire Curzan (2021)
• World Jr Champ Record — 57.25, Rikako Ikee (2017)

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Mizuki Hirai (JPN) – 59.90
2. Paola Borrelli (ITA) – 1:00.24
3. Beatriz Bezerra (BRA) – 1:01.06
4. Paulina Cierpialowska (POL) – 1:01.61
5. Hajung Yang (KOR) – 1:01.79
6. Anna Porcari (ITA) – 1:01.89
7. Mehlika Yalcin (TUR) – 1:02.29
8. Joice Rocha (BRA) – 1:02.55
9. Maria Yegres (VEN) – 1:02.57
10. Maria Mendez (MEX) – 1:02.73
11. Apeksha Fernandes (IND) – 1:02.77
12. Nilsu Demiran (TUR) – 1:03.05
13. Andra-Denisa Gorecki (ROU) – 1:03.34
14. Jessica Thompson (RSA) – 1:03.52
15. Mina Kaljevic (SRB) – 1:03.53
16. Jasmine Mojdeh (PHI) – 1:03.82

Japanese 15-year-old Mizuki Hirai led prelims this morning with a 59.90, touching as the only swimmer under 1:00. At such a young age, Hirai displayed great speed in the race, splitting 27.52 on the first 50 of the race. She faded on the 2nd 50 of the race, splitting nearly 5 seconds slower with a 32.38, but that split was still the 2nd-fastest 2nd 50 split in the field.

Italy’s Paola Borrelli was right behind, however, finishing in 1:00.24. She had the fastest closing split this morning, bringing it home in 32.24.

After breaking the Indian Record in the 200 fly earlier in the meet, Apeksha Fernandes finished 11th this morning in 1:02.77, nearly breaking another national record. The Indian Record in the event stands at 1:02.71.

BOYS 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – HEATS

• World Record — 4:03.84, Michael Phelps (2008)
• World Junior Record — 4:10.02, Ilya Borodin (2021)
• World Jr Champ Record — 4:11.93, Apostolos Papastamos (2019)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Riku Yamaguchi (JPN) – 4:16.26
2. Stephan Steverink (BRA) – 4:22.29
3. Krzysztof Chmielewski (POL) – 4:22.70
4. Zsombor Bujdoso (HUN) – 4:22.94
5. Roberto Bonilla (GUA) – 4:23.00
6. Michal Judickij (CZE) – 4:24.47
7. Vasileios Sofikitis (GRE) – 4:25.28
8. Miroslav Knedla (CZE) – 4:26.13

Riku Yamagachi was in control of the 400 IM prelims this morning, throwing down the fastest backstroke (1:06.03), breaststroke (1:12.16), and freestyle (59.94) in the field. Brazil’s Stephan Steverink, the 400 free champion from night 1 of the meet, was 2nd this morning in 4:22.29.

Notably, Poland’s Krzysztof Chmielewski took the race out incredibly fast, splitting 55.97 on the butterfly leg. He was still the fastest in the field this morning in the first 200m of the race by almost 2 seconds, but a sluggish 1:18.72 breaststroke split took the wind out of his sails and he finished 3rd overall in 4:22.70.

GIRLS 50 FREESTYLE – HEATS

• World Record — 23.67, Sarah Sjostrom (2017)
• World Junior Record — 24.17, Claire Curzan (2021)
• World Jr Champ Record — 24.59, Rikako Ikee (2017)

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Matilde Biagiotti (ITA) – 25.58
2. Bianca Costea (ROU) – 25.77
3. Jana Pavalic (CRO) – 25.86
4. Lillian Slusna (SVK) – 26.01
5. Sara Curtis (ITA) – 26.18
6. Mina Kaljevic (SRB) – 26.37
7. Celine Bispo (BRA) – 26.40
8. Isabella Bedoya (COL) – 26.46
9. Seoa Lee (KOR) – 26.51
10. Luna Chabat (URU) – 26.55
11. Jessica Carmody (RSA) – 26.66
12. Beatriz Bezerra (BRA) – 26.74
13. Lili Gyurinovics (HUN) – 26.83
14. Rhaniska Gibbs (BAH) – 26.99
15. Rachel Groepes (RSA) – 27.09
16. Valentina Castro (ARG) – 27.11

Italy’s Matilde Biagiotti was the fastest swimmer this morning, clocking a 25.58. There were 2 other swimmers under 26 seconds this morning, including Romania’s Bianca Costea and Croatia’s Jana Pavalic, who won the girls 50 fly last night.

Notably, Brazil’s Beatriz Bezerra qualified for her 2nd semifinal of the day with her swim. Bezerra was 3rd in the girls 100 fly prelims this morning, then finished 12th in the 50 free here with a 26.74. We’ll be waiting to see if she sticks with the double for tonight’s finals session.

BOYS 50 BREASTSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record — 25.95, Adam Peaty (2017)
• World Junior Record — 26.97, Nicolo Martinenghi (2017)
• World Jr Champ Record — 27.02, Nicolo Martinenghi (2017)

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Uros Zivanovic (SRB) – 28.30
2. Alex Sabattani (ITA) – 28.33
3. Filip Urbanski (POL) – 28.47
4. Santiago Zaragoza (MEX) – 28.60
5. Kaan Kara (TUR) – 28.61
6. Luka Mladenovic (AUT) – 28.86
7. Maximiliano Cereceda (CHI) – 28.98
8. Dante Nicola (ARG) – 29.17
9. Sai Ting Adam Mak (HGK) – 29.19
10. Nikola Koltin (SRB) – 29.20
11. Bransly Dirksz (ARU) – 29.28
12. Guilherme Camossato (BRA) – 29.47
13. Kian Keylock (RSA) – 29.60
14. Vicente Villanueva (CHI) – 29.67
15. Xavier Ruiz (PUR) – 29.76
16. Rokas Jazdauskas (LTU) – 29.90

Serbia’s Uros Zivanovic led a tight prelims field in the boys 50 breast this morning. He touched in 28.30, just ahead of Italy’s Alex Sabattani (28.33). Based off lifetime bests, it seems as though the race in finals will come down to Zivanovic and Sabattani, both of whom are the only swimmers in the field who have been under 28 seconds in the event.

GIRLS 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – HEATS

• World Record — 3:29.69, Australia (2021)
• World Junior Record — 3:36.19, Canada (2017)
• World Jr Champ Record — 3:36.19, Canada (2017)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Italy – 3:50.81
2. Hungary – 3:51.04
3. Brazil – 3:51.69
4. South Africa – 3:55.53
5. South Korea – 3:56.50
6. Argentina – 3:59.03
7. Peru – 4:01.70
8. Costa Rica – 4:02.80

Italy, Hungary, and Brazil separated themselves from the other teams this morning in prelims of the girls 4×100 free relay. Based off previous performances at these Championships, we can expect all 3 teams to be well under 3:50 tonight in finals.

GIRLS 1500 FREESTYLE – EARLY HEATS

• World Record — 15:20.48, Katie Ledecky (2018)
• World Junior Record — 15:28.36, Katie Ledecky (2014)
• World Jr Champ Record — 15:58.86, Lani Pallister (2019)

Early Heats Results:

1. Malena Santillan (ARG) – 16:51.36
2. Emma Guglielmello (PUR) – 17:09.77
3. Yuritzi Salgado (MEX) – 17:24.49
4. Callan Lotter (RSA) – 17:33.29
5. Andrea Perez (MEX) – 17:38.90
6. Tiffany Murillo (COL) – 17:41.04
7. Rafaela Coello (ECU) – 17:41.88
8. Zoe Griffiths (RSA) – 17:55.15
9. Ariana Valle (ESA) – 18:02.39
10. Mia Arevalo (PER) – 18:27.23
11. Minagi Rupesinghe (SRI) – 19:25.32
12. Valeria Figueroa (BOL) – 19:29.09

14-year-old Malena Santillan, representing Argentina, keep chugging along this week with excellent performances for someone her age. Having already finished in the top 8 in the girls 400 free and 800 free, Santillan clocked the fastest time of the early heats in the 1500 this morning, setting herself up well to finish in the top 8 after the fastest heat is completed tonight.

Santillan’s 16:51.36 comes in off her lifetime best of 16:44.12, a time which she swam at the Spanish Summer Junior National Championships in July. Her 16:44.12 makes her the #4 Argentine swimmer in the event all-time, in what has probably been the country’s strongest women’s event historically, with Delfina Pignatiello holding the national record at 15:51.38.