2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- July 23 to 30, 2023
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Marine Messe Fukuoka
- LCM (50m)
- WORLD CHAMPS WATCH PARTY – DAILY
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Entry Book
- Live Results (Omega)
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Final Live Recap
DAY 5 PRELIMS START LISTS (HEAT SHEET)
DAY 5 PRELIMS EVENT SCHEDULE
- Women’s 100 Freestyle
- Men’s 200 Backstroke
- Women’s 200 Breaststroke
- Men’s 200 Breaststroke
- Women’s 4×200 Freestyle Relay
The day 5 prelims session at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka will be underway in a few hours. The action this morning will feature heats of the women’s 100 free, men’s 200 back, women’s 200 breast, men’s 200 breast, and the women’s 4×200 free relay.
There are quite a few storylines to follow with today’s events, the journeys for which will begin with this morning’s prelims. Firstly, China’s Qin Haiyang has been on an absolute tear in Fukuoka this week. Having already won the men’s 50 breast and 100 breast, Haiyang will be looking to complete the sweep of the men’s breaststroke events.
History is on the line for Haiyang with the 200 breast over the next two days. If he were to win gold in the event, Haiyang would be the first man ever to win all 3 men’s breaststroke events at a Long Course World Championships. While Haiyang is a little better in the sprint breaststroke events than the 200, he’s still the #3 seed in the event heading into the meet, entering with a 2:07.55. Given that Haiyang has dropped time and set Asian Records in both the 50 breast and 100 breast already this week, he’s coming into the 200 breast this morning with a lot of momentum.
While Haiyang is the hot hand in the men’s breast events right now, he’ll have a challenge on his hands. Australian Zac Stubblety-Cook is the World Record holder in the event, having set the record at 2:05.95 last summer. ZSC comes in as the top seed in the event this morning, and he’s swum well enough so far this week that he should still be viewed as the favorite.
Following her exceptional 200 free last night, in which she cracked Federica Pellegrini’s legendary 200 free World Record, Australian Mollie O’Callaghan is set to compete in the women’s 100 free this morning. O’Callaghan, whose status at this meet was up in the air after she suffered a knee injury about a month ago, has been on a tear in Fukuoka this week. First, she blasted a new personal best of 52.08 leading off Australia’s women’s 4×100 free relay, which went on to shatter the World Record in the event. Then, she came back last night and picked up the first individual World Record of her career, throwing down a stunning 1:52.85 for gold.
Given how well O’Callaghan is swimming, I certainly wouldn’t bet against her in the 100 free.
Following a 4th place finish in the women’s 100 breast earlier in the week, American breaststroke star Lilly King will be looking to defend her title in the women’s 200 breast. King won the 200 breast last summer in a bit of a down year for the event, swimming a 2:22.41 for gold. We know King can be significantly faster than that already this year, having clocked a 2:20.95 at U.S. Trials a month ago, which earned her the top seed in the event.
Coming in as the #2 seed is fellow American Kate Douglass, who is swimming very well in Fukuoka so far. Douglass won gold in the women’s 200 IM early in the meet and has thrown down some awesome 100 free splits on relays so far.
South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker, formerly the World Record holder in the event, and Netherlands’ Tes Schouten both present very real title threats in the event as well.
After winning gold in the men’s 100 back earlier in the meet, American veteran Ryan Murphy comes in as the top seed in the men’s 200 back this morning. Murphy isn’t just the top seed, he’s the top seed by well over a second. Given that, plus his victory in the 100 back, and his great lead-off on the mixed 4×100 medley relay last night (52.02), Murphy is set up extremely well heading into the event.
Hungary’s Hubert Kos scratched out of the men’s 200 IM yesterday morning in order to focus on the 200 back, so keep a close eye on him as well.
ZSC for the win.
Marchand should swim the 200br in prelims, go a 2:04, then scratch finals just to give the people what they want.
…why would he do that?
It’s a joke. Relax.
Source in Japan saying Marchand scratch for 200 Breast
His first name is Haiyang, Haiyang means ocean.
Unless it was meant to call him by his first name, realize Qin is his last, Haiyang his first name
I’m curious to see how the sprint training will affect Qin’s 200 breaststroke. When he first went 57 this year, he was still “just” 2:07 in the 200.
Can we get an article on suspended member federation team? Saw the team placed 30 in the mixed medley relay
Yes, noticed that. Plus an ART team, not sure what that stands for (probably R=Refugees, but A or T?
Very interesting to see how this plays out! ZSC did not look good at trials but his split last night wasn’t far off his best. Qin is looking invincible at the moment though.
Peaty will smash them all next year!!!
Possibly but definitely not in the 200.
Not in 200
I don’t think Adam will be back, tbh.
A normal human being swimming the breast should have a second 100 that is about 5 seconds slower than the first 100, so a realistic path for Qin to win is if he splits 1:00.5/1:05.5 for a 2:06 result (I don’t think ZSC will break his WR). Zac is insane with it comes to pacing and if he can split 1:02 flat and come back with a 1:04 flat that would be his hand to victory.
IDK. The Aussies are rolling. Hard to stop a team that’s rolling.