2023 World Champs, Day 6 Finals Preview: MOC Seeks 1st Women’s 100/200 Free Sweep

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 Finals Live Recap
• Day 5 Prelims Live Recap | Day 5 Finals Live Recap
• Day 6 Prelims Live Recap

Mollie O’Callaghan will have a shot at history when she kicks off the sixth finals session at this year’s World Championships in the women’s 100-meter freestyle on Friday night in Fukuoka, Japan.

Two days after breaking Federica Pellegrini‘s legendary world record in the 200 free (1:52.98) with a 1:52.85, the 19-year-old Aussie is on the brink of becoming the first woman ever to sweep the 100 free and 200 free at Worlds. However, O’Callaghan (52.86) is up against a stacked field featuring Siobhan Haughey (52.90), Emma McKeon (53.00), and top semifinals qualifier Marrit Steenbergen (52.82) in her title defense. At least one member of that fast quartet will be left off the podium tonight, and Sarah Sjostrom‘s world record of 51.71 from 2017 could be on watch.

The sixth evening session also features finals of the women’s 200 breaststroke, men’s 200 backstroke, men’s 200 breaststroke, and men’s 4×200 freestyle relay along with semifinals of the men’s 100 butterfly, women’s 200 backstroke, men’s 50 free, and women’s 50 fly.

In the women’s 200 breast, 26-year-old defending champion Lilly King is aiming to rebound after again missing the podium in the 100 breast (4th-place finish in 1:06.02). She’s got some work to do as the No. 4 seed in tonight’s final behind fellow American Kate Douglass (2:21.99), the Netherlands’ Tes Schouten (2:21.71), and South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker (2:21.31).

Another American will be looking to defend their title from the fourth qualifying position when Ryan Murphy enters the water for the men’s 200 back. Medaling tonight will be no easy feat after the 28-year-old qualified fourth (1:56.02) behind the Hungarian duo of Hubert Kos (1:55.99) and Benedek Kovacs (1:55.89) as well as top qualifier Roman Mityukov (1:55.85) of Switzerland. The top six swimmers were separated by just .31 seconds as France’s Mewen Tomac (1:56.05) and Australia’s Bradley Woodward (1:56.16) could also be in the mix for the podium. 

Qin Haiyang (2:07.70) is seeking to cap a breaststroke sweep with a win in the men’s 200 breast tonight, but he’ll need to beat world record holder and top qualifier Zac Stubblety-Cook (2:07.27) in order to stay perfect in Fukuoka. Qin set Asian records en route to world titles in the 50 breast (26.29 after 26.20 in semis) and 100 breast (57.69) earlier this week.

In the men’s 4×200 freestyle relay final, Great Britain will be hungry for gold after its DQ in the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay prelims, but Kai Taylor’s 1:44.56 split in prelims gives the Aussies of being formidable foes tonight along with the U.S. and Italy. 

Meanwhile, round three of the Kaylee McKeown vs. Regan Smith showdown is brewing in the women’s 200 back semifinals. McKeown triumphed during the first two battles in the 50 back and 100 back, but it was Smith who qualified first for the 200 back final (2:07.24) more than two seconds ahead of the 22-year-old Aussie world record holder (2:09.30), who placed 5th in the semifinals.

In the women’s 50 fly semifinals, keep an eye on Rikako Ikee after the 23-year-old Japanese standout threw down her fastest time (25.50) since 2018 — before she was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019. Ikee qualified third in the 50 fly prelims behind China’s Zhang Yufei (25.33) and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom (25.04) as she hunts for her first major international medal since beating cancer.

In the men’s 50 free, Cameron McEvoy proved his personal-best 21.27 from last month’s Australian Trials was no fluke with a 21.35 in this morning’s heats. The 29-year-old clocked a 21.35 to lead the field by .32 seconds, ahead of Szebaztian Szabo (21.67), Florent Manaudou (21.72), and Jack Alexy (21.73).

In the men’s 100 fly semifinals, 24-year-old Aussie Matt Temple will try to keep his momentum going after blazing his best time since June of 2021 in this morning’s prelims with a 50.76, just ahead of Nyls Korstanje‘s new Dutch record of 50.78.