2023 World Cup – Athens: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2023 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – ATHENS

• Friday, October 13th – Sunday, October 15th
• Athens, Greece
• LCM (50m)
• Prelims 9:00am (EEST)/ 2:oo am (EDT)
• Finals 6:00 pm (EEST)/ 11:00 am (EDT)
• Meet Central
• Entries
• Live Results

It’s time for the second session of finals at the Athens stop of the 2023 World Cup series.

Watch:

DAY 2 FINALS EVENT SCHEDULE

• Women’s 400 IM — final
• Men’s 800 Freestyle — final
• Men’s 50 Backstroke — final
• Women’s 200 Freestyle — final
• Men’s 200 IM — final
• Women’s 100 Backstroke — final
• Men’s 50 Breaststroke — final
• Women’s 50 Butterfly — final
• Men’s 100 Freestyle — final
• Women’s 100 Breaststroke — final
• Men’s 200 Butterfly — final

There’s another exciting session of finals on tap today which include some rematches from Berlin. Siobhan Haughey set a new World Cup record in the 200 freestyle in Berlin, and she’ll take on the event again here in Athens. There’s a whole slate of women aiming to take the win themselves, including Erika Fairweather (who won the 400 free on Day 1), Lani Pallister, Claire Weinstein, Nikolett Padar, and Marrit Steenbergen.

In the women’s 100 backstroke, Kaylee McKeown looks to continue her reign. On Day 1, she set a new Oceanic record in the 50 backstroke, which was just .04 seconds off the world record. She was only five-tenths off her 100 back world record in Berlin, so she could be about to get even closer to her 2021 mark then 57.95.

On the men’s side, 19-year-old Pieter Coetze took the 200 backstroke on Day 1, and now looks to claim the 50 back. Behind him, Michael Andrew and Isaac Cooper are looking to upset him after Coetze took the top time of the morning.

WOMEN’S 400 IM — FINAL

• World Record: 4:25.87 — Summer McIntosh, Canada (2023)
• World Cup Record: 4:32.30 — Katinka Hosszu, Hungary (2019)
• World Junior Record: 4:25.87 — Summer McIntosh, Canada (2023)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Katie Grimes (United States) — 4:38.74
• SILVER: Waka Kobori (Japan) — 4:39.35
• BRONZE: Ageha Tanigawa (Japan) — 4:40.23

Katie Grimes repeated as the 400 IM winner, backing up her win from Berlin. Grimes took the race out on the first half of the race, turning at the halfway point in 2:10.24, 3.29 seconds ahead of the field. But over the breaststroke leg, the two Japanese swimmers in the field, Waka Kobori and Ageha Tanigawa, got to work erasing that deficit.

After 50 meters of breaststroke, Grimes’ lead had halved and at the turn to freestyle, it was just .18 seconds. Grimes was back in her comfort zone in freestyle, but Kobori pushed her all the way to the finish. Grimes touched for the win in 4:38.74, just ahead of Kobori’s 4:39.35.

Tanigawa made it a 2-3 finish for Japan, getting back on the podium for the second time at this World Cup. While she was third instead of second as she was in Berlin, she was over two seconds faster than she was last weekend, improving from 4:42.73 to 4:40.23.

MEN’S 800 FREESTYLE — FINAL

• World Record: 7:32.12 — Zhang Lin, China (2009)
• World Cup Record: 7:56.96 — Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy (2015)
• World Junior Record: 7:43.37 — Lorenzo Galossi, Italy (2022)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Henrik Christiansen (Norway) — 7:51.92  *World Cup Record*
• SILVER: Dimitrios Markos (Greece) — 7:58.16
• BRONZE: Kaito Tabuchi (Japan) — 7:58.70

Norway’s Henrik Christiansen blasted away from the field early in the fastest heat of the men’s 800 freestyle. He locked up the win fairly early on in the race, it was more a question of just how fast his time would be. He stopped the clock at 7:51.92, erasing Gregorio Paltrinieri‘s World Cup record from 2015 by just over five seconds.

The main race was behind Christiansen, as Dimitrios Markos, Kaito Tabuchi, and Josh Brown fought it out for the other two spots on the podium. Brown led the three through the early part of the race. But over the back half, Markos began to bring his legs into the mix, and Tabuchi refused to go away either.

The two passed Brown and it was a sprint between them for second on the final 50 meters. In front of a home-nation crowd, Markos grabbed second in 7:58.16, ahead of Tabuchi’s 7:58.70.

MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE — FINAL

• World Record: 23.55 — Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia (2023)
• World Cup Record: 24.40 — Vladimir Morozov, Russia (2019)
• World Junior Record: 24.00 — Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia (2018)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Michael Andrew (United States) — 24.79
• SILVER: Pieter Coetze (South Africa) — 24.89
• BRONZE: Isaac Cooper (Australia) — 24.90

It was a tight race between Michael Andrew, Pieter Coetze, and Isaac Cooper in the men’s 50 backstroke. It looked like Andrew had the race sewn up, but in the closing ten meters both Coetze and Cooper surged. Coetze recovered from a bad start, bringing himself up to the race for first right at the end.

Coetze didn’t have enough room to catch Andrew, who got the job done with a 24.79. Coetze took second in 24.89, just a hundredth ahead of Cooper. While the entire podium was under 25 seconds, which wasn’t the case in Berlin, both Andrew and Cooper were slower than they were last weekend, where they went 24.47 and 24.57 for 1st and 2nd.

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE — FINAL

• World Record: 1:52.85 — Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia (2023)
• World Cup Record: 1:55.10 — Siobhan Haughey, Hong Kong (2023)
• World Junior Record: 1:53.65 — Summer McIntosh, Canada (2023)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Siobhan Haughey (Hong Kong) — 1:55.03 *World Cup record*
• SILVER: Erika Fairweather (New Zealand) — 1:56.71
• BRONZE: Nikolett Padar (Hungary) — 1:57.32

Make that another World Cup record for Siobhan Haughey. She flew away from the field after the first 50 meters, making sure that the field would have to chase her down. She and Lani Pallister were the only two in the heat who kept all four 50s sub 30 seconds, and Haughey closed in 29.72 and 29.17 for a 1:55.03. That undercuts the World Cup record she set last week by seven-hundredths.

Erika Fairweather repeated her silver from Berlin with a 1:56.71, moving ahead of the young Hungarian Nikolett Padar in the final 50 meters. Padar split 30.39 on the final 50, just holding off a charge from Pallister, who closed in 29.80. Padar grabbed bronze in 1:57.32, denying a repeat of the Berlin podium as Pallister took 4th.

MEN’S 200 IM — FINAL

• World Record: 1:54.00 — Ryan Lochte, United States (2011)
• World Cup Record: 1:57.06 — Mitch Larkin, Australia (2019)
• World Junior Record: 1:56.99 — Hubert Kos, Hungary (2021)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Matt Sates (South Africa) — 1:58.86
• SILVER: Kieran Smith (United States) — 1:59.56
• BRONZE: Danas Rapsys (Lithuania) — 2:00.15

Like he did all last weekend in the medley races, Matt Sates used the breaststroke leg to power himself into the lead here in the men’s 200 IM in Athens. He was fourth after the backstroke leg, but split 34.06 on breaststroke–the only person in the field sub-35–to take the lead.

He and Kieran Smith pushed each other on the freestyle leg, but Sates was able to earn the win in a 1:58.86, with Smith second in 1:59.56. It’s the same swimmers on the podium as last weekend, but this time Smith dipped under the 2 minute mark and upgraded to silver.

Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys fell to sixth after the breaststroke leg. However, he charged home in 27.36, moving up three spots and securing a 3rd place finish in 2:00.15, which is a second off his personal best from 2019.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE — FINAL

• World Record: 57.45 — Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2021)
• World Cup Record: 57.95 — Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2023)
• World Junior Record: 57.57 — Regan Smith, United States (2019)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Kaylee McKeown (Australia) — 57.63 *World Cup record*
• SILVER: Kylie Masse (Canada) — 1:00.10
• BRONZE: Ingrid Wilm (Canada) — 1:00.57

Kaylee McKeown continues to showcase her backstroke dominance through the World Cup series. After coming just .04 seconds from the 50 back word record in Day 1, she posted a 57.63 here to win the 100 back, scaring her own world record and setting a new World Cup record.

McKeown flipped in 28.32, then charged home in 29.31 to reset the World Cup record that she’d set just last weekend at 57.95. She said after the race that she was “definitely not” expecting these kinds of times this early in the season, but she keeps inching closer to her 57.45 world record from 2021.

Nobody else in the field could touch McKeown on the back half of the race. As they were yesterday, the Canadians took 2nd and 3rd in the race, with Kylie Masse taking 2nd in 1:00.10 and Ingrid Wilm 3rd in 1:00.57.

MEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE — FINAL

• World Record: 25.95 — Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• World Cup Record: 26.29 — Qin Haiyang, China (2023)
• World Junior Record: 26.97 — Nicolo Martinenghi, Italy (2017)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Qin Haiyang (China) — 26.52
• SILVER: Adam Peaty (Great Britain) — 26.89
• BRONZE: Nic Fink (United States) — 26.98

Qin Haiyang got it done in the men’s 50 breaststroke, taking his second win of this stop with a 26.52. It’s possible that Qin may be starting to show signs of how much racing he’s done this year now, as this was his slowest winning time in the 50 breaststroke across Worlds, WUGS, Asian Games, and the Berlin World Cup.

Still, 26.52 was more than enough to win. Adam Peaty was 2nd in 26.89, a strong result from him as it’s a big improvement from just a week ago where he was 3rd in 26.98.

Nic Fink improved from last weekend as well, jumping up onto the podium with a 26.98 for himself.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY — FINAL

• World Record: 24.43 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2014)
• World Cup Record: 25.06 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
• World Junior Record: 25.46 — Rikako Ikee, Japan (2017)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden) — 24.97
• SILVER: Zhang Yufei (China) — 25.31
• BRONZE: Torri Huske (United States) — 25.73

Torri Huske had a strong start, but this race was all about Sarah Sjostrom. She took control quickly and ripped a new World Cup record for the win. She swam 24.97, bringing the record sub-25 seconds for the first time and resetting the mark of 25.06 that she swam last weekend.

It was another repeat podium from last weekend. Zhang took silver in 25.31, off the 25.14 she posted last weekend. Huske once again took on the 200 free/50 fly double. She improved her 50 fly time, hitting a 25.73 for 3rd.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE — FINAL

• World Record: 46.86 — David Popovici, Romania (2022)
• World Cup Record: 47.78 — Vladislav Grinev, Russia (2019)
• World Junior Record: 46.86 — David Popovici, Romania (2022)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Thomas Ceccon (Italy) — 48.36
• SILVER: Dylan Carter (Trinidad & Tobago) — 48.62
• BRONZE: Zac Incerti (Australia) — 48.88

Thomas Ceccon repeated as the 100 freestyle winner. He led at the halfway mark, flipping in 23.21 to Dylan Carter‘s 23.51. Carter closed in 25.11, but Ceccon’s opening speed paid off, and he split 25.15 on the way home to take the win in 48.36 ahead of Carter’s 48.62.

Ceccon was under 48 seconds last weekend, but didn’t seem too upset by the time after the race, commenting that “for October, it’s good.”

The top three were the only ones in the field to break 49 seconds, with Zac Incerti finishing third in 48.88. After rehabbing a shoulder injury earlier this year, Incerti is continuing to show that he’s rounding back into form here on the World Cup series.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE — FINAL

• World Record: 1:04.13 — Lilly King, United States (2017)
• World Cup Record: 1:05.93 — Alia Atkinson, Jamaica (2015)
• World Junior Record: 1:04.35 — Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2013)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Ruta Meilutyte (Lithuania) — 1:06.70
• SILVER: Tes Schouten (Netherlands) — 1:06.94
• BRONZE: Sophie Hansson (Sweden) — 1:07.26

Ruta Meilutyte took the race out quickly, turning in 30.63. That was even faster than the 31.07 she opened with last weekend. She tired down the stretch, but unlike in Berlin, she was able not only to hold on for a spot on the podium, but the win.

Meilutyte is the reigning world champion in this event and she took the win here with a 1:06.70, holding off the Netherlands’ Tes Schouten. Schouten split 35.15 on the way home, moving ahead of Jenna Strauch and Sophie Hansson for 2nd in 1:06.94.

Hansson also passed Strauch, rounding out the podium with a 1:07.26.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY — FINAL

• World Record: 1:50.34 — Kristof Milak, Hungary (2022)
• World Cup Record: 1:54.18 — Chad le Clos, South Africa (2015)
• World Junior Record: 1:53.79 — Kristof Milak, Hungary (2017)

PODIUM:

• GOLD: Matt Sates (South Africa) — 1:55.44
• SILVER: Richard Marton (Hungary) — 1:56.50
• BRONZE: Takumi Terada (Japan) — 1:57.23

Sates earned his second win of the day, closing out the second session of finals with a win in the men’s 200 fly. He, Richard Marton, Takumi Terada, and Trenton Julian were all together at the 100-meter mark. But, Sates found another gear on the back half, splitting 30.27/29.46 to separate himself from the other three and win. Sates’ winning time of 1:55.44 is a personal best for him, undercutting the 1:55.87 he swam last weekend.

Marton—who was leading the group at the 50 and 100–held on for silver in 1:56.60. Terada repeated his 3rd place from Berlin, just two-tenths off his time there with a 1:57.23. Terada was fourth with 50 meters to go, but outsplit Julian by over a second on the final 50 to secure his spot on the podium.