2023 World Junior Championships: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2023 WORLD JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• September 4 – 9, 2023
• Netanya, Israel
• Wingate Institute
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• How To Watch
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet (Start List)

Day 3 of the 2023 World Junior Championships has arrived. This morning, we have a ton of 50s on deck, including the girls 50 fly, boys 50 back, and boys 50 free. As was the case yesterday with the girls event, the boys 800 free will see the slowest heats take place at the end of the session this morning. The fastest heat of the event will be swum in tonight’s finals session.

DAY 3 PRELIMS EVENT SCHEDULE

• Girls 50 butterfly – Prelims
• Boys 50 backstroke – Prelims
• Girls 100 breaststroke – Prelims
• Boys 50 freestyle – Prelims
• Girls 200 backstroke – Prelims
• Mixed 4×100 freestyle relay – Prelims
• Boys 800 freestyle – Slowest Heats (Timed Finals)

DAY 3 PRELIMS HEAT SHEET (START LIST)

Following her personal best performance in the 100 back last night, American Teagan O’Dell comes into the girls 200 back this morning as the top seed. Of note, the only two swimmers seeded under 2:10 in the 200 back today are the 2 Americans: O’Dell (2:09.09) and Jojo Ramey (2:09.69).

Coming off his win in the 200 free last night, Australia’s Flynn Southam enters the boys 50 free as the top seed. Southam wasn’t quite as sharp on the 4×100 free relay on day 1 as he was in the 200 free yesterday, so we’ll see if that has any implication on his 50 free today.

Estonia’s Eneli Jefimova comes into the girls 100 breast seeded under the Championship Record in the event. Jefimova already won gold in the 50 breast this week and she set the Championship Record in that event in prelims, so keep an eye on her this morning.

GIRLS 50 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 25.46 – Rikako Ikee, Japan (2017)
• Championship Record: 25.46 – Rikako Ikee, Japan (2017)
• Time for 16th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 28.63

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Mizuki Hirai (Japan) – 26.32
2. Leah Shackley (United States) – 26.58
3. Celine Bispo (Brazil) – 26.80
4. Paulina Cierpialowska (Poland) – 26.83 (TIE)
5. Lillian Slusna (Slovakia) – 26.83 (TIE)
6. Lana Pudar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – 26.87
7. Olivia Wunsch (Australia) – 26.89
8. Bailey Hartman (United States) – 27.01
9. Isabella Boyd (Australia) – 27.05
10. Jessica Thompson (South Africa) – 27.19
11. Hoi Yeung (Hong Kong) – 27.23
12. Sofiya Abubakirova (Kazakhstan) – 27.26
13. Clare Watson (Canada) – 27.41
14. Shiori Okami (Japan) – 27.47 (TIE)
15. Mia West (Canada) – 27.47 (TIE)
16. Maria Mendez (Mexico) – 27.48

Hirai Mizuki clipped her best time of 26.48 en route to establishing the top time of the morning. Mizuki swam a 26.32, leading the field by 0.26 seconds. Just 16 years old, Mizuki is one of the youngest swimmers to make this final.

American Leah Shackley clocked a new personal best as well, swimming a 26.58 for 2nd. That time comes in well under her previous best of 26.96. The other American in the event, Bailey Hartman, made it through as well, coming in 8th with a 27.01.

Brazil saw one of its highest finishes so far in the meet with Celine Bispo swimming a 26.80 for 3rd.

200 fly champion Lana Pudar swam a 26.87, finishing 6th. Pudar was the top seed coming into the day, entering with a personal best of 26.10.

BOYS 50 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 24.00 – Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia (2018)
• Championship Record: 24.44 – Ksawery Masiuk, Poland (2022)
• Time for 16th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 27.17

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Miroslav Knedla (Czech Republic) – 25.12
2. Oleksandr Zheltiakov (Ukraine) – 25.13
3. Ulises Saravia (Argentina) – 25.19
4. Jiang Chenglin (China) – 25.45
5. Jihwan Yoon (South Korea) – 25.45
6. Christian Bacico (Italy) – 25.54
7. Daniel Diehl (United States) – 25.61
8. Ivan Martinez (Spain) – 25.74
9. Jakub Krischke (Czech Republic) – 25.75
10. Mahiro Kohigashi (Japan) – 25.88 (TIE)
11. Lukas Edl (Austria) – 25.88 (TIE)
12. Daniele del Signore (Italy) – 26.03
13. Finn Harland (New Zealand) – 26.11
14. Stephan Omelchenko (Israel) – 26.14
15. Aukan Goldin (Israel) – 26.15
16. Caleb Maldari (United States) – 26.20

100 back silver medalist Miroslav Knedla clocked a 25.12 to finish 1st overall in the 50 back prelims this morning. He was followed very closely by 100 back champion Oleksandr Zheltiakov (Ukraine), who swam a 25.13. Of note, Knedla was the top seed coming into the event, having been as fast as 24.75. Meanwhile, Zheltiakov was seeded with a 25.10, so he was just 0.03 seconds off his time.

Argentina’s Ulises Saravia was just off the top two’s times, stopping the clock in 25.19 for 3rd this morning.

100 back bronze medalist Christian Bacico (Italy) came in 6th with a 25.54.

GIRLS 100 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 1:04.35 – Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2013)
• Championship Record: 1:06.61 – Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania (2013)
• 2024 Olympic ‘A’ Standard: 1:06.79
  • ‘B’ Standard: 1:07.12
• Time for 16th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 1:14.34

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Eneli Jefimova (Estonia) – 1:07.37
2. Jimena Ruiz (Spain) – 1:07.83
3. Piper Enge (United States) – 1:07.85
4. Alexanne Lepage (Canada) – 1:07.97
5. Nayara Pineda (Spain) – 1:08.31
6. Francesca Zucca (Italy) – 1:08.55
7. Kotomi Kato (Japan) – 1:08.96
8. Mina Nakazawa (Japan) – 1:09.03
9. Sieun Park (South Korea) – 1:09.29
10. Chiara Della Corte (Italy) – 1:09.40
11. Isabella Johnson (Australia) – 1:09.48
12. Monique Wieruszowski (New Zealand) – 1:09.49
13. Martina Bukvic (Serbia) – 1:09.54
14. Hayley Mackinder (Australia) – 1:09.58
15. Simone Moll (South Africa) – 1:10.34
16. Molly Sweeney (United States) – 1:10.39

50 breast champion Eneli Jefimova of Estonia led the way by half a second in the girls 100 breast prelims this morning. Jefimova swam a 1:07.37, which is more than a second off her personal best but was still enough to lead the pack. Jefimova clocked the fastest 2nd 50 split in the field this morning, coming home in a speedy 35.15.

Jimena Ruiz (Puerto Rico) clocked a 1:07.83 for 2nd this morning, while American Piper Enge swam a 1:07.85 for 3rd. Canadian Alexanne Lepage was also under 1:08 this morning, touching 4th in 1:07.97.

The 2nd American in this event, Molly Sweeney, narrowly made it into tonight’s semifinals, finishing 16th with a 1:10.39.

Of note, this event was significantly faster this morning than it was last year. At last year’s World Junior Champs, it took a 1:14.34 to advance to the semifinal. Sweeney was the last one in this morning with a time that was nearly 4 full seconds faster than that.

BOYS 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 21.75 – Michael Andrew, United States (2017)
• Championship Record: 21.75 – Michael Andrew, United States (2017)
• 2024 Olympic ‘A’ Standard: 21.96
  • ‘B’ Standard: 22.07
• Time for 16th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 23.50

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Flynn Southam (Australia) – 22.48
2. Nikoli Blackman (Trinidad and Tobago) – 22.50
3. Diggory Dillingham (United States) – 22.52
4. Davide Passafaro (Italy) – 22.66
5. Lorenzo Ballarati (Italy) – 22.71
6. Szymon Misiak (Poland) – 22.80
7. Pedro Sansone (Brazil) – 22.83
8. Tane Bidois (Australia) – 22.92
9. Mikhail Povaliaev (Israel) – 22.96
10. Vinicius Rizza (Brazil) – 23.09
11. Tonman Kanteemool (Thailand) – 23.14 (TIE)
12. Jakub Krischke (Czech Republic) – 23.14 (TIE)
13. Javier Nunez (Dominican Republic) – 23.15 (TIE)
14. Hrvoje Tomic (Croatia) – 23.15 (TIE)
15. Paul Dardis (Canada) – 23.15 (TIE)
16. Petar Popovic (Serbia) – 23.18

In a tight 50 free prelims, 1st and 16th place were separated by just 0.70 seconds this morning. Australia’s Flynn Southam put up a very solid performance this morning, leading the field with a 22.48. That time comes in just off his seed time of 22.32.

Nikoli Blackman out of Trinidad and Tobago was just off Southam’s time, clocking a 22.50 for 2nd. Meanwhile, American Diggory Dillingham finished in 22.52 for the 3rd-fastest time of the morning.

GIRLS 200 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 2:03.35 – Regan Smith, United States (2019)
• Championship Record: 2:07.45 – Regan Smith, United States (2017)
• 2024 Olympic ‘A’ Standard: 2:10.39
  • ‘B’ Standard: 2:11.04
• Time for 8th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 2:17.66

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Jojo Ramey (United States) – 2:12.20
2. Teagan O’Dell (United States) – 2:12.36
3. Grant Bella (Australia) – 2:12.69
4. Sum Cheung (Hong Kong) – 2:13.28
5. Xeniya Ignatova (Kazakhstan) – 2:13.89 (TIE)
6. Nahia Garrida (Spain) – 2:13.89 (TIE)
7. Delia Lloyd (Canada) – 2:14.13
8. Wang Xinyi (China) – 2:14.16 (TIE)
9. Kristine Norby (Denmark) – 2:14.16 (TIE)

The American duo of Jojo Ramey and Teagan O’Dell led the field in prelims of the girls 200 back this morning. Ramey and O’Dell were the only two swimmers seeded under 2:10 in the event, though they both went 2:12 this morning.

Ramey swam a 2:12.20, while O’Dell went 2:12.36. Ramey was out the fastest of anyone, splitting 1:04.29 on the first 100m.

Bella Grant (Australia), the runner-up in the 200 fly last night, came in 3rd this morning with a 2:12.69.

There was a tie for 8th this morning between China’s Wang Xinyi and Denmark’s Kristine Norby, both of whom went 2:14.16. As it was a tie for 8th, there will be a swim-off at the end of the session to determine which swimmer will advance to the final tonight.

Of note, it took exactly 3.5 seconds faster to qualify for the final this year than at last year’s World Junior Championships.

MIXED 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 3:25.92 – United States (2019)
• Championship Record: 3:25.92 – United States (2019)
• Time for 8th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 3:38.71

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Australia – 3:29.20
2. United States – 3:31.26
3. Italy – 3:31.44
4. Lithuania – 3:32.39
5. Canada – 3:34.13
6. Spain – 3:35.18
7. Poland – 3:35.32
8. Brazil – 3:35.40

Australia led the mixed 4×100 free relay prelims this morning by a little over 2 seconds. The Aussie team of Marcus da Silva (50.02), Anders McAlpine (49.67), Jaimie de Lutiis (54.79), and Hannah Casey (54.72) teamed up for a 3:29.20. Impressively, we know Australia will be significantly faster tonight in finals, as they’ll swap out all 4 legs. In particular, the addition of Flynn Southam on one of the male legs, along with Olivia Wunsch and Milla Jansen on the female legs should make a huge difference.

The Americans came in 2nd this morning with a 3:31.26. Jacob Wimberly (50.57), Hudson Williams (49.87), Caroline Larsen (55.92), and Madi Mintenko (54.90) combined to get it done.