2024 SC World Championships: Day 5 Finals Live Recap

2024 Short Course World Championships

• December 10-15, 2024
• Duna Arena, Budapest, Hungary
• SCM (25m)
• Meet Central
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• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Pick’em
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Prelims Live Recap: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
• Finals Live Recap: Day 1  | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Time for the 2nd to last finals session of the 2024 World Championships, but the athletes don’t seem to be feeling the length of the meet if last night and this morning are any indication. Last night there were seven new World Records, and this morning’s prelims saw a new World Record from Jordan Crooks and a new Championship Record from Gretchen Walsh in the 50 free, which we will get to see the semi-finals of tonight.

Day 5 Finals Heat Sheet

• Women’s 100 fly- Final
• Men’s 100 fly- Final
• Women’s 50 breast- Semifinal
• Men’s 50 breast- Semifinal
• Women’s 50 free- Semifinal
• Men’s 50 free- Semifinal
• Women’s 400 IM- Final
• Men’s 400 IM- Final
• Men’s 800 free Fastest Heat
• Mixed 4×100 Free Medley Relay

We have the potential to see quite a few records this evening, the women’s 100 fly world record has already been broken twice this meet by Gretchen Walsh, and she is getting one more crack at it in tonight’s final.

We are also on record watch in the 50 freestyle for Walsh and Jordan Crooks who already has one World record on the day from his prelims swim.

Summer McIntosh is swimming her best event final tonight, the women’s 400 IM, and she has already broken two world records this meet, the 200 IM and the 200 fly.

The men’s 400 IM will have a new champion crowned for the first time in 14 years after 6 time champion Daiya Seto missed the final.

We will end the meet with the first iteration of the Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay. That is one “World Record” we will for sure see tonight, because whoever wins it, gets to set it.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – Final

• World Record: 52.87 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 55.39 – Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
• World Championship Record: 52.87 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• 2022 World Champion: Maggie MacNeil, CAN – 54.05

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA)- 52.71 **NEW WORLD RECORD**
2. Tessa Giele (NED)- 54.66
3. Alexandria Perkins (AUS)- 55.10
4. Louise Hansson (SWE)- 55.23
5. Mizuki Hirai (JPN)- 55.61
6. Ellen Walshe (IRL)- 55.68
7. Lily Price (AUS)- 55.82
8. Laura Lahtinen (FIN)- 56.92

Everytime Gretchen Walsh touched the pool for the women’s 100 fly, she set the world record. She is the only woman to ever make it under 54 seconds, and her swim tonight was 3 tenths under 53 seconds.

She was out in 24.18 in the 50 fly, which would have broken the 50 fly World Record, had Walsh not broken it herself earlier this meet.

Walsh had never even swam the event before she swam the prelims yesterday, which she was asked about in her post-race interview when she expressed surprise, but also said she changed something before every race to make herself better. Clearly, it worked.

Tessa Giele from the Netherlands placed 2nd almost two seconds back in 54.66, over half a second ahead of the 3rd place finisher Alexandria Perkins from Australia.

Perkins went 55.10 to set a new Oceania Record in the event, earning the bronze medal.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – Finals

• World Record: 47.78 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Junior Record: 49.03 – Ilya Kharun, CAN (2022)
• World Championship Record: 48.08 – Chad le Clos, RSA (2016)
• 2022 World Champion: Chad le Clos, RSA – 48.59

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI)- 47.71 **NEW WORLD RECORD**
2. Maxime Grousset (FRA)- 48.57
3. Matthew Temple (AUS)- 48.71
4. Michele Busa (ITA)- 49.08
5. Simon Bucher (AUT)- 49.19
6. Andrei Minakov (NAB)- 49.21
7. Simone Stefani (ITA)-  49.29
8. Dare Rose (USA)- 49.37

Two-for-two on world records this evenning. Switzerland’s Noe Ponti picked up his 2nd record of the meet in the men’s 100 butterfly, breaking Caeleb Dressel‘s 47.78 mark by seven-one-hundredths of a second. He was the only swimmer in the final under 48 seconds, beating the silver medalist, Maxime Grousset by almost .86. 

This was Ponti’s 3rd gold medal of the meet, after winning the 50 fly, in world record, fashion, and the 100 IM. 

Grousset, from France, went 48.57 for the silver, earning his first medal of the meet after placing 6th in the 100 freestyle.

Australia’s Matthew Temple picked up another bronze medal for Austrilia, going 48.71 for 3rd. This was also Temple’s first medal of the meet, and his first ever individual world’s medal.

Women’s 50 BREAST- Semifinals

• World Record: 28.37 — Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2018)
• World Junior Record: 28.81 — Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2020)
• World Championship Record: 28.37 — Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2018)
• 2022 World Champion: Ruta Meilutyte, LTU — 28.50

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU)- 28.39
2. Qianting Tang (CHN)- 28.86
3. Lilly King (USA)- 28.99
4. Dominkia Sztandera (POL)- 29.22
5. Benedetta Pilato (ITA)- 29.24
6. Eneli Jefimova (EST)- 29.39
7. Veera Kivirinta (FIN)- 29.44
8. Alina Zmushka (NAA)- 29.68

Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania earned the top seed in the women’s 50 breaststroke semi-finals, going only two-one-hundredths over her World Record time of 28.39. Meilutyte won the 2nd semi-final by almost half a second over 2nd qualifier Qianting Tang from China.

Tang took 2nd in the semi-final and the 2nd seed with her time of 28.86, just over a tenth ahead of American Lilly King’s 28.99 for 3rd. 

Dominika Sztandera of Poland took 4th from the 2nd semifinal in 29.22. 5th went to Benedetta Pilato from Italy in 29.24. Eneli Jefimova of Estonia qualified 6th in 29.39. Finland’s Veera Kivirinta placed 7th in 29.44, and Neutral Athlete Alina Zmushka rounded out the top 8 in 29.68.

Men’s 50 breast- Semifinals

• World Record: 24.95 — Emre Sacki, TUR (2021)
• World Junior Record: 25.85 — Simone Cerasuolo, ITA (2021)
• World Championship Record: 25.38 — Nick Finke, USA (2022)
• 2022 World Champion: Nick Finke, USA — 25.38

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Kirill Prigoda (NAB)- 25.48
2. Haiyang Qin (CHN)- 25.60
3. Chris Smith (RSA)- 25.66 **World Junior Record**
4. Emre Sakci (TUR)- 25.67
5. Ilya Shymanovich (NAA)- 25.67
6. Michael Houlie (RSA)- 25.69
7. Ludovico Viberti (ITA)- 25.80
8. Simone Cerasuolo (ITA)- 25.81

Neutral Athlete Kirill Prigoda took the top spot in the semifinal, coming in at 25.48, just over a tenth ahead of China’s Haiyang Qin in 2nd. Qin won the 100 breast earlier this week in a championship record, and Prigoda was 2nd. It looks like we are gearing up for a rematch on the last day of the meet.

Both men swam in the 2nd semifinal along with 4th place Emre Sakci from Turkey in 25.67, and 7th qualifier Ludovico Viberti of Italy who went 25.80.

The first semifinal went to South Africa’s Chris Smith who broke the World Junior Record by just over two tenths in 25.66 to qualify 3rd in the event. He was followed by 5th place Ilya Shymanovich, a neutral athlete in 25.67, 6th place Michael Houlie, also from South Africa, in 25.69, and 8th qualifier Simone Cerasuolo, from Italy in 25.81.

Women’s 50 free- Semifinal

• World Record: 22.93 — Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED (2017)
• World Junior Record: 23.69 — Anastasiya Shkurdai, BLR (2020)
• World Championship Record: 23.02— Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• 2022 World Champion: Emma McKeon, AUS — 23.04

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA)- 22.87 **
2. Kate Douglass (USA)- 23.35
3. Katarzyna Wasick (POL)- 23.46
4. Silvia Di Pietro (ITA)- 23.68
5. Arina Surkova (NAB)- 23.69
6. Eva Okaro (GBR)- 23.71
7. Meg Harris (AUS)- 23.74
8. Sara Curtis (ITA)- 23.76

Gretchen Walsh set her 2nd world record of the night, going 22.87 to break Ranomi Kromowidjojo‘s 22.93 from 2017. She grabbed the top seed for tomorrow’s final by almost half a second over Kate Douglass in 2nd. After the race, Walsh received her $25,000 check from former World Record holder, Kromowidjojo.

Douglass won the 1st semi-final, qualifying just a tenth ahead of Kasia Wasick from Poland in 3rd at 23.46.

Two Italian swimmers also made the final, Silvia Di Pietro came in 4th at 23.68, and Sara Curtis qualified 8th in 23.76.

The rest of the final will be made up by Arina Surkova, a Neutral Athlete who went 23.69, Great Britain’s Eva Okardo in 23.71, and Meg Harris from Australia in 23.74.

Men’s 50 free- Semifinal

• World Record: 20.08 — Jordan Crooks, CAY (2024)
• World Junior Record: 20.98 — Simons Kenzo, NED (2019)
• World Championship Record: 20.08 — Jordan Crooks, CAY (2024)
• 2022 World Champion: Jordan Crooks, CAY — 20.46

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Jordan Crooks (CAY)- 19.90 **NEW WORLD RECORD**
2. Jack Alexy (USA)- 20.51
3. Guilherme Santos (BRA)- 20.59
4. Nyls Korstanje (NED)- 20.63
5. Egor Kornev (NAB)- 20.75
6. Maxime Grousset (FRA)- 20.78
7. Chris Guiliano (USA)- 20.79
8. Yuchan Ji (KOR)- 20.80

19.90… Jordan Crooks breaks the World Record and becomes the first person in history to break 20 seconds in the 50 freestyle. The World Record was his own from the prelims, but the former record had stood since 2020 and belonged to Caeleb Dressel at 20.16.

American Jack Alexy took 2nd in 20.51, just eight-one-hundredths ahead of 3rd place qualifier Guilherme Santos of Brazil and 6 tenths back from Crooks. There was more time separating Crooks and Alexy than Alexy and 15th place finisher Szebasztian Szabo.

American Chris Guiliano also qualified for the final in 7th, coming in at 20.79. The other swimmers for tomorrow are Dutch swimmer Nyls Korstanje in 20.63, Neutral athlete Egor Kornev in 20.75, Maxime Grousset in 20.78, and Yuchan Ji from Korea at 20.80.

This was Grousset’s 2nd finals swim of the evening after placing 2nd in the 100 fly.

Women’s 400 IM- Final

• World Record: 4:18.94 — Mireia Belmonte Garcia, ESP (2017)
• World Junior Record: 4:21.49 — Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)
• World Championship Record: 4:19.86 — Mireia Belmonte Garcia, ESP (2014)
• 2022 World Champion: Haley Flickinger, USA — 4:26.51

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Summer McIntosh (CAN)- 4:15.48 **NEW EVERYTHING RECORD**
2. Katie Grimes (USA)- 4:20.14
3. Abbie Wood (GBR)- 4:24.34
4. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN)- 4:26.09
5. Ellen Walshe (IRL)- 4:29.86
6. Kayla Hardy (AUS)- 4:30.01
7. Tara Kinder (AUS)- 4:30.87
8. Emma Carrasco (ESP)- 4:31.18

Summer McIntosh is 3-for-3 with World Records and event wins, with only one event remaining. She absolutely obliterated Mireia Belmonte Garcia‘s former record of 4:18.94, going over 3 seconds faster in 4:15.48.

McIntosh was out FAST and she stayed that way throughout the race, holding off Belmonte Garcia’s monster breaststroke leg to set the record seven years ago. She also beat the rest of the field by a significant margin, coming in almost 5 seconds ahead of Katie Grimes in 2nd.

Grimes had an excellent swim for 2nd, spending the first 200 quite a bit under the World Record pace as well before falling off on the breaststroke. She finished a little over four seconds ahead of Abbie Wood, and set a new American Record in the process, going 4:20.14 to crush Melanie Margalis’ 4:24.15 from 2019.

The bronze medal went to Abbie Wood from Great Britain in 4:24.34.

Men’s 400 IM- Final

• World Record: 3:54.81 — Daiya Seto, JAP (2019)
• World Junior Record: 3:56.47 — Ilia Bordon, RSF (2021)
• World Championship Record: 3:55.50 — Ryan Lochte, USA (2010)
• 2022 World Champion: Daiya Seto, JAP — 3:55.75

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Ilia Borodin (NAB)- 3:56.83
2. Carson Foster (USA)- 3:57.45
3. Alberto Razzetti (ITA)- 3:58.83
4. Kaito Tabuchi (JPN)- 4:00.43
5. Max Litchfield (GBR)- 4:00.50
6. Tristan Jankovics (CAN)- 4:00.57
7. Apostolos Papastamos (GRE)- 4:04.26
8. Trenton Julian (USA)- 4:05.81

We officially have a new men’s 400 IM World Champion in Neutral Athlete Ilia Borodin. Borodin went 3:56.83 to secure the win, and hold off Carson Foster. Borodin had a massive breaststroke leg, moving into first by almost two seconds where he stayed through the end, finishing 6 tenths ahead of the American.

Foster was out in first, six-one-hundredths ahead of Borodin at the 200 mark, but his breaststroke leg was not fast enough to stay in the lead, and he ran out of room to catch him on the freestyle leg. He still finished 2nd in 3:57.45, winning the silver for the United States

Alberto Razzetti was the only other person who went under 4:00, going 3:58.83 for 3rd. He finished about a second-and-a-half ahead of 4th place Kaito Tabuchi.

Men’s 800 free- Fastest Heat

• World Record: 7:20.46 — Daniel Wiffen, IRE (2023)
• World Junior Record: 7:36.00 — Sven Schwarz, GER (2019)
• World Championship Record: 7:29.99 — Gregorio Paltrinieri, ITA (2022)
• 2022 World Champion: Gregorio Paltrinieri, ITA — 7:29.99

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Zalan Sarkany (HUN)- 7:30.56
2. Florian Wellbrock (GER)- 7:31.90
3. Ahmed Jaouadi (TUN)- 7:31.93
4. Sven Schwarz (GER)- 7:33.24
5. Luca Te Tullio (ITA)- 7:34.32
6. Victor Johannson (SWE)- 7:34.65
7. Elijah Winnington (AUS)- 7:35.34
8. Nathan Wiffen (IRL)- 7:35.92

Hungarian swimmer Zalan Sarkany won the gold in his home country in the 800 freestyle, and the stadium was roaring. He was locked in a battle with Ahmed Jaouadi for a much of the race, and they were separated by less than two tenths at the 400 mark. Jaouadi struggled to hold on, and by the 600, that gap had grown to 8 tenths, and ultimately he finished 1.37 seconds behind in 3rd.

Sarknay was also battling with the Championship Record, being ahead of it for most of the race, but it caught him right at the end, and he missed it by just over half-a-second.

Florian Wellbrock took 2nd in 7:31.90, beating Jaouadi by three-one-hundredths. He was behind at the 700 mark, but had a huge last 100 to pass him for the silver. Jaouadi won the bronze in 7:31.93, which was a new African Record.

Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay- Final

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Neutral Athletes B- 3:30.47
2. United States- 3:30.55
3. Canada- 3:31.97
4. Australia- 3:32.83
5. Great Britain- 3:35.46
6. Spain- 3:35.52
7. Italy- 3:35.54
8. Netherlands- 3:36.04

At no point was it clear what was going to happen in this race, even after the race was over. The Neutral Athletes ultimately took home the gold in 3:30.47. They had an interesting strategy, swimming MMFF, which only one other team, Italy, did, and it worked out in their favor.

Their men got them in first with Miron Lifintsev leading off in 48.90, and Kirill Prigoda swimming the breaststroke leg in 54.86. The women also had very good swims, with Arina Surkova going 55.63 on the fly, and Daria Klepikova going 51.08 on the free.

Prigoda had a reaction time of -0.01, which is legal, but was the cause for video review for a few minutes after the race.

The United States had the exact opposite strategy, swimming a FFMM relay, and they were the only team in the final to swim a female breaststroker. It made for an exciting finish because the US was in 8th by more than 3 seconds after the breaststroke, and by two seconds after the fly. Since they were the only team with a female breaststroker, however, they were also the only team with a male freestyler, and Jack Alexy made it incredibly exciting, coming home in 44.63 to win the American’s the silver by just 8 one-hundredths of a second.

The other swimmers also had fast splits. Regan Smith split 54.19 on the leadoff leg, which is actually faster than her world record, but doesn’t count due to it being on a mixed medley relay. Lilly King went 1:03.05 on the breaststroke, and Dare Rose went 48.68 on the fly, 3rd fastest of the male flyers.

Canada got the bronze, swimming FMMF, which was the order chose by half the heat. Ingrid Wilm led off in 55.82. Finlay Knox swam the breaststroke in 56.39. Ilya Kharun swam in fly in 48.27, the fastest of the male fly splits, and Mary-Sophie Harvey came home in 51.49 for a final time of 3:31.97