2024 SC World Championships: Day 5 Prelims Live Recap

2024 Short Course World Championships

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

Welcome back to the penultimate day of the 2024 Short Course World Championships.

This prelims session features exciting races at both ends of the distance spectrum with 4 50s, 2 400s, and an 800. At the end of the session, we’ll watch the inaugural mixed 4×100 medley relay at the Short Course Worlds stage.

Fresh of two world records in her #2 and #3 best events, we’ll get a first glimpse of what Summer McIntosh is capable of in her bread and butter race, the 400 IM. While she’s the heavy favorite for the women, the men’s race is a little more open. Daiya Seto has a chance to make it 7 consecutive world titles in this event, though it’ll be an uphill battle as he’s fresh off a fractured rib.

After giving the 100 breaststroke world record a good scare, Tang Qianting is back as the women’s 50m breaststroke’s top seed. Qianting’s country mate and fellow 100 breast gold medalist, Qin Haiyang, leads the way on the men’s side.

For the women’s 50 freestyle, all eyes are sure to be on Gretchen Walsh, who is on a world record cyclone path this meet. The men’s splash-and-dash is a fairly open event where many key players from the close 100 freestyle race will rematch, including Jack Alexy, Jordan Crooks, and Guillherme Santos.

Day 5 Prelims Schedule & Heat Sheet

• Women’s 400 IM
• Men’s 400 IM
• Women’s 50 free
• Men’s 50 free
• Women’s 50 breast
• Men’s 50 breast
• Men’s 800 slowest heats
• Mixed 4×100 medley relay

Women’s 400 IM

• 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:

1. Katie Grimes (USA) — 4:24.74
2. Summer McIntosh (CAN) — 4:25.86
3. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) — 4:27.01
4. Abbie Wood (GBR) — 4:29.21
5. Ellen Walshe (IRL) —- 4:29.78
6. Tara Kinder (AUS) — 4:30.17
7. Kayla Hardy (AUS) — 4:31.35
8. Emma Carrasco (ESP) — 4:32.20

The first of the circle-seeded heats went to Summer McIntosh, the only person in the event out in under a minute on the butterfly (59.42). McIntosh ultimately turned in a 4:25.86. This comfortably put her ahead of the pair of 4:29s that Abbie Wood and Ellen Walshe went to grab 2nd and 3rd respectively. Spain’s Emma Carrasco turned in a best time by about a second (4:32.20) to secure a top 8 spot.

The overall top seed goes to American Katie Grimes, who swam 4:24.74 in the second circle-seeded heat. She got within a second of her best time (4:24.19) and Melanie Margalis’ American record (4:24.15).  She’ll be between two Canadians tonight: McIntosh and Mary-Sophie Harvey (4:27.01). Both Aussies made it back, with Kayla Hardy getting a new best time of 4:31.35 by about three tenths of a second.

Men’s 400 IM

• 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:

1. Max Litchfield (GBR) — 4:00.37
2. Ilia Borodin (Russia Neutral) — 4:01.28
3. Tristan Jankovics (CAN) — 4:02.01
4. Carson Foster (USA) — 4:02.11
5. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) — 4:02.18
6. Kaito Tabuchi (JPN) — 4:03.85
7. Trenton Julian (USA) — 4:03.96
8. Apostolos Papastamos (GRE) — 4:04.24

For the first time since 2010, the Short Course World Champion in the Men’s 400 IM will not be Daiya Seto. The Japanese veteran placed 9th in 4:05.45 to miss the final.

The race for the event’s new king is on for tonight. In the middle lane will be Great Britain’s Max Litchfield, who rocked a near-personal best time of 4:00.37. A second behind him was European and World Junior Record holder Ilia Bordon.

In the second circle-seeded heat, Canada’s Tristan Jankovics beat a new 21-year-old national record to win the heat in 4:02.01. This beats Brian Johns’ 4:02.72 from 2003, the oldest individual record in the Great White North’s books.

Women’s 50 free

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

Top 16:

1. Gretchen Walsh (United States) — 23.02  *new championship record*
2. Kate Douglass (United States) — 23.20  
3. Katarzyna Wasick (Poland) — 23.64  
4. Arina Surkova (Russia Neutral) — 23.86  
5. Silvia di Pietro (Italy) — 23.88  
6. (T-5) Melanie Henique (France) — 23.88  
7. Sara Curtis (Italy) — 23.93  
8. Meg Harris (Australia) — 23.98  
9. (T-8) Liu Shuhan (China) — 23.98  
10. Eva Okaro (Great Britain) — 24.02  
11. Alexandria Perkins (Australia) — 24.11  
12. Caitlin de Lange (South Africa) — 24.14  
13. Maaike de Waard (Netherlands) — 24.20  
14. Barbora Janickova (Czech Republic) — 24.27  
15. Daria Trofimova (Russia Neutral) — 24.31  
16. Milou van Wijk (Netherlands) — 24.33 

The two American sprint phenoms, Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass, distanced themselves from the rest of the field in the first round of 50 freestyles. Walsh earned the top seed with a new American and meet record of 23.02 in heat 8. Meanwhile, Douglass won heat 9 in 23.20 in her first registered swim of the event ever.

Behind the American duo was Poland’s Katarzyna Wasick, winning heat 10 in 23.64. With a best time of 23.10, the Pole will be looking to make it three consecutive short course world podiums in the event.

Russia’s Arina Surkova, Italy’s Silvia di Pietro, and France’s Melani Henique rounded out the top 5. di Pietro’s 23.88 is a new best time, beating her 23.90 from 2016.

Men’s 50 free

• World Record: 20.16 — Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Junior Record: 20.98 — Simons Kenzo, NED (2019)
• World Championship Record: 20.26 — Florent Manaudou, FRA (2014)
• 2022 World Champion: Jordan Crooks, CAY — 20.46

Top 16:

1. Jordan Crooks (Cayman Islands) — 20.08 *NEW WORLD RECORD*
2. Jack Alexy (United States) — 20.69  
3. Nyls Korstanje (Netherlands) — 20.72  
4. (T-3) Chris Guiliano (United States) — 20.72  
5. Dylan Carter (Trinidad and Tobago) — 20.75  
6. Guilherme Santos (Brazil) — 20.81  
7. Isaac Cooper (Australia) — 20.89  
8. Egor Kornev (Russia Neutral) — 20.92  
9. Maxime Grousset (France) — 20.92  
10. Jere Hribar (Croatia) — 20.94  
11. Leonardo Deplano (Italy) — 20.98  
12. Ian Yentou Ho (Hong Kong) — 21.01  
13. Ji Yuchan (South Korea) — 21.01  
14. Shane Ryan (Ireland) — 21.07  
15. Szebasztian Szabo (Hungary) — 21.14  
16. Heiko Gigler (Austria) — 21.19 

Aaaand we have our first world record of the day! Jordan Crooks dropped the hammer this morning with a new world record and the top seed by over half a second. His 20.08 downs Caeleb Dressel’s 20.16 mark and his own 20.31 best time. It marks his first ever world record.

If he wasn’t already, Crooks establishes himself as the overwhelming favorite to win the title. Behind him, however, the race looks to be super open. In their first official short course 50s, Americans Jack Alexy and Chris Guiliano grabbed the 2nd and 3rd spots in 20.69 and 20.72. Tied with Guiliano for 3rd is Dutchman Nyls Korstanje, who went a best time by .2. Trinidadian Dylan Carter joined Crooks and Alexy as the third circle-seeded heat winner, swimming 20.75 to get within .05 of his lifetime best.

Women’s 50 breast

• 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 16:

1. Tang Qianting (China) — 29.15  
2. Lilly King (United States) — 29.20  
3. Eneli Jefimova (Estonia) — 29.24  
4. Benedetta Pilato (Italy) — 29.38  
5. (T-4) Ruta Meilutyte (Lithuania) — 29.38  
6. Veera Kivirinta (Finland) — 29.62  
7. Alina Zmushka (Belarus Neutral) — 29.84  
8. Sophie Hansson (Sweden) — 29.86  
9. Silje Slyngstadli (Norway) — 29.92  
10. (T-9) Yuliya Efimova (Russia Neutral) — 29.92  
11. (T-9) Angharad Evans (Great Britain) — 29.92  
12. Sophie Angus (Canada) — 30.02  
13. Dominika Sztandera (Poland) — 30.10  
14. Tessa Giele (Netherlands) — 30.14  
15. Chiara Della Corte (Italy) — 30.20  
16. Meri Mataja (Croatia) — 30.21  

The 100 breaststroke gold, silver, and bronze medalists (Tang Qianting, Lilly King, Eneli Jefimova) repeated their placing this morning, separated by less than a tenth of a second in the 29.1-29.2 range.

European veterans Benedetta Pilato and Ruta Meilutyte were the only other two swimmers under 29.5, tying for 4th in 29.38.

Men’s 50 breast

• 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 16:

1. Qin Haiyang (China) — 25.51  
2. Simone Cerasuolo (Italy) — 25.67  
3. Kirill Prigoda (Russia neutral) — 25.76  
4. Michael Houlie (South Africa) — 25.77  
5. Emre Sakci (Turkey) — 25.82  
6. Ilya Shymanovich (Belarus neutral) — 25.87  
7. Ludovico Viberti (Italy) — 25.97  
8. Koen de Groot (Netherlands) — 25.97  
9. Melvin Imoudu (Germany) — 25.98  
10. Chris Smith (South Africa) — 26.02  
11. Taku Taniguchi (Japan) — 26.02  
12. Caspar Corbeau (Netherlands) — 26.07  
13. Ronan Wantenaar (Namibia) – 26.15  
14. Daniel Kertes (Sweden) — 26.20  
15. Michael Andrew (USA) – 26.23  
16. Caio Pumputis (Brazil) — 26.25  

It’s a big morning for University of Tennessee sprinters. From the non-circle seeded heats, Vol and South African national teamer Michael Houlie went a best time by 1.5 seconds, bringing his PR from 27.27 to 25.77. He will be 4th coming into the semifinals.

Qin Haiyang got within .15 of his Asian record to claim the top seed for the semifinal in the last heat.

Swimming right next to him this morning was Italian Simone Cerasuolo, who placed second overall. Cerasuolo only missed his best time by .01.

Men’s 800 free slowest heats

• 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

Mixed 4×100 medley relay

Top 8: