2024 World Championships: Day 5 Finals Live Recap

2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 11th – February 18th, 2024
• Doha, Qatar
• LCM (50m)
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• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Recap | Day 4 Finals Recap
• Day 5 Prelims Recap

Well, folks, we are more than halfway through the meet so far, and after tonight, there will just be three days of racing left at these 2024 World Champs. Before we jump into the live recap, take a perusal of the order of events and the start lists.

DAY 5 Finals EVENT SCHEDULE 

• Women’s 200 Butterfly Final
• Women’s 100 Freestyle Semifinals
• Men’s 100 Freestyle Final
• Women’s 50 Backstroke Final
• Men’s 200 Breaststroke Semifinal
• Men’s 200 IM Final
• Women’s 200 Breaststroke Semifinal
• Men’s 200 Backstroke Semifinal
• Women’s 4×200 Freestyle Relay

Night 5 Start Lists

Relay Line-ups

There are a couple of big questions that we will all have the answer to in several, hopefully exciting, hours. Chief among them is what will Pan Zhanle do in the 100 free? After setting a new World Record in the finals of the 4×100 Free Relay, can Pan go faster? If he stumbles, Alessandro Miressi and Hwang Sunwoo will be looking to pounce.

While seeded to make the finals in both the 100 free and 200 breast, American Kate Douglass will have to tackle both events again after doubling up this morning and faces a tough field in the 100 free headlined by Shayna Jack, Marrit Steenbergen and Siobhan Haughey, who has already claimed medals in the freestyle and breaststroke events.

While the Chmielewski brothers swam together in the 200 fly semifinals, the Foster brothers both will tackle different events. Carson Foster will look to finally strike gold in the finals of the 200 IM, where he is the top seed and will be flanked by Duncan Scott and the ever-mercurial Shaine Casas. Meanwhile, Jake Foster will look to try to make the final after swimming himself into the 9th seed in the 200 breast.

The session wraps up with the final of the Women’s 4×200 free relay, where China will look to hold off a depleted but still World Record holding squad from Australia as well as surprise 2nd seed New Zealand, whose team set a new National Record in the prelims.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• World Record: Liu Zige, China – 2:01.81 (2009)
• World Junior Record: Summer McIntosh, Canada – 2:04.06 (2023)
• Championship Record: Jess Schipper, Australia – 2:03.41 (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Summer McIntosh, Canada – 2:04.06
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 2:08.43, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 2:09.07

Final: 

1. Laura Stephens (GBR) – 2:07.35
2. Helena Rosendahl Bach (DEN) – 2:07.44
3. Lana Pudar (BIH) – 2:07.92
4. Rachel Klinker (USA) – 2:08.19
5. Ma Yonghui (CHN) – 2:08.77
6. Boglarka Kapas (HUN) – 2:08.81
7. Dalma Sebestyen (HUN) – 2:09.80
8. Park Sujin (KOR) – 2:10.09

Less than two seconds separated the final eight heading into the final and it was close at the 100 mark, as just .03 separated early leader Laura Stephens from Helena Rosendahl Bach and Rachel Klinker. The Brit, a 200 specialist, used her back half to extend that lead at the 150 to .30 but Bach and lane one’s Lana Pudar surged hard to close the gap. All three earned their first ever individual medal by virtue of their placing tonight.

American Rachel Klinker was in third through the 150 mark but couldn’t keep up eventually fading to 4th.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – Semifinals

• World Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden – 51.71 (2017)
• World Junior Record: Penny Oleksiak, Canada – 52.70 (2016)
• Championship Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden – 51.71 (2017)
• 2023 World Champion: Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia – 52.16
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 53.61, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 53.88

Top 8:

1. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 52.53
2. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 52.92
3. Anna Hopkin (GBR) – 53.12
4. Shayna Jack (AUS) – 53.16
5. Kate Douglass (USA) – 53.31
6. Barbora Seemanova (CZE) – 53.76
7. Kornelia Fiedkiewicz (POL) – 54.01
8. Stephanie Balduccuni (BRA) – 54.07

The first semifinal saw some blazing speed from an inspired Brit Anna Hopkin. Hopkin led at the 50, splitting a time of 25.41, leading out Barbora Seemanova and Marrit Steenbergern by over .30. The Dutch star surged in the last 50 to take control of the heat, touching first in a time of 52.52, coming home in a speedy 26.7. Hopkin would hang on to 2nd, with the Czech freestyler 3rd. Sitting in the uncomfortable 4th and 5th spots are Stephanie Balduccini (54.07) and Chiara Tarantino (54.51).

Siobhan Haughey went out fast. At the 50, Haughey was 25.1 and led Shanya Jack and Kate Douglass by over half a second. Haughey, who won the 200 free earlier in the meet, appeared to cruise into the finish, touching the wall in a time of 52.92, coming home over a full second slower than Steenbergen. Jack and Douglass, who both have 200s later this session, did enough to qualify through in 4th and 5th overall.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: Pan Zhanle, China – 46.80 (2024)
• World Junior Record: David Popovici, Romania – 46.86 (2022)
• Championship Record: Cesar Cielo, Brazil – 46.91 (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Kyle Chalmers, Australia – 47.15
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 48.34, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 48.58

Final: 

1. Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 47.53
2. Alessandro Miressi (ITA) – 47.72
3. Nandor Nemeth (HUN) – 47.78
4. Matthew Richards (GBR) – 47.82
5. Hwang Sunwoo (KOR) – 47.93
6. Andrej Barna (SRB) – 48.02
7. Matt King (USA)/ Wang Haoyu (CHN) – 48.06

Some of the loudest cheering before the start of a race, the men’s 100 free started off with the newly minted World Record holder leading the field out in a comparatively slow 22.55. Pan Zhanle, on the relay, split a 22.26 on the way to his record time of 46.80. Hungarian Nandor Nemeth was just .11 behind in the 100 but had to settle for the bronze medal as Italy’s Alessandro Miressi, who was t-4th at the 50, closed in a speedy 24.90 to nab the silver medal in a time of 47.72.

Both Pan and Nemeth earned their first individual medals as each only had podiumed in relay events, Pan both this year and last summer and Nemeth back in 2017.

American Matt King finished t-7th after sitting in 3rd at 50. It appeared that King faded over the last 5 meters, as he was up in medal contention until that point.

WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 26.86 (2023)
• World Junior Record: Minna Atherton, Australia – 27.49 (2016)
• Championship Record: Zhao Ling, China – 27.06 (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 27.08

Final: 

1. Claire Curzan (USA) – 27.43
2. Iona Anderson (AUS) – 27.45
3. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) – 27.61
4. Lauren Cox (GBR) – 27.65
5. Theodora Drakou (GRE) – 27.84
6. Adela Piskorska (POL) – 28.099
7. Kira Toussaint (NED) – 28.18
8. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 28.32

Showing off the vital necessity of a strong start in the 50, American Claire Curzan earned her second gold medal of the meet after winning the 100 back earlier in the week. Curzan was strong throughout the first 25 meters but seemed to veer towards the lane-line at the finish.

Still, Curzan did enough to grab the gold ahead of Australian Iona Anderson, who finished just .02 behind in a time of 27.45, a time considerably faster than the 28.01 she won junior worlds in.

Keeping the podium the same from the 100, Canadian Ingrid Wilm nabbed the bronze, finishing behind the pair of teenagers, hitting the wall in 27.61.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – Semifinals

• World Record: Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48 (2023)
• World Junior Record: Dong Zhihao, China – 2:08.83 (2023)
• Championship Record: Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48 (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 2:09.68, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 2:10.33

Top 8: 

1. Jake Foster (USA) – 2:08.78
2. Dong Zhihao (CHN) – 2:09.16
3. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 2:09.34
4. Matti Mattsson (FIN) / Ikuru Hiroshima (JPN) – 2:09.43
6. Nic Fink (USA) – 2:09.87
7. Erik Persson (SWE) – 2:10.04
8. Arno Kamminga (NED) – 2:10.30

Nic Fink showed off a great start, but it was Caspar Corbeau who led at the 100 (1:01.83) ahead of countryman Arno Kamminga and Fink. The trio remained in front of the field with the Texas Longhorn, Corbeau, ultimately taking the head in a time of 2:09.34. Fink, the winner of the 100, would wind up sandwiched between the Dutch breaststrokers, as Kamminga held onto 3rd, finishing in 2:10.30. On the hot seats are Carles Coll Marti of Spain (2:10.77) and Denis Petrashov of Kyrgyzstan (2:10.81).

Jake Foster certainly did not want a repeat of his 9th place finish in the 100 and went out hard, hitting the 100 wall in 1:01.27. The American, who built a lead of nearly a second at the 150 had to hold on for dear life as China’s Dong Zhihao closed in 32.00 to move up from 5th to 2nd in the head, erasing almost two full seconds in just the last 50.

The second semifinal was a much faster affair as the two fastest times came from the heat, and it saw five swimmers advance.

MEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINAL

• World Record: Ryan Lochte, United States – 1:54.00 (2011)
• World Junior Record: Hubert Kos, Hungary – 1:56.99 (2021)
• Championship Record: Ryan Lochte, United States – 1:54.00 (2011)
• 2023 World Champion: Leon Marchand, France – 1:54.82
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 1:57.94, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 1:58.53

Final: 

1. Finlay Knox (CAN) – 1:56.64
2. Carson Foster (USA) – 1:56.97
3. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) – 1:57.42
4. Daiya Seto (JPN) – 1:57.54
5. Shaine Casas (USA) – 1:57.73
6. Duncan Scott (GBR) – 1:57.75
7. Lewis Clareburt (NZL) – 1:58.66
8.  Zhang Zhanshuo (CHN) – 1:59.17

American Shaine Casas showed off his sprinting ability, getting off of the blocks and to the first turn quickest, leading out fellow American Carson Foster, 24.31 to 24.66. The backstroke leg saw Foster move past Casas and had a lead of .50 going into the back half. Foster managed to stay in front of the group into the last turn, but the field made up ground as Foster posted just the 6th fasted split with Alberto Razzetti and Daiya Seto gaining over a second on him.

Sitting in 3rd behind the two Americans, Canada’s Finlay Knox surged to the finish, passing both a lagging Casas (29.04) and Foster (28.63), splitting 27.79 on the freestyle leg. With the win, Knox not only crushed his own National Record but also won Canada’s first gold medal of the meet.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – Semifinals

• World Record: Evgeniia Chikunova, Russia – 2:17.55 (2023)
• World Junior Record: Viktoria Gunes, Turkey – 2:19.64 (2015)
• Championship Record: Rikke Pedersen, Denmark – 2:19.11 (2013)
• 2023 World Champion: Tatjana Schoenmaker, South Africa – 2:20.80
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 2:23.91, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 2:24.63

Top 8: 

1. Tes Schouten (NED) – 2:21.50
2. Kate Douglass (USA) – 2:23.17
3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN) – 2:23.77
4. Alina Zmushka (NIA) – 2:24.14
5. Lisa Mamie (SUI) – 2:24.62
6. Kotryna Teterevkova (LTU) – 2:24.69
7. Mona McSharry (IRL) – 2:25.13
8. Kristyna Horska (CZE) – 2:25.34

Leading out the first semifinal was lane 6’s Alina Zmushka. Touching in 1:08.36, the Belarussian competing as a neutral athlete was over a second clear of Canada’s Sydney Pickrem and Singapore’s Letitia Tran. Pickrem closed the gap to less than .3 and used a strong pull-out to gain the lead, ultimately touching first in a time of 2:23.77 ahead of Zmushka’s 2:24.14. Ireland and University of Tennesse swimmer Mona McSharry surged in the back half to nab 3rd (2:25.13).

On the hot seats are Italy’s Francesca Fangio (2:26.39) and Sua Moon of Korea (2:26.76).

At the 50 mark of the 2nd semifinal, Dutch breastroker Tes Schouten was under the World Record pace, but she fell off that by the 100, splitting 1:07.79, ahead of American Kate Douglass by 1.46. Schouten, the silver medalist in the 100 cruised to the top time of the evening, finishing in 2:21.50, body lengths ahead of Douglass and good for a new personal best.

Douglass, on the back of a double, finished second in 2:23.17 ahead of Swiss star Lisa Mamie (2:24.62). Overall, the 2nd semifinal was faster, having the two fastest times and advancing five swimmers into tomorrow night’s final.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – Semifinals

• World Record: Aaron Peirsol, United States – 1:51.92 (2009)
• World Junior Record: Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia – 1:55.14 (2017)
• Championship Record: Aaron Peirsol, United States – 1:51.92 (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Hubert Kos, Hungary – 1:54.14
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 1:57.50, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 1:58.09

Top 8: 

1. Jack Aikins (USA) – 1:56.32
2. Hugo Gonzalez (ESP) – 1:56.38
3. Lee Juho (KOR) – 1:56.40
4. Adam Telegdy (HUN) – 1:56.65
5. Roman Mityukov (SUI) – 1:56.72
6. Apsotolos Siskos (GRE) – 1:56.82
7. Kai van Westering (NED) – 1:56.91
8. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 1:57.07

Swiss backstroker and Fukuoka medalist Roman Mityukov lead at the 100, splitting 56.60 ahead of surprise backstroker Lukas Martens. Martens, who has medaled in the 400 free at the last three World Champs, was just .36 off the lead, (he actually lead at the 50) but would ultimately fade to finish in 7th.

Moving up through the field over the last 100 was Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez. Swimming out of lane 1, the silver medalist in the 100 won the semifinal, finishing in a new PB of 1:56.38, ahead of Mityukov’s 1:56.72 and Kai van Westering‘s 1:56.91.

American Jack Aikins left nothing behind, posting the fastest time in the 2nd semifinal to grab lane 4 for tomorrow night’s final. Out of 56.18, the American led from start to finish, posting a time of 1:56.32. Aikins, who is redshirting from UVA, faded on the last 50, posting one of only two time splits above:30 among the top eight.

WOMEN’S 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY – Final

• World Record: Australia – 7:37.50 (2023)
• Championship Record: Australia – 7:37.50 (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Australia – 7:37.50

Final:

1. China (Ai, Gong, Li, Yang) – 7:47.26
2. Great Britain (Colbert, Wood, Hope, Harris) – 7:50.90
3. Australia (Throssell, Jack, Harkin, Melverton) – 7:51.41
4. Brazil – 7:52.71
5. New Zealand – 7:53.02
6. Canada – 7:55.71
7. Netherlands – 7:55.84
8. Hungary – 7:56.58

Team New Zealand led through the first leg of the race, courtesy of Erika Fairweather’s 1:56.37, giving the Kiwis the lead over the Australian team, who qualified only 7th into the final. Shayna Jack closed the gap on the New Zealand team, but it was Great Britain’s Abbie Wood (1:56.65) who surged into the lead at the halfway mark.

Much like Team GB taking the lead over at the 400 mark, China, with Li Bingjie, took the lead into the 600-meter mark. Li posted a speedy time of 1:54.5, more than four seconds ahead of all the other third legs.

China built upon their lead over the last leg with their anchor, Yang Peiqi (1:56.18) bringing the team home in a time of 7:47.26. Great Britain, who used Medi Harris (1:58.40) on the last leg, finished 2nd in a time of 7:50.90, with the Australian anchor Kiah Melverton (1:58.01) bringing her team into the wall in a time of 7:51.41, which was good enough for bronze.

Team Canada brought in some new legs, in the form of Taylor Ruck and Rebecca Smith, but finished just 6th with Smith leading of in 1:58.70 and Ruck anchoring in 1:59.59.

And just like that, we are down to three more days of these World Champs. Thanks, and see you all later.