2025 World Championships: Day 7 Prelims Live Recap

2025 World Championships

• July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
• Singapore, Singapore
• World Aquatics Championships Arena
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• How To Watch
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Entry Book
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6

Start List

Event Schedule

• Women’s 50 Freestyle
• Men’s 50 Backstroke
• Women’s 50 Breaststroke
• Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay
• Men’s 1500 Freestyle

Welcome to the penultimate day of the 2025 World Championships. It has been a crazy meet so far, and it’s not done yet. This is our last prelims session with events shorter than 400 meters and we are making the… most of it? least of it? There are three 50s and a 1500, so you decide.

We will start the morning with the women’s 50 freestyle, where we will see American Gretchen Walsh take the water for her very first freestyle event of these championships as the top seed in heat 11. She is joined under 24 seconds by Australia’s Meg Harris and fellow American Torri Huske, who will lead the other circle seeded heats.

The men’s 50 backstroke comes next, and Kliment Kolesnikov is the top seed for the Neutral Athletes B. He has not earned an individual medal these championships and will be looking to set himself up for one tomorrow. We will also see American Quintin McCarty take the water for the first time in Singapore, which could have medley relay implications for those who are keeping up with that.

The final women’s individual event will feature American Lilly King back in the water for the final individual prelims swim of her career. She comes in as the 4th seed in the women’s 50 breaststroke, and will be swimming in heat six next to top seed Italy’s Benedetta Pilato. King should make it through to the semifinal, but, as we have seen this meet, anything can happen. They will be joined by Tang Qianting and Eneli Jefimova as the only seeds under 30 seconds.

Finally, we will have the mixed 4×100 freestyle relay. Due to various reasons, including qualifying period and lack of entry times, the American, Australian, Dutch, Canadian, Chinese and Neutral Athlete ‘B’ teams are all in heat 2 of four. The United States will be looking to redeem themselves after they finished 10th in the mixed medley prelims and missed the final. There will be two heats after these six teams swim, though, so the teams that finish 5th and 6th in this heat might be in trouble.

The final individual event of the morning will be the men’s 1500 freestyle, a stark contrast from the 50s we are seeing before it. Bobby Finke is the World Record Holder and top seed, but he will be trying to hold off 800 freestyle champion Ahmed Jaouadi in the same heat.

Women’s 50 Free – Prelims

• World Record: 23.61 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
• World Junior Record: 24.17 – Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
• World Championships Record: 23.61 – Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2023)
• 2024 Olympic Champion: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden – 23.71

Top 16 Qualifiers

1. Meg Harris (AUS) – 24.32
2. Milou van Wijk (NED) – 24.39
3. Sara Curtis (ITA) – 24.41
4. Kasia Wasick (POL) – 24.44
5. Cheng Yujie (CHN) – 24.47
6. Beryl Gastaldello (FRA) /Wu Qingfeng (CHN) – 24.53
7. —
8. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 24.62
9. Taylor Ruck (CAN) – 24.63
10. Florine Gaspard (BEL)/Arina Surkova (NAB) – 24.64
11. —
12. Julie Kepp Jensen (DEN) – 24.65
13. Torri Huske (USA) – 24.72
14. Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 24.79
15. Eva Okaro (GBR) – 24.81
16. Petra Senanszky (HUN) – 24.89

Heat nine, the first of three circle seeded heats put five swimmers through to the semifinal. Milou van Wijk from the Netherlands took the top spot in the heat, qualifying 2nd overall in 24.39, coming in just two-hundredths ahead of Italy’s Sara Curtis. France’s Beryl Gastaldello (24.53) was 3rd and Marrit Steenbergen (24.62) and Torri Huske (24.72) were 4th and 5th respectively.

The 2nd circle seeded heat, heat 10, saw Meg Harris pick up the top seed from the morning in 24.32, seven hundredths ahead of van Wijk from the previous heat and more than a tenth ahead of Kasia Wasick who finished 2nd in the heat in 24.44. Taylor Ruck, the 3rd finisher in the heat from Canada qualified 9th.

The final heat was the slowest of the three with China’s Cheng Yujie winning in 24.53, the 5th fastest time of the morning. Teammate Wu Qingfeng was 2nd in 24.53, NABs Arina Surkova was 3rd at 24.64, and top seed Gretchen Walsh was 4th at 24.79, a near full second add, to qualify 14th.

The top 16 swimmers were separated by just over half-a-second, which should make for a close semifinal tonight.

MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE — Prelims

• World Record: 23.55 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2023 Russian Cup
• World Junior Record: 24.00 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2018 European Championships
• World Championship Record: 24.04 – Liam Tancock (GBR), 2009
• 2023 World Champion: Hunter Armstrong (USA), 24.05

Top 16 Qualifiers

1. Kliment Kolesnikov (NAB)- 24.08
2. Pieter Coetze (RSA)- 24.36
3. Miroslav Knedla (CZE)- 24.52
4. Oliver Morgan (GBR)- 24.56
5. Hubert Kos (HUN)- 24.62
6. Apostolos Christou (GRE)- 24.65
7. Pavel Samusenko (NAB)- 24.66
8. Ulises Saravia (ARG)- 24.72
9. Adam Jaszo (HUN)- 24.73
10. Quintin McCarty (USA)/Adrian Santos (ESP)/Finn Harland (NZL)- 24.76
11. —
12. —
13. Vincent Passek (GER)- 24.79
14. Isaac Cooper (AUS)- 24.80
15. Ksawery Masiuk (POL)/Christian Bacico (ITA)- 24.89
16. —

In the first circle seeded heat Apostolos Christou was out fast for Greece, but South Africa’s Pieter Coetze, Czechia’s Miroslav Knedla, and Hungary’s Hubert Kos overtook him in the last 25 meters to take the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th finals spots respectively. American Shaine Casas finished 8th in the heat and taking 20th overall, missing the semifinal.

The 2nd circle seeded heat went to NAB’s Pavel Samusenko in 24.66, the 7th fastest time of the morning. Ulises Saravia from Argentina came in six-hundredths behind in 24.72. Ksawery Masiuk from Poland was the only other swimmer from this heat to make the semifinal at 15th in 24.89.

Heat seven had the fastest time of the morning thanks to World Record holder NAB’s Kliment Kolesnikov coming in at 24.08, almost three tenths ahead of the rest of the field. Great Britain’s Oliver Morgan was 2nd in the heat and 4th overall at 24.56.

There was a three way tie in heat seven between American Quintin McCarty, lane 5, Spain’s Adrian Santos, lane 7, and New Zealand’s Finn Harland, lane 8, at 24.76 to qualify 10th overall.

Women’s 50 Breaststroke — Prelims

• World Record: Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania – 29.16 (2023)
• World Junior Record: Benedetta Pilato, Italy – 29.30 (2021)
• Championship Record: Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania – 29.16 (2023)
• Defending Champion: Ruta Meilutyte, Lithuania – 29.40 (3x)

1. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) – 29.82
2. Eneli Jefimova (EST) – 30.13
3. Tang Qianting (CHN) – 30.15
4. Anna Elendt (GER) – 30.17
5. Barbara Mazurkiewicz (POL) – 30.22
6. Veera Kivirinta (FIN) – 30.36
7. Anita Bottazzo (ITA) – 30.42
8. Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 30.46
9. Yang Chang (CHN) – 30.54
10. Lilly King (USA) – 30.59
11. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 30.60
12. Macarena Ceballos (ARG) – 30.65
13. Teya Nikolova (BUL)/Henrietta Fangli (HUN) – 30.67
14. —
15. Sophie Hansson (SWE) – 30.71
16. Sienna Toohey (AUS) – 30.76

The World Record Holder Ruta Meilutyte took the prelims event win from lane three of the final heat, coming in at 29.82 to be the only sub-30 swim of the morning. Barbara Mazurkiewicz from Poland was 2nd in the heat to qualify 5th overall. The 6th heat also had Benedetta Pilato, Yang Chang, and Lilly King in the top 10 at 8th, 9th, and 10th respectively.

Eneli Jefimova from Estonia was the 2nd qualifier from heat four, touching in 30.13 to come in two tenths ahead of Finland’s Veera Kivirinta and Italy’s Anita Bottazzo in 30.36 and 30.42 for 6th and 7th.

Heat five went to Tang Qianting from China for the 3rd seed at 30.15, just two-hundredths ahead of Germany’s Anna Elendt‘s 30.17. Anastasia Gorbenko finished 3rd in the heat and 11th overall in 30.60.

McKenzie Siroky, the other America swimmer in the event, tied with Silje Slyngstadli from Germany for the 1st alternate.

Mixed 400 Free Relay — Prelims

• World Record: 3:18.83 – AUS (J. Cartwright, K. Chalmers, S. Jack, M. O’Callaghan), 2023
• World Junior Record: 3:24.29 – AUS (F. Southam, E. Sommerville, O. Wunsch, M. Jansen) – 2023
• Championship Record: 3:18.83 – AUS (J. Cartwright, K. Chalmers, S. Jack, M. O’Callaghan), 2023
• 2023 World Champion – AUS (J. Cartwright, K. Chalmers, S. Jack, M. O’Callaghan) 3:18.83
• 2024 World Champion – China (Pan Z., Wang H., Li B., Yu Y.) – 3:21.18

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. United States- 3:21.48
2. France- 3:24.21
3. Netherlands- 3:24.31
4. Neutral Athletes B- 3:24.46
5. Spain- 3:24.48
6. Italy- 3:24.84
7. Germany- 3:24.87
8. Canada- 3:24.94

As we have learned time-and-again this meet… Nobody. Is. Safe.

The United States was not taking any chances on missing the final for the mixed 4×100 freestyle relay, and got out hard with Chris Giuliano splitting 47.66 on the opening leg to get out under World Record pace. Jonny Kulow followed that up with a 47.68 split before handing off to Simone Manuel. Manuel split 52.67, the 2nd fastest split in the women’s field and extended the lead for anchor Kate Douglass, who shut it down on the last 50, splitting 53.47 to bring the relay home in 3:21.48, the top seed by almost three seconds.

France  swam in the final heat, coming in at 3:24,21 with their relay of Rafael Fente Damers (48.72), Yann le Goff (48.01), Albane Cachot (53.93), and Marie Wattel (53.55), coming in just a tenth ahead of the Dutch relay of 3:24.31 from heat two.

Marrit Steenbergen anchored the Netherlands relay in 51.95, the fastest split in the field, securing their spot in a very close final tonight.

Australia finished 11th, missing the final entirely after finishing in 3:25.15. Kai Taylor led off in 48.37 and Max Giuliani swam 2nd, splitting 49.00. In the prelims on day one, they split 47.55 and 48.08 respectively. Hannah Casey and Milla Jansen swam the women’s legs in 54.23 and 53.55. They were 53.86 and 53.10 in prelims on day one.

The World Record holders won both the men’s and women’s 4×100 relays on the first night, and were likely the favorites to win this relay as well. China finished just ahead of them at 10th, and Hungary was 9th, two-hundredths from making the final.

Men’s 1500 Free– Prelims

• World Record: 14:30.67 – Bobby Finke, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 14:41.22 – Kuzey Tuncelli, TUR (2024)
• Championship Record: 14:31.54 – Ahmed Hafnaoui, TUN (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN) – 14:31.54
• 2024 Olympic Champion: Bobby Finke (USA) – 14:30.67

Top 8 Qualifiers

1. Florian Wellbrock (GER) – 14:44.81
2. Ahmed Jaouadi (TUN) – 14:44.95
3. Kuzey Tuncelli (TUR) – 14:45.28
4. Sven Schwarz (GER) – 14:45.31
5. Bobby Finke (USA) – 14:45.70
6. Samuel Short (AUS) – 14:46.24
7. Zalan Sarkany (HUN) – 14:47.89
8. Damien Joly (FRA) – 14:51.06

The men’s 1500 freestyle prelims were close. From top seed Florian Wellbrock of Germany to 5th seed Bobby Finke from the United States, there was less than a second difference, and that was across two different heats.

Wellbrock came in at 14:44.81, just over a tenth ahead of Ahmed Jaouadi from Tunisia, who swam 14:44.95 in heat two. Both men have gold medals under their belts already these championships with Jaouadi winning the 800 freestyle earlier in the meet, and Wellbrock earning four open water gold medals across the 3k knockout sprint, 5k, 10k, and the 6k relay.

Turkey’s Kuzey Tuncelli was 3rd in 14:45.28, just three hundredths ahead of Germany’s Sven Schwarz. American Bobby Finke was 5th in 14:45.70, getting chased down on the final 50 by Jaouadi and Schwarz.

Sam Short from Australia had a strong swim after withdrawing from the 800 freestyle final earlier in the meet due to illness. He qualified 6th overall for tomorrow’s final.

The other American, David Johnston, was ninth, just one spot out of the final.

Women’s 50 Breaststroke- Swim Off

1. Silje Slyngstadli (NOR)- 30.48
2. McKenzie Siroky (USA)- 30.56

Silje Slyngstadli wins the women’s 50 breaststroke swim off to be the first alternate for tonight’s semifinal, touching in 30.48. American McKenzie Siroky came in at 30.56. Both times would have made the semifinal if they were swum in the prelims.