2025 World University Games: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2025 World University Games

• July 17th-23rd, 2025
  • Prelims: 9 a.m. local time (3 a.m. EST)
  • Finals: 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. EST)
• Berlin, Germany
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Meet Central
• Entries List
• Live Results
• Livestream
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1
  • Finals: Day 1

Welcome to day 2 of the 2025 World University Games in Berlin! This morning is sure to be action-packed, featuring preliminary heats of 7 events.

Day 2 Prelims Event Schedule:

• Women’s 400 IM
• Men’s 200 Free
• Women’s 100 Free
• Men’s 100 Back
• Women’s 50 Breast
• Men’s 200 IM
• Women’s 800 Free

The morning will kick off with the women’s 400 IM, where American Leah Hayes is the top seed by more than 2 seconds, coming in with a 4:38.46. Hayes’ biggest success has come in the 200 IM, where she was the bronze medalist at the 2022 World Championships, however, she’s nearly every bit as awesome in the longer IM as well.

South Africa’s Pieter Coetze comes into the men’s 100 back prelims this morning as the top seed by over half a second. Coetze brings truly elite speed into this event, coming in with a seed time of 52.71.

In one of the tighter events of the day, the men’s 200 IM sees the top 3 seeds come in 0.23 seconds apart from each other. American Owen McDonald leads the entrants with a 1:57.51, just ahead of Japan’s Takumi Mori (1:57.71) and fellow American Mitchell Schott (1:57.74).

WOMEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – HEATS

• World Record: 4:23.65 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2025)
• World Junior Record: 4:24.38 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• World University Games Record: 2:10.03 – Yui Ohashi, JPN (2017)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Leah Hayes (USA) – 4:41.81
2. Ayami Suzuki (JPN) – 4:44.12
3. Teagan O’Dell (USA) – 4:44.78
4. Anna Pirovano (ITA) – 4:46.64
5. Rio Sato (JPN) – 4:46.79
6. Lisa  Nystrand (SWE) – 4:48.30 (Tie)
7. Camille Tissandie (FRA) – 4:48.30 (Tie)
8. Claudia Di Passio (ITA) – 4:48.47

American Leah Hayes led the way in prelims of the women’s 400 IM this morning, which doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as she was the top seed by over 2 seconds coming into the morning. Hayes put up a very solid morning swim of 4:41.81, earning her the top seed for finals tonight by a little over 2 seconds. She was 1:03.68 on fly, 1:12.54 on back, 1:20.99 on breast, and 1:04.60 on free this morning.

Fellow American Teagan O’Dell picked up 3rd this morning in 4:44.78. Racing in the same heat as O’Dell, she got out to the early lead, splitting 1:02.94 on fly and 1:11.84 on back, both of which were faster than Hayes this morning.

Japan’s Ayami Suzuki was 2nd this morning in 4:44.12. Suzuki was out even faster than O’Dell this morning, splitting 1:02.28 on fly and 1:10.58 on back.

MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – HEATS

• World Record: 1:42.00 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• World Junior Record: 1:42.97 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
• World University Games Record: 1:44.87 – Danila Izotov, RUS (2013)

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Nikolai Kolesnikov (AIN) – 1:47.23
2. Kaique De Morais Alves (BRA) – 1:47.39
3. Baylor Nelson (USA) – 1:47.67
4. Konosuke Yanagimoto (JPN) – 1:48.02
5. Srihari Nataraj (IND) – 1:48.22
6. Jake Mitchell (USA) – 1:48.40
7. Khiew Hoe (MAS) – 1:48.68
8. Pierre Largeron (FRA) – 1:48.84
9. Hiroto Shimizu (JPN) – 1:48.96
10. Patrick Hussey (CAN) – 1:48.98
11. Eduardo Moraes (BRA) – 1:48.99
12. Philipp Peschke (GER) – 1:49.30
13. Lars Kuljus (EST) – 1:49.63
14. Marcus Da Silva (AUS) – 1:49.64
15. Singh Arvin (MAS) – 1:49.66
16. Giovanni Caserta (ITA) – 1:49.67

Nikolai Kolesnikov came out on top this morning in what wound up being a fairly deep field in the men’s 200 free. Kolesnikov popped a 1:47.23, earning him the top seed for tonight. He was the only swimmer in his heat to dip under 1:48 this morning, however, his time was only 0.16 seconds ahead of Brazil’s Kaique De Morais Alves, who swam a 1:47.39. Kolesnikov swam a consistent race this morning, splitting 25.14 on the opening 50, then going 27.07, 27.60, and 27.42 respectively the rest of the way.

De Morais Alves was facing a tight battle in his heat against American Baylor Nelson, who came in 2nd in that heat with a 1:47.67. The Brazilian got out to the faster start, splitting 51.57 on the opening 100 compared to Nelson’s 52.26. After basically holding steady on the 3rd 50, Nelson began eating into the lead on the final lap, but didn’t quite reel De Morais Alves in enough to get his hand on the wall 1st.

Japan’s duo had a strong showing here this morning as well, seeing Konosuke Yanagimoto take 4th overall with a 1:48.02, while Hiroto Shimizu was 9th in 1:48.96.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – HEATS

• World Record: 51.71 – Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
• World Junior Record: 52.70 – Penny Oleksiak, CAN (2016)
• World University Games Record: 53.34 – Zhang Yufei, CHN (2023)

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Maxine Parker (USA) – 54.99
2. Lison Nowaczyk (FRA) – 55.03
3. Olivia Nel (RSA) – 55.03
4. Han An-chi (TPE) – 55.34
5. Liu Shuhan (CHN) – 55.54
6. Lucile Tessariol (FRA) – 55.58
7. Julia Dennis (USA) – 55.65
8. Federica Toma (ITA) – 55.66
9. Ai Yanhan (CHN) – 55.75
10. Iana Shakirova (AIN) – 55.76
11. Kalia Antoniou (CYP) – 55.79
12. Nicole Maier (GER) – 55.98
13. Jemima Hall (GBR) – 56.03
14. Delia Lloyd (CAN) – 56.03
15. Beatrix Tanko (HUN) – 56.05
16. Julia Maik (POL) – 56.10

American Maxine Parker clocked the top time of prelims in the women’s 100 free, swimming a 54.99. That swim comes in about a second-and-a-half off her personal best, but was still enough to earn her the top seed for semifinals tonight.

France’s Lison Nowaczyk and South Africa’s Olivia Nel were right behind Parker this morning, both clocking in at 55.03. France’s other swimmer, Lucile Tessariol, was high up there this morning as well, swimming a 55.58 for 6th.

Meanwhile, the other American in the field, Julia Dennis, came in 7th this morning with a 55.65.

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record: 51.60 – Thomas Ceccon, ITA (2022)
• World Junior Record: 52.08 – Miron Lifintsev, RUS (2024)
• World University Games Record: 52.60 – Ryosuke Irie, JPN (2009)

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 53.34
2. Will Modglin (USA) – 53.47
3. Daniel Diehl (USA) – 53.60
4. Mathys Chouchaoui (FRA) – 54.29
5. Yusuke Sato (JPN) – 54.41
6. Pietro Ubertalli (ITA) – 54.46
7. Aleksei Tkachev (AIN) – 54.56
8. Yuga Nishimura (JPN) – 54.69
9. Jules Andre (FRA) – 54.79
10. Cornelius Jahn (GER) – 54.87
11. Chuang Mu-Iun (TPE) – 55.23
12. Kajus Stankevicius (LTU) – 55.27
13. Yoon Jihwan (KOR) – 55.42
14. Erikas Grigaitis (LTU) – 55.50
15. Kwan Hayden (HGK) – 55.51
16. Aleksander Sienkiewicz (POL) – 55.51

The top 3 swimmers in the men’s 100 back this morning wasted no time putting up fast performances. South Africa’s Pieter Coetze led the way this morning, swimming a 53.34. Coetze is the only swimmer in this field to have gone under 53 seconds before. This morning, Coetze was 26.08 on the opening 50, then came home in 27.26.

American Will Modglin clocked a 53.47 this morning to take 2nd overall. Swimming in the same heat as Coetze, where he got out to a 25.94 on the opening 50, then was 27.53 on the back half. Fellow American Daniel Diehl took 3rd overall with a 53.60.

WOMEN’S 50 BREASTSTROKE – HEATS

• World Record: 29.16 – Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2023)
• World Junior Record: 29.30 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2021)
• World University Games Record: 30.12 – Iulia Efimova, RUS (2013)

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Emma Weber (USA) – 30.79
2. Lara Van Niekerk (RSA) – 30.90
3. Barbara Mazurkiewicz (POL) – 31.10
4. Anna Morgan (GBR) – 31.12
5. Piper Enge (USA) – 31.14
6. Shona Branton (CAN) – 31.14
7. Yuyumi Obatake (JPN) – 31.17
8. Simone Moll (RSA) – 31.29
9. Sara Bozso (HUN) – 31.40
10. Aliz Kalmar (HUN) – 31.48
11. Jenna Pulkkinen (FIN) – 31.55
12. Iana Shakirova (AIN) – 31.66
13. Chiara Della Corte (ITA) – 31.84
14. Chiu Yi-chen (TPE) – 31.85
15. Kyla Brown (AUS) – 31.87
16. Moa Bergdahl (SWE) – 31.88

American Emma Weber was on top of things in the women’s 50 breast this morning, swimming a 30.79. She and South Africa’s Lara Van Niekerk were the only swimmers in the field this morning to go under 31 seconds.

The American duo looks quite promising in this event, as Piper Enge took 5th this morning in 31.14. The other South African swimmer in the field, Simone Moll, came in 8th overall this morning with a 31.29.

Poland’s Barbara Mazurkiewicz was strong this morning as well, swimming a 31.10 for 3rd overall.

MEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – HEATS

• World Record: 1:54.00 – Ryan Lochte, USA (2011)
• World Junior Record: 1:56.99 – Hubert Kos, HUN (2021)
• World University Games Record: 1:57.35 – Kosuke Hagino, JPN (2017)

TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:

1. Mitchell Schott (USA) – 1:59.39
2. Owen McDonald (USA) – 1:59.74
3. Yuta Watanabe (JPN) – 2:00.10
4. Takumi Mori (JPN) – 2:00.18
5. Eitan Ben Shitrit (ISR) – 2:00.20
6. Jeremias Pock (GER) – 2:00.20
7. Simone Spediacci (ITA) – 2:00.47
8. Aleksei Sudarev (AIN) – 2:00.95
9. Vadym Naumenko (UKR) – 2:00.98
10. Alexander Casey (GBR) – 2:01.00
11. Gabriel Gorgas (AUS) – 2:01.30
12. Sebastian Lunak (CZE) – 2:01.69
13. Diego Mira (ESP) – 2:01.88
14. Kristaps Mikelsons (LAT) – 2:02.21
15. Fu Kun-ming (TPE) – 2:02.25
16. Daniil Pancerevas (LTU) – 2:02.33

The American duo of Mitchell Schott and Owen McDonald were the only swimmers in the men’s 200 IM prelims this morning to go under 2:00. Schott led the event with a 1:59.39, while McDonald was 1:59.74. Schott was 25.33 on fly, 30.13 on back, 35.17 on breast, and 28.76 on free this morning. McDonald was a bit faster on the front half of the race, splitting 24.79 on fly and 29.30 on back, but was slower on the back half, going 35.98 on breast and 29.67 on free.

Japan’s duo of Yuta Watanabe and Takumi Mori were the next swimmers in this morning, with Watanabe going 2:00.10 and Mori 2:00.18. Watanabe was particularly great on breaststroke this morning, splitting a 34.36. Mori was even better, clocking a 33.89 breast split, which was the fastest in the field this morning.

WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – HEATS

• World Record: 8:04.12 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2025)
• World Junior Record: 8:11.00 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2014)
• World University Games Record: 8:20.54 – Simona Quadarella, ITA (2017)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Mila Nikanorov (USA) – 8:36.12
2. Julie Brousseau (CAN) – 8:37.23
3. Niko Aoki (JPN) – 8:37.52
4. Noemi Cesarano (ITA) – 8:37.83
5. Ruka Takezawa (JPN) – 8:37.90
6. Rebecca Diaconescu (ROU) – 8:38.01
7. Francisca Soares (POR) – 8:38.13
8. Kate Hurst (USA) – 8:38.15

In what wound up being a very tightly-contested prelims of the women’s 800 free this morning, American Mila Nikanorov posted the top time with an 8:36.12. That was a solid prelims swim out of Nikanorov, who established her career best of 8:32.64 at US Nationals last month en route to qualifying for this meet. She was sitting in 3rd in her heat for the first 350 meters this morning, then moved into 2nd in the middle of the race and only moved into the lead on the final 100.

Behind Nikanorov, Julie Brousseau, Niko Aoki, Noemi Cesarano, and Ruka Takezawa each went 8:37. With the 8th seed being American Kate Hurst at 8:38.15, this final should be an absolute thriller tomorrow night, as the whole field is only separated by 2.03 seconds.