Five Big Things From Day Three of the World University Games

#1. A Chance for Multiple Top Five Times in the Men’s 200 Butterfly

Currently the top five time in the world in the men’s 200 butterfly is a 1:55.23 posted by Jan Switkowski. There will be a chance that multiple swimmers will pass that mark in tomorrow night’s final.

Russian Evgeny Koptelov was the fastest qualifier for the men’s 200 butterfly final posting a time of 1:55.56 while Masayuki Umemoto put up the second fastest time of 1:55.72. With those times Koptelov now ranks eighth in the world while Umemoto ranks ninth.

Coming into the race Koptelov’s best was a 1:56.37 while Umemoto’s was a 1:56.60.

In addition to Koptelov and Umemoto American Andrew Seliskar has a season’s best of 1:55.92.

It will be interesting to see if tomorrow night any or all of these men can break into the world’s top five.

#2 A Night of Close Finishes

Two of the men’s events came right down to the wire.

The 400 freestyle was an incredible race between Jay Lelliott of Great Britain and Australian Jack McLoughlin. Lelliott led throughout the race while McLoughlin made his move in the final meters of the race. Lelliott ultimately took the event in a time of 3:48.84 followed by McLoughlin who touched in a time of 3:48.88.

The men’s 200 IM could not get any closer as American Joshua Prenot and Australian Justin James both hit the wall in a time of 1:58.38 to tie for the win.

#3. The Effect of the Event Order

There was a lot of talk about the event order for the men on day three and for good reason. The question was with the 200 freestyle less than an hour before the 400 freestyle how would it effect those participating in both?

There were only two men, American Reed Malone and Naito Ehara of Japan, who would have to deal with that challenge. Ehara was not a factor in either race, but it was a different story altogether for Malone.

Malone took the men’s 200 freestyle posting a lifetime best of 1:47.15. He returned to the pool for the 400 freestyle posting a time 3:50.13 to secure the bronze.

Malone’s best time in the 400 freestyle is a 3:49.67 while Jay Lelliott won the event in a time of 3:48.84.

Who knows how much of an effect the event order had on the placing in the 400 freestyle, but it would have been nice to see what Malone could have done in the 400 if he would not have had to swim the 200 earlier in the session.

#4. American Women Take Top Two Spots in Freestyle Events

Americans Shannon Vreeland and Abbie Weitzeil took the gold in the silver in the women’s 100 freestyle. Vreeland posted a 54.39 followed by Weitzeil who finished in a time of 54.53.

Now that the American women have captured gold and silver in the 100 freestyle the question is how many more times will they be able to achieve this feat?

The Americans are seeded in the first and second spots in all of the remaining freestyle events.

• 50 freestyle – Weitzeil and Maddie Locus
• 200 freestyle – Vreeland and Leah Smith
• 400 freestyle – Lindsay Vrooman and Smith
• 800 freestyle – Vrooman and Kathryn Campbell

#5. Pelton and Bootsma Set for Sub Minute Swims?

Neither Elizabeth Pelton and Rachel Bootsma have been at their best throughout the 2014 and 2015 seasons, but will have a chance to change that in the women’s 100 backstroke final tomorrow evening. Pelton has a lifetime best of 59.27, but the fastest she has been in the last two years is 1:00.31. Bootsma’s best is a 59.10, but the fastest she has been in the last two years is a 1:00.39.

They are heading into the women’s 100 backstroke final with the second and third fastest times behind Canadian Kylie Masse.

This could be the race where both women post sub one minute times once again.