2016 Short Course World Championships: Day 5 Finals Preview

2016 SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• December 6th – December 11th, 2016
• Windsor, Ontario, Canada
• WFCU Centre
• SCM (25m)
• Prelims: 9:30 AM EST/Finals: 6:30 PM EST
• Start Lists/Results
• Live Stream ($)

Swimmers are gearing up for day 5 finals of the 2016 FINA Short Course World Championships in Windsor, Canada. Tonight, we’ll crown the world champions in the women’s 200 IM, 50 back, 100 breast, and 800 free relay, as well as the men’s 50 fly, 400 IM, and 200 medley relay. We’ll also see semifinals of the 100 free and 50 breast for the men, along with the 100 fly and 50 free for the women. Read on for a preview of some of the top races to watch.

ONE LAST BUTTERFLY BATTLE FOR TOM SHIELDS AND CHAD LE CLOS

The men’s 50 fly final will feature one last matchup between Team USA’s Tom Shields and South Africa’s Chad Le Clos. In their first 2 butterfly matchups, Le Clos won gold in the 100 fly and 200 fly while Shields earned silver. Tonight, however, Shields is the top seed and looks like he could have a breakthrough for gold. In last night’s semifinals, he broke the American Record.

JOSH PRENOT LOOKS TO MEDAL IN 400 IM

After missing the podium by just 2 hundredths of a second in the 200 IM earlier in the meet, Team USA’s Josh Prenot will look to earn an individual medal in the 400 IM tonight. This has always been a good event for Prenot, especially since he won the NCAA Championship title in the yards version of the race last season. He’s the 3rd seed heading into tonight’s final behind Great Britain’s Max Litchfield and Hungary’s David Verraszto.

Also in the medal hunt tonight will be Japan’s Daiya Seto, who took bronze just ahead of Prenot in the 200 IM, and Team USA’s Abrahm DeVine.

ALIA ATKINSON TAKES ON LILLY KING IN 100 BREAST FINAL

Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson, the World Record holder in the short course 100 breast, will challenge Team USA’s Lilly King and Molly Hannis in tonight’s final. All 3 swimmers were in the 1:04-range last night, with King and Hannis going 1-2, but Atkinson should be fresher tonight, as she has the 100 IM final before the semis of this race. King looks tough to beat, but Atkinson has already been as fast at 1:02.36 this season during the 2016 World Cup Series.

WOMEN’S IM REMATCH: KATINKA HOSSZU, MADISYN COX, AND ELLA EASTIN

All 3 medalists from the women’s 400 IM will return to the pool for finals of the 200 IM. Gold medalist Katinka Hosszu leads the way into the final once again. Swimming on either side of her will be the Americans, with bronze medalist Madisyn Cox taking 2nd seed and silver medalist Ella Eastin taking 3rd seed.