2023 World Championships Day 3 Finals Preview: Popovici Ready to Defend 200 Free Title

2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• July 23 to 30, 2023
• Fukuoka, Japan
• Marine Messe Fukuoka
• LCM (50m)
• WORLD CHAMPS WATCH PARTY – DAILY
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Entry Book
• Live Results (Omega)
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

DAY 3 FINALS START LIST (HEAT SHEET)

EVENT SCHEDULE

• Men’s 200 free – FINAL
• Women’s 1500 free- FINAL
• Men’s 50 breast – SEMIFINALS
• Women’s 100 back – FINAL
• Men’s 100 back – FINAL
• Women’s 200 free – SEMIFINALS
• Men’s 200 fly – SEMIFINALS
• Women’s 100 breast – FINAL

The finals session on day 3 is pretty packed. Tonight’s session will include finals of the men’s 200 free, women’s 1500 free, women’s 100 back, men’s 100 back, and women’s 100 breast. There will also be semifinals of the men’s 50 breast, women’s 200 free, and men’s 200 fly.

Things should get off to a thrilling start, as the men’s 200 free is the first event up tonight. While we fully expect World Junior Record holder and defending champion David Popovici to win this race, it may just develop into an exciting race. Popovici, 18, has been the fastest in this field by a wide margin, boasting a career best of 1:42.97. He also won the event last summer in 1:43.21.

In semifinals last night, Popovici clocked a 1:44.70, touching out American Luke Hobson, who was 1:44.87. While it would be easy to discount swim as well off his personal best, or even his winning time from last summer, Popovici is actually right in line with how he swam last summer in Budapest. Last summer, he posted a 1:44.40 in semifinals before swimming his 1:43.21 in finals. Not that anyone was really doubting him, but that’s more evidence that Popovici should win this race handily tonight.

The biggest wildcard, in my view, is American Luke Hobson. Hobson was right there with Popovici in semifinals, and even closed the gap on him on the back half of the race. Hobson’s 1:44.87 in semis last night was a new personal best for him, but maybe he has another PB in him. It’s a tall order, but he just may be able to better his time from semis.

That’s not it, however, as South Korean star Sunwoo Hwang is also in the field tonight, along with Great Britain’s Tom Dean. Hwang has the third-fastest personal best in the field, having been 1:44.47 before. Hwang swam that time to earn the silver medal last summer in Budapest. In semifinals last night, Hwang swam a 1:45.07, setting him up nicely in striking distance of his PB. Meanwhile, Dean is 2nd-fastest only to Popovici in this field, boasting a career best of 1:44.22

Following the men’s 200 free, we’ll get to watch Katie Ledecky as she very likely speeds to her 5th world title in the women’s 1500 free. Especially after her prelims swim of 15:41.22 yesterday morning, there’s no doubt Ledecky will win this race barring an unforeseen disaster. The only question is just how fast she’ll go.

The women’s 100 back is set to feature one of the most highly anticipated races of the meet. The current World Record holder, Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, is going up against American Regan Smith and Canadian Kylie Masse, both of whom have held the World Record in the event previously. Smith leads the field through the semifinals, where she clocked a 58.33 last night. She wasn’t far ahead of McKeown, however, as McKeown put up a 58.48 in semis. In her post-race interview after the semis last night, Smith said she felt like she had quite a bit left in the tank, and McKeown presumably does too, so this should be an electric race.

Following an uncharacteristically slow prelims swim, Italy’s Thomas Ceccon came roaring back in semifinals of the men’s 100 back last night, speeding to a 52.16. It was an excellent swim for the World Record holder in the event (51.60), who went on to win gold in the 50 fly last night as well. Though Ceccon showed he is, in fact, at the top of his game here in Fukuoka, he be pushed tonight, as both China’s Xu Jiayu and American Ryan Murphy looked great in semis as well.

Last but not least, the women’s 100 breast is going to be an awesome race to watch as well. After swimming a shockingly fast 1:04.67 in prelims yesterday morning, Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte was a touch slower in semis last night, swimming a 1:05.09. It was still the fastest swim of the semifinals, putting Meilutyte in an excellent position heading into finals. World Record holder Lilly King was strong in semis last night, swimming a 1:05.45. Of note, reigning Olympic Champion Lydia Jacoby will be in lane 1 tonight, so keep an eye on her. Jacoby hasn’t looked super sharp so far in Fukuoka, but she’s been on this stage before, and she can put on incredible closing speed in the event.