2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup Series – Singapore: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP-Singapore

• Thursday, October 31th – Saturday, November 2nd
• Shanghai, China
• Prelims at 9:30 am local (9:30 pm ET previous night)/Finals at 6:30 pm local (6:30am ET)
• SCM (25m)
• Meet Central
• Event Schedule
• Entries Book
• Live Results

DAY 1 HEATS START LIST

Well, Folks, we have come to the end of the line. We have arrived at the last stop on the three-leg tour that is the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.

The international swimming community descends upon Singapore, the location of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships for the next three days as the World Cup series concludes.

The hunt for the overall win is tight amongst both the men and the women as Americans Regan Smith and Kate Douglass, both of whom have set World Records on this tour, will look to fight for the top position and be crowned champion.

A similar situation unfolds in the men’s race where Leon Marchand and Noe Ponti, who like the American pair has also set a new World Record, will look to duke it out for the crown but will have to fend off the likes of Qin Haiyang, Pieter Coetze, and Duncan Scott.

However, the series results won’t be official until the end of the meet, and there are plenty of interesting races to start us off on.

To begin with, two of the younger American stars, Katie Grimes and Claire Weinstein, will make their series debut in this session’s very first event, the Women’s 400 free, where the pair will look to make the final alongside top seed Mary-Sophie Harvey.

The men’s event, which sees six heats starts off with a bang as heat one is slated to have both Leon Marchand and Rafael Miroslaw compete, as both are entered with no time and will look to put up fastest enough times to make the final and potentially push out the likes of Kieran Smith, Duncan Scott, Junwoo Kim and Pan Zhanle.

From the 400 free, we move into the Women’s 50 Back, where Smith will be hunting to erase the second Kaylee McKeown record from the books as she attempts to pass the 25.36 World Cup record set by the Aussie at the Shanghai stop, and if that record is in sight then so to is the World Record set back in 2022 by Maggie MacNeil.

Speaking of World Cup Records, Ponti, who in addition to the World Record in the 50, also owns the World Cup record in the 100 fly and will look to keep himself in contention for the series win by entering the final in the middle lanes. Also on the outside looking, in reference to the series win is Douglass, who is entered in the 200 breast/100 IM double, with the former swim being her first time swimming the 200 breast as the world record holder.

The prelims session will be viewable to most fans on the World Aquatics Recast page (for a fee), which can be accessed below. For more information, read here.

WOMEN’S 400 Free– Prelims

• World Record: 3:51.30 – Li Bingjie, CHN  (2022)
• World Cup Record: 3:52.80 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)
• World Junior Record: 3:52.80 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)

Top 8:

1. Mary Sophie-Harvey (CAN) – 4:02.98
2. Katie Grimes (USA) – 4:03.58
3. Waka Kobori (JPN) – 4:04.93
4. Claire Weinstein (USA) – 4:06.68
5. Moesha Johnson (AUS) – 4:09.31
6. Maya Werner (GER) – 4:10.11
7. Han Dakyung (KOR) – 4:15.84
8. Ashley Lim (SGP) – 4:21.57

Heat 1 of three went the way of local club swimmer, Inga Xu who posted a time of 4:30.73, not only winning by over six seconds but also chopping off nearly an equal amount of time from her seed, as she entered the meet with a 4:37.66.

Heat 2 saw American Katie Grimes, the Olympic silver medalist in the 400 IM, take an earlier lead as she led out the field in a split of 58.24. Through the halfway point, Grimes was trailed by Japan’s Waka Kobori and Germany’s Maya Werner, but her 2:00.19 split was over a second faster than either of her closest competitors and by the 300-meter mark, Werner had fallen back to over four seconds back. Kobori did her best to keep close and never fell more than two seconds back, but couldn’t quite close the gap and would remain behind Grimes until the finish. Grimes finished in a smooth 4:03.58, with Kobori clocking a result of 4:04.93.

The last heat saw Grimes teammates and clubmate Claire Weinstein assert her authority early in the race. She opened the first 100 in 59.20, over a second faster than the top seed, Mary-Sophie Harvey, and by the 200, Weinstein had increased that lead to over a second and a half. However, Harvey, who is known to have an incredible backhalf clawed a full second back in just a 50 and by the 300-meter turn had in fact opened up a near half-second lead on Weinstein. The Canadian Olympian kept up her back-half assault and stormed to the heat win in 4:02.98, beating Weinstein by nearly four seconds as the American finished in 4:06.68. Australian distance star Moesha Johnson joined the pair under 4:10.00 and will safely advance to the final tonight as well.

MEN’S 400 Free– Prelims

• World Record: 3:32.25 – Yannick Agnel, FRA (2012)
• World Cup Record: 3:32.77 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• World Junior Record: 3:37.92 – Matthew Sates, RSA (2021)

Top 8:

1. Kieran Smith (USA) – 3:41.21
2. Duncan Scott (GBR) – 3:43.98
3. Benjamin Goedemans (AUS)/Danas Rapsys – 3:44.08
5. Kregor Zirk (EST) – 3:44.16
6. Charlie Clark (USA) – 3:44.21
7. Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 3:44.39
8. Hoe Yean Khiew (MAS) – 3:45.73

Well, despite the camera panning to a fan-made sign showing support for Leon Marchand, the French star was absent from the first heat of the men’s 400 free. In his place, German Rafael Miroslaw took the heat win in 3:45.91. The German, who represented his home nation in Paris, is no stranger to short-course racing week after week (albeit in yards) as he finished as high as 5th last March at the NCAA Championships competing for Indiana.

Miroslaw’s time survived up through the start of the circle-seeded heats as Brazilian Olympian, Breno Correia did his best to chase the time but ultimately fell short in heat 4, recording a mark of 3:46.89.

Heat 5, the first of the circle-seeded heats, saw a lead pack of four assert themselves early, with Malaysia’s Hoe Yean Khiew leading the way at the 100-meter mark but quickly gave way to American Kieran Smith, who took over the lead, splitting 1:48.91 at the halfway point. By the 300, Smith had blown apart the leading quartet and was ahead by over two seconds and would go on to post the fastest time of the morning so far of 3:41.21. Fellow American Charlie Clark, used a strong backhalf to move into second place after missing out on being amongst the early leaders, stopping the clock in 3:44.21 with Khiew finishing in third, over a second behind.

Heat 6, the last heat, saw Lithuanian Danas Rapsys flip first at the 100 in 53.72, opening a very narrow lead over Duncan Scott, who was 53.83. Scott would claw back that differential and, by the 200-meter mark, was in the lead, flipping in 1:50.95. However, it was not a secure lead as Rapsys, Pan Zhanle, and Kregor Zirk were all within half a second at the 300 turn, and at the 350 turn, it was Pan who was in the lead. The last 50 turned into a drag race for the leading four, but it was Scott, who got his hand on the wall first, clocking a result of 3:43.98.

Closing like a freight train to tie with Rapsys for second in the heat was Australian Benjamin Goedemans, who appeared out of it but closed in a speed 12.74 to catch up and stop the clock at 3:44.08.

WOMEN’S 50 Back– Prelims

• World Record: 25.25 – Maggie MacNeil, CAN (2022)
• World Cup Record: 25.36 – Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2025)
• World Junior Record: 26.08 – Sara Curtis, ITA (2024)

Top 8: 

1. Regan Smith (USA) – 26.01
2. Iona Anderson (AUS) – 26.26
3. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) – 26.60
4. Beata Nelson (USA) – 26.67
5. Anastasiya Shkurdai (NIA) – 26.77
6. Kim Seungwon (KOR) – 26.93
7. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 27.01
8. Hannah Fredericks (AUS) – 27.19

Strong underwater proved to be the difference in heat 2 as American Beata Nelson pushed the last turn just a little further than Anastasiya Shkurdai to get to the wall first, stopping the clock in 27.67, with the Belorussian, competing as a neutral athlete recording a mark of 27.73

Heat 3 saw Canadian Ingrid Wilm take to the water. The second overall seed, who entered with a seed time of 26.09, showed off her backstroke prowess and wrested the top time from Nelson as she stopped the clock in 26.60. However, it was short-lived, as the last heat saw one of the fastest backstrokers in the world take to the pool.

Regan Smith, who is less than a week removed from her 100-back WR, used a strong start to post a split of 12.97. However, it was not the fastest split as Iona Anderson, one of several young Australian backstrokers, was out even faster, hitting the turn in 12.97. Smith, however, closed in 13.04, which would have been the 3rd fastest 1st 25 to post a mark of 26.01. Anderson, for her part, closed in a speedy 13.32 to finish second overall in a time of 26.26

MEN’S 200 Back– Prelims

• World Record: 1:45.63 – Mitch Larkin, AUS (2015)
• World Cup Record: 1:46.11 – Arkady Vyachanin, RUS (2009)
• World Junior Record: 1:48.02 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2017)

Top 8: 

1. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 1:54.67
2. Jack Dahlgren (USA) – 1:54.89
3. Lorenzo Mora (ITA) – 1:54.99
4. Lee Juho (KOR) – 1:55.21
5. Yegor Popov (KAZ) – 1:56.95
6. Reagan Chang (SGP) – 1:57.40
7. Zackery Tay (SGP) – 1:57.49
8. Mark Szaranek (GBR) – 1:57.59

With less than 24 entrants, all three of the heats in the men’s 200 back are circle seeded, and in fact, all had empty lanes, meaning many of the top seeds may play the potentially dangerous game of looking to balance conserving their strength and going fast in the prelims.

Kazakstan’s Yegor Popov opted not to play the game and popped off a speedy 1:56.95, considering his entry time was 2:01.61. His result earned him first in the heat ahead of Great Britain’s Mark Szaranek (1:57.59) and Poland’s Kacper Stokowski (1:58.22). Stokowski, the #3 seed who entered with a seed of 1:51.56, will be hoping that there aren’t six swimmers in the last two heats who are faster.

Heat 2 was a much faster affair, which may spell doom and gloom for the Pole. Pieter Coetzee, who has been dominant over the past fortnight, won a tight duel with Jack Dahlgren. The South African finished in 1:54.67, ahead of the bearded (or goatee’d) Dahlgren, who finished in 1:54.89. The pair weren’t the only two to beat Stokowski’s time as Zackery Quan Lony Tay and Luccas Brenner recorded marks of 1:57.49 and 1:58.07.

Heat 3 was a similarly tight affair as less than a quarter of a second separated the top two finishers, and Italy’s Lorenzo Mora got the better of Korean backstroker Lee Juho 1:54.99 to 1:55.21. With those results, Stokowski would wind up finishing 10th overall.

WOMEN’S 200 Fly– Prelims

• World Record: 1:59.61 – Mireia Belmonte Garcia, ESP (2014)
• World Cup Record: 2:00.78 – Liu Zige, CHN (2009)
• World Junior Record: 2:02.71 – Chen Luying, CHN (2024)

Top 8:

1. Bella Grant (AUS) – 2:05.13
2. Brittany Catelluzzo (AUS) – 2:06.01
3. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) – 2:07.73
4. Nicholle Toh (SGP) – 2:08.46
5. Femke Spiering (NED) – 2:12.54
6. Applejean Gwinn (TPE) – 2:13.00
7. Xiandi Chua (PHI) – 2:14.11
8. Jasmine Mojdeh (PHI) – 2:16.58

Unlike in Shanghai, where there were not enough entrants to field prelims, the women’s 200 fly saw two preliminary heats take to the water in this session.

In the first heat, Finland’s Laura Lahtinen had control from the get go. After placing 3rd in both the finals in Shanghai and Incheon, the Finn will improve her standing. Out in 59.92, just one of two swimmers under 1:00, Lahtinen looked smooth over the back half coming to the wall in 2:07.73, nearly five seconds clear of Femke Spiering’s 2:12.54.

However, standing in Lahtinen’s way are the Aussie pair of Bella Grant and Brittany Castelluzzo, who, in the second heat, put up impressive prelim swims of 2:05.13 and 2:06.01. Grant, last weekend got the better of Regan Smith, who opted not to enter the event this weekend, winning the final in 2:03.13.

MEN’S 100 Fly– Prelims

• World Record: 47.78 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Cup Record: 48.40 – Noe Ponti, SUI (2024)
• World Junior Record: 49.03 – Ilya Kharun, CAN (2022)

Top 8:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 49.32
2. Nyls Korstanje (NED) – 49.76
3. Teong Tzen Wei (SGP) – 50.03
4. Matthew Temple (AUS) – 50.07
5. Chad le Clos (RSA) – 50.13
6. Trenton Julian (USA) – 50.60
7. Grigori Pekarski (NIA) – 50.61
8. Jesse Coleman (AUS) -50.65

Heat 3 saw some excitement from the crowd as hometown favorite Teong Tzen Wei posted a speedy time of 50.01, nearly breaking his own national record of 49.88. The penultimate heat, heat 4, saw the first result under 50.00 as Nyls Korstanje posted a result of 49.76.

The last heat saw World Cup record holder Noe Ponti assert his authority on the field and open up a massive lead as he finished more than half a body length clear of the field. The Swiss star, who set the 50 fly World Record, stopped the clock in 49.32, close to a second ahead of Australian Matt Temple, who finished in 50.07.

In looking at the splits, only Korstanje and le Clos were out under 23 (22.94 and 22.95), but neither can match the strength of Ponti on the back half. Ponti was out in 23.00 and closed in 26.32, whereas the Dutchman finished with a last split of 26.82.

WOMEN’S 200 Breast – Prelims

• World Record: 2:14.16 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)
• World Cup Record: 2:14.16 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 2:14.70 – Evgeniia Chikunova, RUS (2022)

Top 8: 

1. Kate Douglass (USA) – 2:17.10
2. Alina Zmushka (NIA) – 2:20.89
3. Tara Kinder (AUS) – 2:22.33
4. Sophie Angus (CAN) – 2:23.17
5. Nikoleta Trnikova (SVK) – 2:24.35
6. Park Sieun (KOR) – 2:24.80
7. Sophie Hansson (SWE) – 2:26.29
8. Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 2:26.84

Kate Douglass, racing the 200 breast for the first time since breaking the world record, was within a second of her record at the 100-meter mark but shut things down over the backhalf. Despite finishing nearly three seconds back of her own best, her time of 2:17.10 was the standout swim of the second heat as she easily won by over five seconds, with Australia’s Tara Kinder finishing in 2:22.33 and Park Sieun of Korea in 2:24.80.

In the previous heat, Alina Zmushka won in 2:20.89, also well clear of the field albeit Sophie Angus’s 2:23.17 being much closer than Kinder was to Douglass. Tonight, with little competion it’ll be Douglass chasing her own record and a chance to earn another WR bonus.

MEN’S 100 Breast – Prelims

• World Record: 55.28 – Ilya Shymanovich, NIA (2021)
• World Cup Record: 55.61 – Cameron van der Burgh, RSA (2009)
• World Junior Record: 56.66 – Simone Cersuolo, ITA (2021)

Top 8: 

1. Ilya Shymanovich (NIA) – 55.98
2. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 56.85
3. Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 57.20
4. Joshua Yong (AUS) – 57.74
5. Josh Gilbert (NZL) – 57.98
6. Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU) – 58.05
7. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 58.26
8. Joshua Collett (AUS) – 58.54

Heat 3 of the men’s 100 breaststroke was a tight affair between Australian Joshua Yong and Lithuanian Andrius Sidlauskas. The pair traded the lead over the first 75, but it was the Aussie who employed a great last pull-out to take the lead in the last 25, and he surged to the wall, recording a mark of 57.74, compared to Sidlauskas’s 58.05. Sandwiched between the two was Arno Kamminga, who, sporting a beard, finished third in 59.24.

Heat 4 was a similarly tight affair as Kamminga’s compatriot, Caspar Corbeau was out fast (26.69), but was stalked by Chinese star Qin Haiyang (26.92) the entire race. A much faster heat, the Olympic bronze medalist in the 200 meter breast, Corbeau took the win in 56.85 ahead of Qin’s 57.20.

The fifth heat followed in the footsteps of the 4th heat and was a faster affair as Ilya Shymanovich nipped under the 56.00 barrier, recording a time of 55.98, a time which should be noted is faster than his winning time from Incheon (56.10).

WOMEN’S 50 Free – Prelims

• World Record: 22.93 – Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED (2017)
• World Cup Record: 22.93 – Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED (2017)
• World Junior Record: 23.69 – Anastasyia Shkurdai, NIA (2020)

Top 8: 

1. Katarzyna Wasick (POL) – 23.77
2. Yang Junxuan (CHN) – 24.14
3. Tang Qianting (CHN) – 24.48
4. Sara Junevik (SWE) – 24.50
5. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 24.54
6. Hur Yeonkyung (KOR) – 24.59
7. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) – 24.66
8. Mizuki Hirai (JPN) – 24.75

The first of the circle-seeded heats saw Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey take the win in 24.54, just .12 ahead of Australia’s Brittany Castelluzzo, who not less than an hour ago posted the second fast time in the 200 fly.

A great turn by Yang Junxuan saw the Chinese swimmer shoot down the last 25 to capture the win in heat 5. The Olympian took the win in 24.14, nearly a half a second clear of Korea’s Hur Yeonkyung, who was 24.59 at the wall.

Putting herself in a very strong position to complete the sweep of the splash and dash was the top seed, Kasia Wasick. The Pole, who was 23.87 in the Shanghai final and 23.51 in Incheon, was out in a speedy 11.60 and back in 12.17 to post a result of 23.77, the only time under 24.00.

MEN’S 50 Free – Prelims

• World Record: 20.16 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Cup Record: 20.48 – Vladimir Morozov, RUS (2018)
• World Junior Record: 20.98 – Kenzo Simons, NED (2019)

Top 8: 

1. Nyls Korstanje (NED) – 20.88
2. Dylan Carter (TTO) – 20.96
3. Jack Dolan (USA) – 21.00
4. Marius Kusch (GER) – 21.03
5. Ji Yuchan (KOR) – 21.07
6. Isaac Cooper (AUS) – 21.18
7. Ralf Tribuntsov (EST) – 21.39
8. Kenzo Simons (NED) – 21.40

The circle-seeded heat came fast and furious. Dylan Carter took the first heat posting a time of 20.96, besting Kenzo Simons by nearly half a second as the Junior World Record holder stopped the clock in 21.41.

The next heat saw Nyls Korstanje also go under 21.00. The Dutchman was out in sub 9.95 (the only sub 10 split in the field) and closed in to hit the wall in 20.88, holding off the fast-charging Jack Dolan. Dolan, an American, stopped the clock at 21.00, ahead of Australian Olympian Isaac Cooper’s 21.18.

The 8th and final heat saw Marius Kusch take the win in 21.o3 The veteran German, who may be more known for his butterfly prowess, just inched out Korea’s Ji Yuchan, who was just behind him, stopping the clock in 21.07.

WOMEN’S 100 IM– Prelims

• World Record: 56.51 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Cup Record: 56.51 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2017)
• World Junior Record: 57.59 – Anastasyia Shkurdai, NIA (2020)

Top 8:

1. Kate Douglass (USA) – 57.69
2. Beata Nelson (USA) – 58.90
3. Yu Yiting (CHN) – 59.45
4. Louise Hansson (SWE)/Laura Lahtinen (FIN) – 59.71
6. Tamara Potocka (SVK) – 59.76
7. Sara Juvenik (SWE) – 59.91
8. Iona Anderson (AUS) – 1:00.05

It was a similar start for Beata Nelson and a similar finish for Kate Douglass. Nelson, one of the world’s best underwater swimmers, had the lead after the 50, taking it in 26.75, but Douglass, one of the world’s best IMers and not to mention the WR holder in the 200 breast, closed the gap of .34 and gained the lead on the pull-out alone and never looked back as she cruised to the heat win and overall top time of 57.69, more than a second clear of Nelson’s 58.9.

Her fellow compatriot, Katie Grimes, who is more known for her distance abilities, swam in the first heat of the event but failed to crack the top 8, finishing 11th overall in 1:00.89.

MEN’S 100 IM– Prelims

• World Record: 49.28 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Cup Record: 50.26 – Vladimir Morozov, RUS (2018)
• World Junior Record: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)

Top 8:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 52.41
2. Leon Marchand (FRA) – 52.53
3. Kim Jihun (KOR) – 52.60
4. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 52.70
5. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) – 52.75
6. Joshua Collett (AUS) – 53.01
7. Trenton Julian (USA) – 53.07
8. Kim Minsuk (KOR) – 54.21

The battle between Ponti and Marchand for the overall series lead heated up as the Swiss star got the better result this morning, as he posted the fasted time in the prelims. Marchand was out faster at the 50 (23.56 vs 23.77), but Ponti’s 13.10 last 25 was more than enough to close the deficit as the Frenchman closed in 13.91.

Don’t sleep on the others in the field, however, as Kim Jihun closed in 12.83, the fastest last 25 and one of only two in the final to be sub 13, bucking his usual 200 fly strategy; Trenton Julian had a swift last leg finishing in 12.87.