2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup Series – Singapore: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – SINGAPORE

• Thursday, October 31st – Saturday, November 2nd
• OCBC Aquatic Centre, Singapore
• Prelims at 9:30am local (9:30pm ET previous night)/Finals at 6:30pm local (6:30am ET)
• SCM (25m)
• Meet Central
• Competition Schedule
• Entries Book
• Live Results

Day 3 Prelims Start List

Day three of the final stop of the 2024 World Cup series is upon us.

Records have been shattered throughout the first two days, as athletes have begun to claim their triple crowns. Last night, French superstar Leon Marchand took his 3rd consecutive World Cup win in the 200 IM, touting a 1:48.88 and taking down Ryan Lochte‘s record of 1:49.63.

Regan Smith returned to lower her own 100 backstroke world record that she set in Incheon. Smith clocked in at 54.27, shaving 0.14 off her previous time. Shortly after, Kate Douglass slammed into the 1st in the 50 fly, boasting a new American Record of 24.42.

As the final day of the competition begins, fans can expect Smith to shoot for the World Cup record in the 200 backstroke. She currently sits at 1:59.60, just 0.25 seconds off Daryna Zevina‘s World Cup record from 2016. Current World Junior record holder Yiting Yu will return to swim the 200 IM, as Tzen Wei Tong aims to take down Noe Ponti‘s 50 fly World that he set at the World Cup’s first stop in Shanghai, just 0.9 seconds ahead of Teong’s seed time.

Refresh this post often to keep up with results as we cover each race live.

MEN’S 400M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – TIMED FINAL

• World Record: 3:54.81 – Daiya Seto, JPN (2o19)
• World Cup Record: 3:57.25 – Daiya Seto, JPN (2018)
• World Junior Record: 3:56.47 – Ilia Borodin, RSF (2021)

Slow heat results:

1. Gabriel Manteufel (USA) – 4:13.84
2. Khai Xin Tan (MAS) – 4:16.09
3. Zackery Quan Long Tay (SGP) – 4:16.31
4. Kazushi Imafuku (JPN) – 4:17.55
5. Charlie Clark (USA) – 4:19.44
6. Li Hen Goh (MAS) – 4:33.91
7. Lachlin Wilks (CLB) – 4:41.13
8. Reynard Delian Purwanto (INA) – 4:46.74

Kazushi Imafuku took the lead in the 1oom butterfly, blasting off quickly from the start. Gabriel Manteufel and Zackery Quan Long Tay caught up to Imafuku in the backstroke and held over a second lead by the end of the breaststroke leg. Manteufel turned up the heat in the freestyle, blasting away from Tay and finishing 2.25 seconds faster than the rest of the heat.

WOMEN’S 100M BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 54.05 – Margaret Mac Neil, CAN (2022)
• World Cup Record: 54.78 – Margaret Mac Neil, CAN (2022)
• World Junior Record: 55.39 – Claire Curzan, USA (2021)

Top 8:

1. Mizuki Hirai (JPN) – 56.21
2. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 56.31
3. Laura Lahtinen (FIN) – 56.32
4. Anastasiya Kuliashova (NIA) – 57.03
5. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) – 57.23
6. Nicholle Toh (SGP) – 57.48
7. Isabella Boyd (AUS) – 57.49
8. Sara Junevik (SWE) – 57.77

Olympic 100 fly silver medalist Mizuki Hiraji swept heat two, taking the lead from the start. Top seed Louise Hansson took the lead in the third heat, as Anastasiya Kuliashova followed close behind on her heels. Hansson took 3rd in the 100 fly at the World Cup’s first stop in Shanghai and took 4th in Incheon. Her prelims time is nearly a second slower than her seed time, so expect a quicker race in the finals.

Regan Smith was a no-show in heat 2, likely saving her energy for the 200m backstroke. Yiting Yu was also a no-show as she prepares for her 200m IM later this morning.

MEN’S 50M BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 21.67 – Noe Ponti, SUI (2024)
• World Cup Record: 21.67 – Noe Ponti, SUI (2024)
• World Junior Record: 22.28 – Ilya Kharun, CAN (2022)

Top 8:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 21.50
2. Nyls Korstanje (NED) – 21.97
3. Tzen Wei Teong (SGP) – 21.98
4. Marius Kusch (GER) – 22.39
5. Isaac Cooper (AUS) – 22.50
6. Dylan Carter (TTO) – 22.53
7. Chad le Clos (RSA) – 22.59
8. Grigori Pekarski (NIA) – 22.66

Noe Ponti lowered his own World Record and World Cup Record by 0.17, soaring into the wall in a time of 21.50. Ponti first broke the records at the World Cup’s first stop in Shanghai where he took home 1st. He claimed the gold in Incheon as well, meaning he has a shot at the triple crown tonight.

Nyls Korstanje followed close behind Ponti, swimming .01 off his best time that he set in Shanghai. Korstanje has finished 2nd to Ponti in the 50 fly at all World Cup stops, making tonight his last chance to steal gold.

Tzen Wei Teong was barely out-touched by Korstanje, finishing .01 seconds behind. The tight finish between Ponti, Korstanje and Teong will undoubtedly make for a close race at the finals.

Thomas Ceccon was a no show in heat 3.

WOMEN’S 200M BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:58.94 – Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2020)
• World Cup Record: 1:59.35 – Daryna Zevina, UKR (2016)
• World Junior Record: 2:00.03 – Missy Franklin, USA (2011)

Top 8:

1. Regan Smith (USA) – 2:02.95
2. Katie Grimes (USA) – 2:03.30
3. Anastasiya Shkurdai (NIA) – 2:03.72
4. Iona Anderson (USA) – 2:05.03
5. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) – 2:05.12
6. Bella Grant (AUS) – 2:06.20
7. Hannah Jane Fredericks (AUS) – 2:07.15
8. Xeniya Ignatova (KAZ) – 2:09.32

Once again, Regan Smith has shown up to claim her victory. She boasted a 2:02.95 at prelims, taking 1st while swimming over two seconds behind her best time. Smith, who took home a silver medal in the event at the Paris Olympics, is eligible for a triple crown if she can capture gold in the finals tonight.

Ingrid Wilm, Beata Nelson, and Anastasiya Shkurdai battled in Shanghai and Incheon for 2nd, with less than a second separating the three of them in Incheon. Nelson was a no show at today’s prelims, leaving Wilm and Shkurdai to duke it out in the finals.

Iona Anderson clocked 4th at 2:05.03, almost four seconds slower than her best time. Anderson won 2nd to Smith in the 50 back finals on Thursday, putting her in the running for a top-finish tonight.

MEN’S 100M BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 48.33 – Coleman Stewart, USA (2021)
• World Cup Record: 48.84 – Shaine Casas, USA (2022)
• World Junior Record: 48.90 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2017)

Top 8:

1. Jack Dolan (USA) – 51.15
2. Lorenzo Mora (ITA) – 51.20
3. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 51.24
4. Kacper Stokowski (POL) – 51.32
5. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 51.64
6. Nikola Miljenic (CRO)/Ralf Tribuntsov (EST) – 51.77
7. –
8. Chad le Clos (RSA) – 51.81

The 100m backstroke was anyone’s race, with 0.66 separating 1st from 8th. Jack Dolan out-touched his competitors after falling behind in the event at the World Cup’s previous stops. He placed 6th in Shanghai and 9th in Incheon, making tonight his chance at redemption.

Thomas Ceccon battled to 5th after scratching his 50m butterfly earlier this morning. He won gold in the 100 back at the Paris Olympics. He was passed by Pieter Coetze who took 1st in Shanghai, and fell to 3rd in the event in Incheon. Chad le Clos was 0.84 seconds away from making it to the finals for the 100 back in Incheon.

WOMEN’S 50M BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 28.37 – Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2022)
• World Cup Record: 28.56 – Alia Atkinson, JAM (2018)
• World Junior Record: 28.81 – Benedetta Pilato, ITA (2020)

Top 8: 

1. Qianting Tang (CHN) – 29.27
2. Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 29.74
3. Alina Zmushka (NIA) – 29.98
4. Sophie Angus (CAN) – 30.54
5. Adelaida Pchelintseva (KAZ) – 30.60
6. Sophie Hansson (SWE) – 30.64
7. Sieun Park (KOR) – 31.02
8. Haru Ko (KOR)/Wui Kiu Man (HKG) – 31.24

Qianting Tang soared to 1st at prelims as she expects to take home the triple crown tonight after winning the 50 breaststroke in Shanghai and Incheon. Her time of 28.76 in Shanghai was just 0.20 seconds off the World Cup Record, and .39 off the World Record.

Benedetta Pilato has been on Tang’s heels all week long, finishing .03 seconds behind her in Shanghai, and .45 behind her in Incheon. Pilato has one last chance to take gold for herself.

Haru Ko and Wui Kiu Man tied for the last spot in the finals. The women will face a swim off to decide who will have one last chance at racing tonight.

MEN’S 200M BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:00.16 – Kirill Prigoda, RUS (2018)
• World Cup Record: 2:00.48 – Daniel Gyurta, HUN (2014)
• World Junior Record: 2:03.23 – Akihiro Yamaguchi, JPN (2012)

Top 8:

1. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 2:04.41
2. Ilya Shymanovich (NIA) – 2:05.59
3. Haiyang Qin (CHN) – 2:05.90
4. Adam John Chillingworth (HKG) – 2:06.17
5. Joshua Yong (AUS) – 2:06.21
6. Joshua Collett (AUS) – 2:06.53
7. Erik Persson (SWE) – 2:06.64
8. Josh Gilbert (NZL) – 2:06.79

Caspar Corbeau swept the race, taking 1st overall by nearly a second. Corbeau, who trains at the University of Texas, took 3rd at the Olympic Games in the 200 breast. While he placed 1st at prelims in both Shanghai and Incheon he couldn’t hold his lead, and fell to 3rd at both stops. His best time of 2:02.41 would have put him in 1st at both finals.

Australian duo Joshua Yong and Joshua Collett were neck-and-neck for 5th. Yong, who took gold in the 200 breast in Shanghai and silver in Incheon, beat out Collett by 0.32.

It was a tight race for the last two spots in the finals as Erik Persson edged out Josh Gilbert by only 0.15. Today marks Persson’s first time qualifying for the 200 breast finals in the World Cup series, while Gilbert qualified in both Shanghai and Incheon.

WOMEN’S 100M FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 50.25 – Cate Campbell, AUS (2017)
• World Cup Record: 50.58 – Sarah Sjoestroem, SWE (2017)/Emma McKeon, AUS (2021)
• World Junior Record: 51.45 – Kayla Sanchez, CAN (2018)

Top 8:

1. Kate Douglass (USA) – 51.59
2. S.B. Haughey (HKG) – 53.45
3. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) – 53.88
4. Katarzyna Wasick (POL) – 53.96
5. Sara Junevik (SWE) – 54.04
6. Claire Weinstein (USA) – 54.24
7. Yeonkyung Hur (KOR) – 54.35
8. Linnea Mack (USA) – 54.66

Kate Douglass continues to dominate all of her events, swimming in 1st in the 100 free by nearly two seconds. Her time of 51.59 was a new personal best by 0.80. Douglass has swept all of her events throughout the series, winning three triple crowns.

High school student Claire Weinstein punched 6th, swimming a personal best time.  The 17-year-old has had an impressive career so far, taking 8th in the 200 free at her first Olympic Games over the summer.

Australian Brittany Castelluzzo claimed 3rd at 53.88. She swam a personal best time in Incheon of 52.57, which would have placed her 2nd in today’s prelims.

MEN’S 200M FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:39.37 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• World Cup Record: 1:39.37 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• World Junior Record: 1:40.65 – Matthew Sates, RSA (2021)

Top 8:

1. Danas Rapsys (LTU) – 1:42.35
2. Duncan Scott (GBR) – 1:42.59
3. Leon Marchand (FRA) – 1:43.09
4. Kieran Smith (USA) – 1:43.25
5. Rafael Miroslaw (GER) – 1:43.27
6. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 1:43.29
7. Zhanle Pan (CHN) – 1:43.45
8. Edward Sommerville (AUS) – 1:43.88

Leon Marchand swam the 200 freestyle for the first time at the World Cup series after not showing up for the event at the first two stops. He raced in at 1:43.09, just 0.16 seconds ahead of American swimmer Kieran Smith. Smith took 4th in the event in Shanghai and 3rd in Incheon, however had he swam his best time of 1:41.04 he would have placed 2nd at both.

Duncan Scott is looking to claim his triple crown tonight after sweeping the race by two seconds at the first two stops of the series.

Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon finished 6th in this second event of the morning. Despite the busy schedule, Ceccon put out a personal best time of 1:43.29 today, over a second faster than his previous best.

WOMEN’S 200M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 2:01.86 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2014)
• World Cup Record: 2:02.13 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2014)
• World Junior Record: 2:04.48 – Yiting Yu, CHN (2021)

Top 8:

1. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) – 2:07.70
2. Tara Kinder (AUS) – 2:07.76
3. Beata Nelson (USA) – 2:07.94
4. Yiting Yu (CHN) – 2:08.56
5. Tamara Potocka (SVK) – 2:11.89
6. Applejean Gwinn (TPE) – 2:13.19
7. Hee Eun Lee (KOR) – 2:13.72
8. Nikoleta Trnikova (SVK) – 2:15.99

The top 3 swimmers took the lead, finishing within .24 each other. The remainder of the heat remains spread out, as World Junior Record holder Yiting Yu took 4th, almost three seconds ahead of 5th.

Tamara Potocka claimed 5th, 1.30 seconds ahead of Applejean Gwinn in 6th.

Gwinn and Hee Eun Lee fought for 6th as Gwinn out-touched Lee by .53. Still, Lee safely made it into the finals, finishing 2.27 seconds ahead of 8th place finisher Nikoleta Trnikova. 

It seems the closest race tonight will be between the top four women. Mary-Sophie Harvey took 2nd in Incheon as Yu came back in finals to take 1st. Yu finished 2nd to Kate Douglass in the event in Shanghai.

WOMEN’S 800M FREESTYLE – TIMED FINALS

• World Record: 7:57.42 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2022)
• World Cup Record: 7:57.42 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2022)
• World Junior Record: 7:59.44 – Jianjiahe Wang, CHN (2018)

Slow Heat results:

1. Junxuan Yang (CHN) – 8:34.77
2. Bella Tramontana Scopel (BRA) – 9:05.32
3. Jill Meines (CLB) – 9:16.39
4. Kelly Teo Yao (MAS) – 9:19.78
5. Amanda Zeyi Law (CLB) – 9:31.56
6. Xuan Ying Lee (CLB) – 9:35.08
7. Iona Bevan (CLB) – 9:37.93

Junxuan Yang demolished the slow heat by 30.55 seconds, beating out Brazilian Bella Tramontana Scopel who touched 2nd. Yang has had an action-packed series, racing both the sprint and distance events. She came into the event with no previous time placing her into the slow heats, but the time she swam during prelims would have seeded her 5th overall.

Kelly Teo Yao dropped an impressive 12.08 seconds, as Amanda Zeyi Law dropped 10.05.