2025 World University Games
- July 17th-23rd, 2025
- Berlin, Germany
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Day 3 will see some headliners in action again, with Universiade Record holders Leah Shackley and Pieter Coetze taking to the pool. Coetze has a double this morning, entered in both the 50 back and 100 free, but may end up scratching one of the two.
Kate Hurst will lead the heats of the women’s 1500 free, as only 11 swimmers will compete for the eight spots in tomorrow’s final. She missed out on a medal in the 800 last night after finishing 4th, but is the top seed in the longer event by nearly 10 seconds ahead of her teammate Gena Jorgenson. Italy’s Noemi Cesarano returns as the third seed after taking bronze two years ago.
Korean Record holder Jihwan Yoon is the top seed in the men’s 50 backstroke in 24.48, 0.08 seconds ahead of the 100 backstroke champion Pieter Coetze. After the South African went out in 25.11 last night in his world-leading 100, he likely has more to give although will keep his cards close to his chest in the heats.
Will Modglin is the 3rd seed in 24.76 as he will aim to add a second individual medal after taking silver in the 100 last night, while teammate and bronze medalist Daniel Diehl is just the 16th seed in 25.71 – slower than the 25.48 he split on the 100. Aleksei Tkachev and Cornelius Jahn are entered on matching 25.11s, and will each aim to rebound from a slightly below-par 100.
Leah Shackley and Ella Welch are the two fastest swimmers in the 100 fly after 2nd seed Paula Juste Sanchez scratched the event. Shackley has been on a tear so far, with a pair of World University Games records as well as two gold medals, one individually and one as part of the mixed medley relay.
Australia’s Josephine Crimmins took 2nd in the 50 fly on Day 2, ahead of Welch’s 5th place finish, and Ciara Schlosshan and Julia Ullman also return from that final. Schlosshan is the 4th seed now, with the four swimmers after Shackley separated by just two-tenths of a second. Further back, Arizona State’s Deniz Urtan could be one to watch out of heat 2 having been entered with no time.
The men’s 100 free will see Matt King and Pieter Coetze go head to head again after they battled each other on the leadoff leg of the 4×100 free on Day 1. Coetze came out on top there in a massive best time of 47.88, which would make him the top seed ahead of King’s 47.94.
King was just 0.06 seconds off that on Wednesday, splitting 48.00 which is a season best time. There are several swimmers who split sub-48 on that same relay who could be dangerous, with Kaique Alves (47.96), Takaki Hara (47.70) and Marcus da Silva (47.73) ones to watch.
Japan’s Yumeno Kusuda is the top seed by more than a second and a half in the women’s 200 breaststroke, ahead of USA’s Katie Christopherson (2:26.55) and Great Britain’s Anna Morgan (2:26.69). Morgan just missed out on the final in the 50 after losing a swim-off to Italy’s Chiara Della Corte, while this is the first swim of the meet for the two women entered ahead of her. One swimmer who could make waves is South Africa’s Simone Moll, who finished 4th in the 50 in a new best time and split 1:07.23 on the mixed medley relay last night. She is just the 16th seed with her entry time of 2:31.70.
To round off the morning we have the heats of the women’s 4×200 free. Team USA should be gunning for lane 4 in tonight’s final, but China own the top two seeds in the individual 200 free and will give them a run for their money.
Top Seeds
- Women’s 1500 free: Kate Hurst (USA) – 16:09.77
- Men’s 50 back: Jihwan Yoon (KOR) – 24.48
- Women’s 100 fly: Leah Shackley (USA) – 57.92
- Men’s 100 free: Matt King (USA) – 47.94
- Women’s 200 breast: Yumeno Kusuda (JPN) – 2:25.02
