2025 World University Games: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2025 World University Games

• July 17th-23rd, 2025
  • Prelims: 9 a.m. local time (3 a.m. EST)
  • Finals: 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. EST)
• Berlin, Germany
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Meet Central
• Entries List
• Live Results
• Livestream
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Finals Preview

Welcome to the finals session of Day 4 at the World University Games! We have an exciting finals lineup tonight, featuring five medal finals and four semifinals.

Pieter Coetze may try to make it three Universiade Records in three nights in the men’s 50 backstroke semifinals, as could Leah Shackley in the women’s 100 backstroke final. Both of them will double up this evening, with Coetze also in the 100 free as the 5th seed and Shackley the 3rd seed into the women’s 100 fly.

We end things tonight with the women’s 4×200 free relay, where the U.S. lead the finalists after posting the only swim under eight minutes this morning.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – Semi-final

• World Record: 46.40 – Pan Zhanle, CHN (2024)
• World Junior Record: 46.86– David Popovici, ROU (2022)
• World University Games Record: 47.62– Vladimir Morozov, RUS (2013)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 48.30
2. Matt King (USA) – 48.34
3. Patrick Dinu (ROU) – 48.47
4. Dmitrii Zhavoronkov (AIN) – 48.59
5. Aleksandr Schegolev (AIN) – 48.67
6. Marcus Da Silva (AUS) – 48.77
7. Kaique Alves (BRA) – 48.81
8. Ole Eidam (GER) – 49.06

Matt King was out like a rocket in the first semi-final, taking a lead of 0.42 seconds at halfway as he flipped in 22.86. The field came back to him on the second 50 as he ended up winning the heat in 48.34, 0.25 seconds ahead of Dmitrii Zhavoronkov‘s 48.59 with top seed Aleksandr Schegolev close behind in 48.67.

Marcus Da Silva won the fight for fourth by just four-hundredths over Kaique Alves. Both swimmers set new best times, with da Silva breaking 49 seconds for the first time after setting a new best of 49.00 this morning. Notably, the Australian 18-year-old closed in 25.01, the fastest in his heat.

Pieter Coetze and Patrick Dinu took charge of the second semi-final, hitting the halfway point in 23.17 and 23.01 respectively. It was Coetze who closed faster in the final few meters to take the heat win in 48.30, four-tenths off his best of 47.88 set leading off the 4×100 relay on Day 1 but also his second-fastest swim ever. He came into this meet with a best of 48.63.

Dinu shaved another two-hundredths off his best, going 48.47 after coming into today with a lifetime best of 48.70. Camden Taylor and Takaki Hara added from their 48-point entry times to miss out on the semi finals, disappointingly in the case of Hara after he split 47.70 on the silver-medal-winning 4×100 free relay for Japan

A slightly slower second semi saw Kaique Alves make it through in 7th place, despite finishing 5th in semi-final 1. Ole Eidam was the last man in, shaving another few hundredths off his best after doing so this morning.

We will see Matt King and Pieter Coetze battle it out in the centre lanes tomorrow after both won their respective semi-finals, setting up a repeat of the leadoff leg from the relay on Day 1.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE– Final

• World Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 57.57 – Regan Smith, USA (2019)
• World University Games Record: 58.97– Leah Shackley, USA (2025)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Kennedy Noble (USA) – 58.78 *WUG RECORD*
2. Leah Shackley (USA) – 59.13
3. Eunji Lee (KOR) – 1:00.23
4. Camila Rebelo (POR) – 1:00.34
5. Ashley MacMillan (CAN) – 1:00.81
6. Federica Toma (ITA) – 1:00.88
7. Michaela de Villiers (RSA) – 1:01.03
8. Aimi Nagaoka (JPN) – 1:01.52

Kennedy Noble got the better of her NC State and USA teammate for the first time here in Berlin, breaking Shackley’s Universiade record in the process. It was Shackley out fastest, flipping in 28.32 to Noble’s 28.50, but she closed in 30.28 to 30.81 to take the win.

Noble had the edge by the time the two came into the final five meters, and with Shackley long on her lunge for the wall it ended up being a gap of 0.35 seconds between the two. Both women have been faster, with Shackley setting her best of 58.53 at the 2025 U.S> Nationals and Noble settings her’s of 58.55 at Olympic trials last year.

Eunji Lee was third at halfway and held on against a fast-charging Camila Rodrigues Rebelo, who closed in the second-fastest second 50 in the field in 30.76. Lee touched in 1:00.23 to Rebelo’s 1:00.34, with that marking a Portuguese record for Rebelo, two-tenths faster than she was at this meet in 2023.

MEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – Final

• World Record: 14:30.67 – Bobby Finke, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 14:41.22 – Kuzey Tuncelli, TUR (2024)
• World University Games Record: 14:47.75– Gregorio Paltrinieri, ITA (2017)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Aleksandr Stepanov (AIN) – 14:55.98
2. Ivan Giovannoni (ITA) – 14:56.10
3. Davide Marchello (ITA) 15:06.95
4. Joao Campos (BRA) – 15:11.44
5. Thiago Ruffini (BRA) – 15:15.10
6. Carson Hick (USA) – 15:17.45
7. Kyo Nakayama (JON) – 15:27.08
8. Daichi Yamamoto (JPN) – 15:31.41

Italian swimmer Ivan Giovannoni was the leader through the first third of the race from lane 7, jus edging out Aleksandr Stepanov in lane 1 through the early part of this race. Giovannoni’s teammate Davide Marchello was in 3rd, with Carson Hick sitting in 4th.

He stretched his lead out over the next 500 meters, turning nearly four seconds ahead of Stepanov at the 1000 meter mark. The Russian swimmer slowly closed the gap over the next few 50’s, as Giovannoni fell back slightly from 30-flat splits to 30-mid.

With 200 to go Stepanov turned on the jets, dropping a 58.9 100 split to halve the deficit to the Italian, before taking the lead with 50 to go as he outsplit Giovannoni by nearly two seconds on the penultimate 50.

It looked like it would turn into a comfortable win for Stepanov at that point, but instead we were treated to an incredible final 50 as Giovannoni roared back. Both swimmers split under 27 seconds, Stepanov in 26.83 and Giovannoni in 26.54, with the Russian holding on by just 0.12 seconds, taking the win 14:55.98 to 14:56.10. This was the first time under 15 minutes for both athletes.

Davide Marchello held on for bronze, giving the Italians two men on the podium, as Carson Hick fell to 6th behind the Brazilian pair of Joao Campos and Thiago Ruffini

Men’s 200 BREASTSTROKE– Final

• World Record: 2:05.45 – Qin Haiyang, CHN (2023)
• World Junior Record: 2:07.27 – Shin Ohashi, JPN (2025)
• World University Games Record: 2:08.09– Qin Haiyang, CHN (2013)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Ben Delmar (USA) – 2:09.50
2. Adam Mak (HKG) – 2:10.53
3. Dawid Wiekiera (POL) 2:10.54
4. Alessandro Fusco (ITA) – 2:10.92
5. Ivo Kroes (NED) – 2:11.69
6. Sanghoon Lee (KOR) – 2:12.17
7. Riku Yamaguchi (JPN) – 2:12.18

*DQ – Josh Bey

Alessandro Fusco and Ben Delmar was separated by just 0.01 seconds at the halfway point, after early leader Ivo Kroes fell down the field. Delmar took control on the third 50, splitting 33.25 to Fusco’s 33.90 to lead bymore than half a second with 50 to go.

That final 50 saw drama throughout, as Dawid Wiekiera outsplit everyone by at least seven-tenths of a second with a split of 33.14 to touch third, having been well adrift in 8th place at the 100 mark. Fusco ended up falling to 4th, closing in 34.91 for a 1:08.81 final 100, as Adam Mak set yet another Hong Kong record in 2:10.53 to take their first medal of the Games with a silver and beat Wiekiera by just 0.01.

Delmar held on with a final 50 of 34.13, breaking 2:10 for the first time to go 2:09.50. That is a best by more than half a second for the UNC swimmer, who is having a fantastic meet in Berlin and has already won two golds and a bronze.

Future Indiana swimmer Josh Bey was disqualified after finishing 6th in 2:11.70.

Women’s 100 BUTTERFLY– Semi-final

• World Record: 54.60 – Gretchen Walsh (USA), 2025
• World Junior Record: 56.33 – Mizuki Hirai (JPN), 2024
• World University Games Record: 56.57– Zhang Yufei (CHN), 2023

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Josephine Crimmins (AUS) – 58.42
2. Beatrix Tanko (HUN) – 58.54
3. Ciara Schlosshan (GBR) – 58.67
4. Leah Shackley (USA) – 58.72
5. Ella Welch (USA) – 58.92
6. Julia Ullmann (SUI) – 59.04
7. Paola Borrelli (ITA) – 59.17
8. Mariana Cunha (POR) – 59.30

Josephine Crimmins was the only swimmer out under 27 seconds in the first semi-finals, leading Beatrix Tanko by nearly three-tenths of a second 26.92 to 27.21. Tanko did close the gap on the second 50 slightly, touching in 58.54 to set a huge new best after coming into the meet with a time of 59.41, with Crimmins also setting a best in 58.42. Those two ended up qualifying into the fastest into tomorrow’s final, and will be in lanes 4 and 5.

Italy’s Paola Borrelli took third in 59.17 as five women broker the minute barrier in the first semi final, Japan’s Uran Noda the unlicky swimmer missing out on the final in 9th.

Semi-final two was lead out by Ella Welch, who was up into her stroke first and held a lead of 0.17 seconds over Ciara Schlosshan in lane 4 at the 50 meter mark, with Leah Shackley in 3rd. It was the British swimmer who had the stronger final 50 however, closing in 31.32 to take the win in 58.67, just 0.02 slower than she was this morning.

Shackley closed fastest of everyone in the field to go 58.72, coming home in 31.07. Arizona State’s Julia Ullmann, swimming for Switzerland here, set a new best time of 59.04, hacking more than four tenths from her time this morning and 0.28 from her best set at last year’s European Championships.

MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – Semi-final

• World Record: 23.55 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2023)
• World Junior Record: 24.00 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• World University Games Record: 24.46 – Zane Waddell, RSA (2019)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1.  Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 24.50
2. Will Modglin (USA) – 24.80
3. Daniel Diehl (USA) & Jihwan Yoon (KOR) – 24.94
4. –
5. Ruard van Renen (RSA) – 25.20
6. Jules Andre (FRA) & Alexandre Desangles (FRA) – 25.34
7. –
8. Simone Stefani (ITA) & Pablo Navarro (ESP) – 25.36 *SWIM-OFF*

We saw a dead heat in the first semi-final between Daniel Diehl and Korea’s Jihan Yoon, as they both broke 25 seconds in 24.94. Not only content with one  pair of identical times, we got a second with French teammates Jules Andre and Alexandre Desangles touching in joint-third in a time of 25.34, just ahead of Spain’s Pablo Navarro (25.36) and Indian Record holder Srihari Nataraj (25.39), who is doubling up after coming within a tenth of his brand new National Record in the 100 freestyle at the start of the session.

Aleksei Tkachev, who had the fourth fastest entry time to the heats, was only 25.46 to miss the final in 12th. Cornelius Jahn, who was entered on an identical 25.11 to Tkachev, was 15th in 25.60.

Pieter Coetze came within two tenths off his best of 24.36 as he went 24.50 to win the second semi-final, just missing compatriot Zane Waddell’s Universiade Record of 24.46. He took the win by three-tenths of a second ahead of Will Modglin, who was slightly faster than this morning to go 24.80, 0.04 off his best.

Ruard van Renen will join his teammate in the final after qualifying 5th with a new best of 25.20. He sliced 0.02 off his entry time this morning, and hacked another three tenths off tonight.

We will have a swim-off for the final place in the final between Simone Stefani, the gold medalist from Chengdu two years ago, and Spain’s Pablo Navarro, after both swam 25.36.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY– Final

• World Record: 1:50.34– Kristof Milak, HUN (2022)
• World Junior Record: 1:53.79– Kristof Milak, HUN (2017)
• World University Games Record: 1:53.90– Noa Horomura, JPN (2019)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Jack Dahlgren (USA) – 1:55.59
2. Wang Kuan-hung (TPE) – 1:55.85
3. Mason Laur (USA) – 1:56.50
4. Benjamin Loewen (CAN) – 1:56.76
5. Claudio Faraci (ITA) – 1:56.91
6. Adrian Jaskiewicz (POL) – 1:57.05
7. Patrick Hussey (CAN) – 1:57.19
8. Keigo Fukuda (JPN) – 1:57.83

Jack Dahlgren provided the outside smoke from lane 1, touching first at the 50 in 25.56 ahead of teammate Mason Laur (25.57). The two maintained that exact distance at the 100 mark as both touched in 54.4, half a second ahead of Wang Kuan-hung in 3rd. By the final turn Wang was seven tenths of a second behind Dahlgren with 50 to go, with Mason Laur now three-tenths behind his teammate, but the Chinese Taipei swimmer overhauled Laur early on in the final length as he set off in pursuit of Dahlgren. It proved in vain as the American held on, coming home in 31.24 to touch in 1:55.59, taking the win by a quarter of a second.

Mason Laur held on for third in 1:56.50, a quarter of a second ahead of Canada’s Benjamin Loewen, who has now taken half a second off his best time in Berlin. CLaudio Faraci of Italy was the final swimmer under 1:57, as Poland’s Adam Jaskiewicz added seven-tenths to miss out on the medals in sixth – his semi-final time of 1:56,33 would have been good enough for bronze.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE –Semi-final

• World Record: 2:17.55 – Evgenia Chikunova, RUS (2023)
• World Junior Record: 2:19.64– Victoriya Gunes, TUR (2015)
• World University Games Record: 2:22.32 – Rie Kaneto, JPN (2009)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Yumeno Kusuda (JPN) – 2:27.35
2. Aliz Kalmar (HUN) – 2:27.74
3. Aina Fernandez Gonzalez (ESP) – 2:27.93
4. Francesca Zucca (ITA) – 2:28.16
5. Anna Pirovano (2:28.78 (ITA) – 2:28.78
6. Yuyumi Obatake (JPN) – 2:28.90
7. Lisa Nystrand (SWE) – 2:28.97
8. Katie Christopherson (USA) – 2:29.04

Anna Morgan was out fastest in the first semi-final, turning in 33.12 from lane 1 to lead by seven-tenths of a second. She was still in front at halfway as she touched in 1:10.86 with Anna Pirovano and Kim Herkle just behind her. Katie Christpherson came through the field to touch third at the final wall, but it was Spain’s Anna Dernandex Gonzalez who soared through the field, outsplitting everyone else by a full second to take the heat win in 2:27.93.

Katie Christopherson did not quite have the same closing speed as in the heats, coming home in 1:17.26 as she touched in 3rd. Anna Morgan fell to 6th on the final 50, and Simone Moll broke 2:30 for the first time with the South African having hacked two seconds off her best today.

Hungary’s Aliz Kalmer was out with the centre lanes in the second semi-final, with American Abigail Herscu a second off the pace at the first turn. Yumeno Kusuda took control on the second 50, touching in 1:10.50 at halfway to lead her teammate Yuyumi Obatake by half a second. Francesco Zucca closed the gap slightly on the penultimate 50 to take over second place, but ALiz Kalmar ended up closing fastest to take second, coming home in 37.83 to take lane 5 in tomorrow’s final

Zucca held on for 3rd, with Obatake taking 4th as five of the finalists came from the second semi. Katie Christopherson was the last woman in, with teammate Abigail Herscu missing out in 11th after going 2:2.32. Double the number of swimmers broke 2:30 than this morning, with 12 under that mark this evening.

WOMEN’s 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY– Final

• World Record: 7:37.50 – Australia, (2023)
• World University Games Record: 7:53.88 – USA (2015)

Top 8 Finishers:

1. USA – 7:52.56 *WUG RECORD*
2. China – 7:57.91
3. Japan – 7:59.99
4. Italy – 8:00.82
5. Canada – 8:01.53
6. Spain – 8:01.63
7. South Africa – 8:13.23
8. Switzerland – 8:16.40

Ge Chutong led the way, splitting 57.67 on the first half of the opening leg, but Leah Hayes blasted past with a 29.53 third 50 to take the lead. She held on to touh first at the wall in 1:57.87, a new best time, to give the U.S. a 0.31 lead over Julie Brousseau and Canada. Chutong fell to 5th in 1:59.25, more than two seconds off her best.

Japan joined the fight on the second leg as the field contracted through the first 100, but Cavan Gormsen stormed home with a 59.76 second 100 to give Lindsay Looney a 1.5 second lead at the halfway mark. China, a potential medal favorite, was down in fifth at the 400-meter mark.

Looney added another sub-2:00 split as the U.S led by nearly four seconds at the final changeover. China moved up into second plae thanks to Liu Shuhan’s 1:59.45 split.

Isabel Ivey was out in 55.54 to put the U.S. well under WUG Record pace with 100 to go, and she closed in 1:01.69 for a 1:57.23 split that shaved more than a second of the decade-old record.  Ai Yanhan brought China home in 1:58.62 as they finished second, with Japan winning a battle with Italy and Canda for 3rd, as Kanon Nagao’s anchor snuck them under the eight minute barrier by the narrowest of margins.

MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – SWIM-OFF

• World Record: 23.55 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2023)
• World Junior Record: 24.00 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)
• World University Games Record: 24.46 – Zane Waddell, RSA (2019)

1. Simone Stefani (ITA) – 25.31
2. Pablo Ortega Navarro (ESP) – 25.39

Stefani was first to the 15 meter mark as he looked to return to the final after winning this event two years ago, and although Navarro closed swiftly in the final few meters the Italian held on to take the touch in 25.31 to win by 0.08.

Stefani will now take the last spot in the final tomorrow, with Navarro the first reserve.