2025 World Championships: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2025 World Championships

• July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
• Singapore, Singapore
• World Aquatics Championships Arena
• LCM (50m)
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  • Prelims:
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Day 1 Prelims Heat Sheet

Well, Folks, it’s that time. Grab a snack, something to drink, an emotional support blanket perhaps, and settle down or sit on the edge of your seat as the swimming portion of the 22nd edition of the World Aquatics Championships is about to kick off. We’ve seen the artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming events completed, and the diving events getting underway, so now, our attention turns to the swimming pool.

The Paris Games were a thrilling ride filled with incredible races, strong storylines, and absolutely breathtaking performances,  and yet there was a dearth of World Records. However, in the intervening 12 months, the world records have been rocking and rolling, and we start today’s action with three straight events in which the record has been rewritten recently.

The action gets underway with no preamble in the Women’s 200 IM as Summer McIntosh looks to defend her Olympic Gold. McIntosh broke the World Record at Canadian Trials, and could potentially do so in the final, but will first have to get past the American pair of Alex Walsh and Phoebe Bacon, as well as China’s Yu Yiting. For Walsh, the event is going to bring up some interesting feelings as she initially earned a trip to the podium in Paris, but was DQed in the final. Australia’s Ella Ramsay, too is in an interesting position as she recorded no result in Paris as she withdrew from the final due to sickness.

This isn’t the only event in which McIntosh is the top seed, as she will dive into the water again in the 400 free. After being run down by Katie Ledecky at the Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim Series, the Canadian silenced all doubters by smashing the WR at Canadian Trials. While Ledecky seeks to knock off McIntosh, their Paris rival Ariarne Titmus is absent. However, compatriot Lani Pallister looks more than up to the task of being in the hunt for a podium finish after a strong showing at Short Course Worlds in December and at Australian Trials.

A few events prior to the Women’s 400 free WR holder diving into the water, the men’s WR holder will do so. Germany’s Lukas Martens shocked the World with a surprise record in April of this year, becoming the first to break the 3:40 barrier. Like McIntosh, whose 3:54.18 is in rarefied air, Martens has separated himself from the pack but faces stiff competition as the Australian pair of Sam Short and Elijah Winnington as well as Olympic Bronze medalist Kim Woo-min are lurking.

So too are the young American pair of Rex Maurer and Luka Mijatovic, each of whom will be getting a baptism of fire as the rookies are seeded in the last heat, sandwiched between Winnington and Olympic 800 champion Daniel Wiffen.

Two swimmers not new to the World Championships are the pair of Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske. Walsh entered Paris as the World Record holder in the 100 fly, but was denied the Olympic gold by her teammate Huske. The pair entered Singapore as the favorites in the event, with Walsh slicing and dicing the World Record twice this season and now owns the seven fastest times in the event. That said, nothing is certain in swimming, so look for the pair to be out fast this morning.

The women’s 100 fly gives way to the men’s 50 fly. Now an Olympic event, the seven-year-old record of 22.27 may come under threat as top seed Noe Ponti routinely destroyed the Short Course record this past fall. However, this event with no turns and just one set of underwater is a different beast, and Canada’s Ilya Kharun, France’s Maxime Grousset, and 2023 Champion Thomas Ceccon all have looked strong this season.

The last individual event of the day, the men’s 100 breaststroke, kicks off after the women’s 400 free and sees 2023 Champion Qin Haiyang as the top seed. The Chinese star entered 2024 with high expectations, but failed to medal in this event in Paris, as Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi collected the win. The Italian is the 3rd seed but will need some strong performances against Qin, who looks to be returning to form. Like in the 400 free, this event sees a young American field as recent high school graduate Campbell McKean makes his Team USA debut.

The morning concludes with the prelims of the women’s and men’s 4×100 free relays. The Australians set a new World Record in 2023 and backed it up with an Olympic Gold in Paris, but face a number of key absences and a resurgent American team. The Australian men, too, were victorious in Fukuoka but were upset by Team USA in Paris and will be looking to regain top honors. Each will have to contend with a strong team from China, which boasts the fastest man ever in the event, Pan Zhanle.

Women’s 200 IM — Prelims

• World Record: 2:05.70 — Summer McIntosh, CAN (2025)
• World Junior Record: 2:06.56 — Summer McIntosh, CAN (2024)
• Championship Record: 2:06.12 — Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2015)
• 2023 World Champion: 2:07.17 — Kate Douglass, USA
• 2024 Olympic Champion: 2:06.56 — Summer McIntosh, CAN

Top 16

1. Tara Kinder (AUS) – 2:09.45
2. Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2:09.46
3. Alex Walsh (USA) – 2:09.50
4. Mary-Sophie Harvery (CAN) – 2:09.95
5. Yu Yiting (CHN) – 2:10.33
6. Ella Ramsay (AUS) – 2:10.53
7. Mio Narita (JPN) – 2:10.87
8. Shiho Matsumoto (JPN) – 2:10.94
9. Abbie Wood (GBR) – 2:11.15
10. Ellen Walsh (IRL) – 2:11.45
11. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 2:11.53
12. Phoebe Bacon (USA) – 2:11.55
13. Rebecca Meder (RSA) – 2:11.68
14. Lea Polonsky (ISR) – 2:11.85
15. Yu Zidi (CHN) – 2:11.90
16. Emma Carrasco (ESP) – 2:12.29
    • Tamara Potocka (SVK)  – 2:12.29 (Lost Swim-Off)

The first heat saw Vietnam’s Thi Vo stop the clock in 2:16.96, but the time did not last long as with just four heats, the next heat was the first of the circle-seated heats.

China’s Yu Yiting and the 12-year-old Yu Zidi got things off to a strong start in the heat as the pair led after the first 50. Great Britain’s Abbie Wood, who is more known as a back half swimmer, took charge on the backstroke leg and made the transition to the breaststroke in first place, hitting the wall in 1:00.91. Wood maintained her lead over the breaststroke leg, but either slowed on the free or could not match the turn of pace as both Yu Yiting and Mio Natira passed Wood in the closing meters, touching in 2:10.33 and 2:10.87. Yu Zidi finished 5th in the heat in 2:11.90, a little off her entry time of 2:10.63.

Heat 3 saw Alex Walsh open in 27.40 ahead of compatriot Phoebe Bacon. The pair of American teammates looked strong over the first half of the race, but Spain’s Emma Carrasco made a strong move over the backstroke to break up the American at the top of the race and touched 2nd behind Walsh at the halfway turn, trailing by .12. Walsh hit the wall in 1:00.55. Over the breaststroke leg, Mary-Sophie Harvey, the 5th overall seed, started to move up through the field and continued to bite into Walsh’s lead over the freestyle, outsplitting her on the last 50 31.55 to 30.97. Walsh had enough of a lead to hold her off as the pair became the first under 2:10, stopping the clock in 2:09.50 and 2:09.95.

The last heat saw Summer McIntosh return to the World stage, and she certainly showed why she is the fastest in the world as she was the only swimmer out in under 1:00 at the 100 turn as she made the back to breast exchange in 59.11. The World record holder, who is also swimming the 400 free prelims this morning, certainly shut things down, splitting 39.34 on the breast and 31.01 on the free to hit the wall in 2:09.46. The time would have been the fastest in the morning had it not been for the efforts of Australia’s Tara Kinder, who exploded on the backhalf, splitting 36.91 and 30.66 to close like a freight train and nip McIntosh at the line by just .01, setting a new PB of 2:09.45.

Update: Spain’s Emma Carrasco swam 2:12.21 in the Swim-Off to knock out Slovakia’s Tamara Potocka, who swam 2:12.99. Carrasco shaved .08 seconds off her prelims time in the event.

Men’s 400 Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 3:39.96 – Lukas Märtens, Germany (2025)
• World Junior Record: 3:44.31 – Petar Mitsin, Bulgaria (2023)
• Championship Record: 3:40.07 – Paul Biedermann, Germany (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Sam Short, Australia – 3:40.68
• 2024 Olympic Champion: Lukas Märtens, Germany – 3:41.78

Top 8

1. Samuel Short (AUS) – 3:42.07
2. Lukas Martens (GER) – 3:43.81
3. Kim Woomin (KOR) – 3:44.99
4. Petar Mitsin (BUL) – 3:45.01
5. Zhang Zhanshuo (CHN) – 3:45.04
6. Victor Johansson (SWE) – 3:45.26
7. Oliver Klemet (GER) – 3:45.72
8. Marco de Tullio (ITA) – 3:45.88

With just eight swimmers advancing to the final, things got out to a fast start as Petar Mitsin of Bulgaria stopped the clock in 3:45.01, exactly one second ahead of Canada’s Ethan Ekk in the third heat. To note that time would have been 6th in the prelims of the event in Paris, and with 16 swimmers remaining, the event is undoubtedly going to be faster than it was in the Olympics.

Sam Short, who finished 4th in the event in Paris, did not waste any time as he attacked the race from the get-go. The Australian, who won the event at the 2023 Fukuoka Worlds, opened in 52.98 and never looked back as he extended the lead further over the Paris Bronze medalist Kim Woomin, and what was a gap of .35  turned into a gap of 1.22 by the 200. Short fell off a little bu still extended his lead as he touched in 3:42.07 and set a target for Lukas Martens. Kim touched in second but was 2.92 back, holding off a late charge by Oliver Klement.

The last heat saw the World Record holder, Lukas Martens, take things out faster than Short opening in 51.92, the only swimmer under 52, with Short the only other swimmer under 53. Martens did quickly pull things back as by the 200 he had ceded .23 to Short, with Martens hitting the 200 wall at 1:48.77. Like the Aussie, the German slowly slipped off his pace and casually cruised into the wall in 3:43.81. Behind him, however, there was a mad sprint to the wall, with 2nd place going to China’s Zhang Zhanshuo, who touched in 3:45.04, closing in a swift 27.44. He got ahead of Victor Johansson, the Swede who swam out of lane 9 and produced some outside smoke, stopping the clock in 3:45.26

Olympic Silver medalist Elijah Winnington looked good over the first half but couldn’t match the acceleration of the rest of the field and finished 5th in the heat with a time of 3:46.37 to finish 10th overall and miss the final. The Australian was not the only Olympic finalist to miss this morning as both Guilherme Costa and Fei Liwei missed the cut. So too did the American pair of Rex Maurer, who finished in 11th (3:46.38), and Luka Mijatovic, who struggled after opening the race quickly and finished 36th overall with a time of 3:59.68.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – Prelims

• World Record: 54.60– Gretchen Walsh, USA (2025)
• World Junior Record: 56.33– Mizuki Hirai, JPN (2024)
• Championship Record: 55.53 – Sarah Sjostroem, SWE (2017)
• 2023 World Champion – Zhang Yufei (CHN), 56.12
• 2024 Olympic Champion – Torri Huske (USA), 55.59

Top 16

1. Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 55.68
2. Angelina Kohler (GER) – 56.49
3. Roos Vanotterdijk (BEL) – 56.66
4. Mizuki Hirai (JPN) – 56.81
5. Yu Yiting (CHN) – 56.83
6. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) – 56.89
7. Zhang Yufei (CHN) – 57.11
8. Daria Klepikova (NAB) – 57.29
9. Erin Gallagher (RSA) – 57.48
10. Tessa Giele (NED) – 57.56
11. Lily Price (AUS) – 57.61
12. Anna Ntountounaki (GRE) – 57.62
13. Rikako Ikee (JPN) – 57.75
14. Keanna Macinnes (GBR) – 57.90
15. Helena Rosendahl Bach (DEN) – 58.15
16. Costanza Cocconcelli (ITA) – 58.31

News started to circulate before her heat took to the blocks that the Olympic Champion, Torri Huske, would not swim her prelims race, and lane 4 was empty in the penultimate heat. The USA was not devoid of an entrant in the event, however, as Gretchen Walsh did take to the blocks as the top seed.

The World Record holder, Walsh, was out fast, hitting the first wall in 25.28. The only swimmer under 26.00, Walsh was flirting with her own World Record line, but it started to move away from her as she closed in 30.40 to stop the clock in 55.68, to post the fastest time in the heat and in the morning. The next two fastest times also came from the last heat as Germany’s Angelina Kohler and Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk, who flanked the American touched in 2nd and 3rd. Kohler, the 2024 World Champion in the event, stopped the clock in 56.49, with the Belgian .17 back at 56.66.

Fellow Olympic finalist Mizuki Hirai posted the fastest last 50 of the top 16 as the Japanese swimmer and Junior World record holder closed in 30.30 to win the 4th heat in a time of 56.81, touching ahead of Olympic bronze medalist Zhang Yufei, who started out fastest, but faded, closing in 31.08 to stop the clock in 57.11.

In the absence of Huske, Australia’s Alexandria Perkins won the penultimate heat. She trailed after the 50, but used a strong 30.42 to come home and take the win in 56.89, safely qualifying into tonight’s semifinal as the 6th seed. Olympic finalist, Louise Hansson, who was in the heat with Perkins, struggled on the last 50, coming home in 32.33, and finished 22nd overall with a time of 58.64.

Men’s 50 Fly – Prelims

• World Record: 22.27 – Andriy Govorov, Ukraine (2018)
• World Junior Record: 22.96 – Diogo Ribeiro, Portugal (2022)
• World Championships Record: 22.35 – Caeleb Dressel, United States (2019)
• 2023 World Champion: Thomas Ceccon, Italy (22.68)

Top 16

1. Maxime Grousset (FRA)/Noe Ponti (SUI) – 22.74
3. Ilya Kharun (CAN) – 22.85
4. Diogo Matos Ribeiro (POR) – 22.85
5. Nyls Korstanje (NED) / Ben Proud (GBR) – 22.96
7. Stergios Bilas (GRE) – 23.04
8. Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 23.06
9. Josh Liendo (CAN) – 23.16
10. Simon Bucher (AUT)/Dare Rose (USA) – 23.20
12. Guilherme Costa (BRA)/Sean Niewold (NED)/Abdelrahman Sameh (EGY) – 23.21
15. Michael Andrew (USA) – 23.22
16. Luca Armbruster (GER) – 23.28

Through the start of the circle seeded heats, Estonia’s Daniel Zaitsev held the fastest time of the morning as he stopped the clock in 23.44 in the 8th of 11 heats. His time didn’t hold up long as the first circle seeded heat saw France’s Maxime Grousset swim a blistering prelims time of 22.74. The French star shot off the blocks and never looked back, and despite a poor finish, he finished .3 ahead of the next fastest competitor, Stergios Bilas. Canada’s Josh Liendo looked strong at the start, but faded back and finished .42 back in 3rd at 23.16.

The penultimate heat was Liendo’s compatriot Ilya Kharun, who won his heat in 22.85. The lone swimmer under 23, Kharun, who trains at ASU, looked controlled and easily got his hands to the wall as the next fastest swimmer was Abdelrahman Sameh, who touched in 23.21, just .01 ahead of the USA Michael Andew.

While Kharun posted a fast time, his heat advanced just those three swimmers to tonight’s semifinals as the last heat was a much faster affair. Short Course World Record holder, Noe Ponti, tied Grousset atop the leaderboard as he too stopped the clock in 22.74. Behind him, the Junior World Record holder, Diogo Matos Ribeiro, joined him as the 4th swimmer under 23, as he stopped the clock in 22.90. So too did Nyls Korstanje and Ben Proud, who tied at 22.96. Proud was out very fast and used his strong start to his advantage, but fell back to the field over the last half of the race.

2023 Champion Thomas Ceccon also advanced into the semifinal as he stopped the clock in 23.06, .14 ahead of Dare Rose, who also was in the last heat and posted a time fast enough to advance. All told, the last heat advanced 7 of their 10 swimmers into tonight’s semis.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – Prelims

• World Record: 3:54.18 – Summer McIntosh, Canada (2025)
• World Junior Record: 3:56.08– Summer McIntosh, Canada (2023)
• Championship Record: 3:55.38 – Ariarne Titmus, Australia (2023)
• 2023 World Champion – Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 3:55.38
• 2024 Olympic Champion – Ariarne Titmus  (AUS), 3:57.49

Top 8

1. Katie Ledecky (USA) – 4:01.04
2. Lani Pallister (AUS) – 4:02.36
3. Li Bingjie (CHN) / Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 4:03.11
5. Yang Peiqi (CHN) – 4:03.36
6. Jamie Perkins (AUS) – 4:04.39
7. Isabel Gose (GER) – 4:05.07
8. Maya Werner (GER) – 4:06.75

Much like the Women’s 100 fly, the Women’s 400 free was rocked by a late withdrawal as the 5th seed, Claire Weinstein, did not take to the blocks, and was speculated to have been one of the swimmers who was affected by the illness that started to affect the USA while they were at training camp in Thailand. Weinstein’s withdrawal was not the only shocking news in the Women’s 400 free as 2024 Doha Champion Erika Fairweather was disqualified for a false start.

However, despite those storylines, the final tonight is shaping up to be a barnburner. After getting the better of McIntosh earlier this year, Katie Ledecky secured herself lane 4 tonight as she stopped the clock in 4:01.04, the only swimmer under 4:02. The former World Record holder, was out in 1:58.36 and led her closest rivals Li Bingjie and Yang Peiqi by over a body length with the American flipping in 1:58.36 and the two Chinese swimmer at 2:00.18 and 2:00.83. Ledecky eased up a little on the backhalf but still produced a fast last 50, splitting 30.01. It wasn’t the fastest, however, as Yang closed in 29.51 to stop the clock in 4:03.36, .25 back of her compatriot Li.

Despite missing a swimmer, the last heat was an overall faster affair as they advanced five swimmers into the final. Summer McIntosh, who was in the water around two hours ago for the 200 IM prelims, did not attack the race and let Australian distance star Lani Pallister take it out, with the pair flipping at the 100 wall in 57.17 and 58.19. By the 300, Pallister had expanded the lead to 1.2 as she flipped ahead of Ledecky’s pace at 1:58.07.

Pallister started to slow and jumped in the 31 mid splits, but still had enough to secure lane 5 tonight with a time of 4:02.36, with McIntosh cruising into the wall .75 back at 4:03.11, equalling Li’s time.

Men’s 100 Breast – Prelims

• World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• World Junior Record: 59.01 – Nicolo Martinenghi, Italy (2017)
• World Championships Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2019)
• 2023 World Champion – Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 57.69
• 2024 Olympic Champion: 59.03 – Nicolo Martinenghi, Italy

Top 16

1. Kirill Prigoda (NAB) – 58.53
2. Lucas Matzerath (GER) – 58.75
3. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 58.84
4. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 59.03
5. Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 59.13
6. Josh Matheny (USA) – 59.40
7. Dong Zhihao (CHN) – 59.46
8. Denis Petrashov (KGZ) – 59.53
9. Ludovico Viberti (ITA) – 59.56
10. Melvin Imoudu (ITA) – 59.58
11. Ilya Shymanovich (NAA) – 59.59
12. Taku Taniguchi (JPN) – 59.75
13. Gregory Butler (GBR) – 59.87
14. Danil Semianinov (NAB) – 59.92
15. Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU)/Campbell McKean (USA) – 59.98

The first of the circle seeded heat was a very swift affair as three swimmers broke the 59 second barrier. Neutral Athlete B team member, Kiril Prigoda, used a strong start and good pull-out to put himself into a strong position and led the heat, opening in 26.94, the only time under 27.00. Prigoda, who won bronze in this event back in 2017, had a lead of .17 on Olympic Champion Nicolo Martinenghi and extended that lead as he took the heat win in 58.53, finishing ahead of a fast-charging Lucas Matzerath (58.75). Martinenghi was passed by Matzerath but held off the Dutchman Caspar Corbeau (59.03).

Those four topped the leaderboard and survived atop it as the next two heats were much slower affairs. Heat 7 saw the USA’s Josh Matheny use a strong backhalf to chase down the early leaders Ludovico Viberti and Melvin Imoudu. Matheny touched in 59.40 with the Italian and German not far behind at 59.56 and 59.58.

The last heat was a similar affair. 2023 World Champion Qin Haiyang was the top seed but did not lead at the 50 as his 27.37 trailed Lithuania’s Andrius Sidlauskas’s 27.33. However, Qin had a very strong turn and pull-out and came home in 31.76, as compared to Sidlauskas’s 32.65 to take the heat win 59.13. His compatriot, Dong Zhihao, too, passed the Lithuanian as he took second in the heat in 59.46. The USA’s Campbell McKean was back of the field at the 50, hitting the wall in 28.04, but used a strong last 50 (31.94) to tie Sidlauskas at 59.98 and safely move into the final

Women’s 400 Free Relay – Prelims

• World Record: 3:27.96 – AUS (M. O’Callaghan, S. Jack, M. Harris, E. McKeon), 2023
• World Junior Record: 3:36.19 – CAN (T. Ruck, P. Oleksiak, R. Smith, K. Sanchez) – 2017
• Championship Record: 3:27.96 – AUS (M. O’Callaghan, S. Jack, M. Harris, E. McKeon), 2023
• 2023 World Champion: AUS (M. O’Callaghan, S. Jack, M. Harris, E. McKeon) – 3:27.96
• 2024 Olympic Champion – AUS (M. O’Callaghan, S. Jack, E. McKeon, M. Harris) – 3:28.92

Top 8

1. USA (Gemmell, Douglass, Moesch, Manuel) – 3:33.57
2. Australia (Wunsch, Webb, Casey, Jansen) – 3:34.64
3. Netherlands (van Wijk, Spiering, van Nunen, Steenbergen) – 3:35.47
4. China (Cheng, Liu, Yang, Wu) – 3:35.63
5. France (Gastaldello, Jehl, Cachot, Wattel) – 3:35.76
6. NAB (Trofimova, Kuznetsova, Surushkina, Klepikova) – 3:35.95
7. Italy (Curtis, Tarantino, Morini, Menicucci) – 3:36.67
8. Hungary (Padar, Ugrai, Senanszky, Abraham) – 3:37.04

The American quartet of Erin Gemmell, Kate Douglass, Anna Moesch, and Simone Manuel were the clear and away favorites in their heat, and it proved itself very early on. Gemmell opened in 53.52, the fastest flat start, and handed things off to Douglass. The former UVA swimmer opened in a speedy 24.49 and split 52.04, the fastest of the morning .

From there, she turned it over to training partner Anna Moesch, who hit the wall in 53.80 to turn things over to 2016 co-olympic champion Simone Manuel. Manuel was the slowest of all Americans as she opened in 25.69, a full 1.2 back of Douglass and closed to stop the clock in 3:33.57, splitting 54.21. It is possible that Manuel is coming off the sickness or perhaps was told to just do enough to qualify for the final tonight, so as to save energy, as Huske’s participation is still questionable.

The Australians took 2nd behind the Americans as the quartet of Olivia Wunsch, Abbey Webb, Hannah Casey, and Milla Jansen combined to stop the clock at 3:34.64, 1.07 back. Jansen was the class of the group, as she anchored in 53.10, and, likely with Wunsch, will be joined by Mollie O’Callaghan and Meg Harris. In part due to Marrit Steenbergen’s 52.37 last 100, the Dutch pulled themselves past several other teams and will, with Australia, flank the Americans in tonight’s final.

The Canadians without McIntosh and Harvey finished on the outside looking in, as they touched the wall in 3:37.50 to finish 9th overall.

Women’s Relay splits:

Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay – Prelims

• World Record: 3:08.24 – United States (M. Phelps, G. Weber-Gale, C. Jones, J. Lezak) (2008)
• World Junior Record: 3:15.49 — United States (D. Diehl, M. Williamson, H. Williams, J. Zhao) (2023)
• World Championship Record: 3:09.06 — United States (C. Dressel, B. Pieroni, Z. Apple, N. Adrian) (2019)
• 2023 World Champion: Australia- 3:10.16
• 2024 Olympic Champion: United States- 3:09.28

Top 8

1. USA (Casas, Kulow, Lasco, Sammon) – 3:11.17
2. Australia (Southam, Taylor, Giuliani, Chalmers) – 3:11.29
3. Italy (D’Ambrosio, Zazzeri, Deplano, Frigo) – 3:12.02
4. China (Chen, Wang, Liu, Pan) – 3:12.26
5. Canada (Gaziev, Liendo, Sauve, Senc-Samardzic) – 3:12.64
6. Great Britain (Mills, Scott, Whittle, Dean) – 3:12.69
7. Hungary (Nemeth, Kos, Meszaraos, Jaszo)  – 3:12.71
8. Lithuania (Juska, Navikonis, Lukminas, Rapsys) – 3:12.74

The American team, comprised of Shaine Casas, Jonny Kulow, Destin Lasco, and Patrick Sammon, took the last heat in 3:11.17 and secured themselves lane 4 tonight. Casas opened things up well, maybe too well, as he flipped in 22.75, the second fastest in the field. He paid for that early lead, however, as he faded over the finishing meters and touched the wall tied for 6th in the last heat. His teammates, however, were all relatively consistent, splitting 47.51, 46=7.60, and 47.48, respectively to help pull the team ahead of the Italians and Brits, who finished 2nd and 3rd in the heat with times of 3:12.02 and 3:12.69. Italy’s Carlos D’Ambrosio staked the team to a good start, opening in 47.96, while British star Duncan Scott helped his team stay in contact with the Italians and early leaders, Hungary. Hungary opened with Olympic finalists Nandor Nemeth (47.87) and turned to the multi-talented Hubert Kos to help him qualify for the final with an overall time of 3:12.71.
The previous heats, too, saw lead changes and the Australians and Chinese duked it out over the 400 meters, with the Aussies getting the win 3:11.29 to 3:12.26, with much of the thanks going to Kai Taylor, who split 47.55 on the 2nd leg, and to Kyle Chalmers. Chalmers anchored in 47.54 and, in fact, inched a little further ahead of the Chinese, who had Pan at 47.73 on the last leg.

Questions about Josh Liendo’s form were quickly answered this morning as he opted the fastest flying split of 47.28 to help the Canadian team take 5th overall at 3:12.64.

An inspired swim from an outside lane in the 2nd heat saw the Lithuanian team advance to the final, with Tomas Navikonas’s 47.47 leading the way and making up the difference over the 9th-place NAB team, who were just 0.13 seconds slower at 3:12.87. Led off by Kliment Kolesnikov, the team was hampered by swimming in the first heat, which contained just one other team, and the quartet stopped the clock at 3:12.87, finishing 9th overall.

Men’s Relay Splits: