Doha 2024, Day 1 North America Recap: Jake Foster Posts PB But Misses 100 Breast Final

2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 11th – February 18th
• Doha, Qatar
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Official Entries
• Live Results (Omega)
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap

Since announcing his decision to defer medical school enrollment last year and extend his competitive swimming career, Jake Foster has been building momentum in the 100 breaststroke.

The 23-year-old American won the 100-meter breast (59.99) at the 2032 Pan American Games last October before clocking an NCAA-leading time in the 100-yard breast (51.22) last month for the University of Texas.

After qualifying 6th in prelims with a personal-best 59.61 at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, Foster was positioned well to make the 100 breast final at his first LCM Worlds. But unfortunately for the Texas graduate student, the 100 breast field in Doha was more stacked than most, with big names such as Adam Peaty, Nic Fink, Arno Kamminga, and Nicolo Martinenghi opting to attend Worlds this year.

Despite posting a personal-best 59.48 in Sunday’s semifinals, Foster missed the final with a 9th-place finish less than a tenth of a second behind Ilya Shymanovich (59.40). Foster’s best time heading into Doha was a 59.64 from the TYR Pro Championships last summer.

Foster still has the 200 breast on his schedule for Thursday and Friday, if he makes the final. He’s seeded 3rd on the entry list with a 2:08.23 behind Dong Zhihao (2:08.04) and Caspar Corbeau (2:07.99).

Looking ahead to June’s U.S. Olympic Trials, Foster will likely have to go through 24-year-old American Michael Andrew for the second qualifying spot in the 100 breast behind Fink, who’s seeded 2nd (58.73) heading into Monday’s Worlds final. Andrew’s season-best 59.52 from the U.S. Open in December is right around Foster’s new lifetime best of 59.48, though there are sure to be other contenders in the mix as well.

Andrew contested the 50 fly semis on Sunday instead of the 100 breast semis. He was the only swimmer under 23 seconds at 22.94 while fellow American Shaine Casas also made the final with a 7th-place showing in 23.22.

Other Highlights From Day 1

• Finlay Knox missed the 50 fly final, but he did break the Canadian record in the event with his 23.25, sneaking under the former standard of 23.27 set by both Josh Liendo and Ilya Kharun last year.
• In the 200 IM semifinals, Canada’s Sydney Pickrem was right behind top qualifier Kate Douglass (2:08.41) with a time of 2:08.76, just off her personal-best 2:08.61 from the 2023 Canadian Trials. It was a huge improvement for the 26-year-old based off her result at the 2022 World Championships, where she placed 11th in 2:11.28. Pickrem will be joined by fellow Canadian Ashley McMillan (2:12.23) in Monday’s 200 IM final.
• Taylor Ruck had encouraging anchor leg on Canada’s 4×100 freestyle relay (3:37.95) that took 3rd place (3:37.95). Her split of 53.26 was more than half a second faster than her anchor leg from Worlds last year (53.99), where Canada placed 7th (3:36.62). Ruck’s time was also way quicker than her 55.40 flat-start from the Pro Swim Series stop in Knoxville last month and her 55.79 flat-start from the World Cup last fall.
• Luke Hobson had the fastest split on the U.S. men’s 4×100 free relay (3:12.29) that placed 3rd behind Italy (3:12.08) and China (3:11.08). The 20-year-old Texas junior owns a (flat-start) lifetime best of 48.92 from U.S. Trials last June.

North American Medals Table Through Day 1