FINA World Championships Day 8 Prelims Live Recap

The final day of competition at the FINA World Championships are finally upon us, and today’s prelim session will be a rather short one. The only individual events being contested are the men’s and women’s 400 Individual Medley, and the 4×100 Medley Relays from both the men and women will conclude the action for the day.

In the men’s race, Chase Kalisz of the United States will finally get a chance to swim at these World Championships, and he is no stranger to the international scene in this event. Just two years ago, Kalisz scored a silver medal in the 400 IM en route to dipping under 4:10 for the first time in his career. The man who beat him, Daiya Seto of Japanis also competing today, and though he has not been quite as brilliant as he was two years ago, he does still come in with the 4th-fastest seed time in the field. The other American, Tyler Clary, has had an up-and-down week at the World Championships, and behind the 200 back, this event was anticipated to be his second-best opportunity to medal at these Championships. He will need to be at his very best if he plans to leave Kazan with an individual medal.

For the women, iron lady Katinka Hosszu will try to go out with a bang after having a tremendous World Championships already. It will not be easy for her as both Hannah Miley out of Great Britain and Elizabeth Beisel are also entered with 4:31’s just like the Hungarian, and this might be one of the tighter races we see on the women’s side all week. Miley swam fairly well in the 200 IM earlier this week, but she will need to have her ‘A’ game ready for the final day of competition if she wants to topple the defending World Champion.

It is very likely that both the men’s and women’s relays will come down to a battle between the United States and Australia, and it will be intriguing to see how the morning rosters are set. The United States have typically reserved their ace backstroker Matt Grevers for finals in the past, but given how good Ryan Murphy was on the lead-off of the Mixed 4×100 Medley relay earlier this week (52.18), an important decision will need to be made this morning to determine who will take the opening leg for the Americans.

2015 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEN’S 400M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

  • 2013 World Champion: Daiya Seto, JPN – 4:08.69
  • World Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps, USA – 2008
  • Championship Record: 4:06.22 – Michael Phelps, USA – 2007

Chase Kalisz used a tremendous back half to set the pace this morning at a 4:11.83. He was a 1:10.63 on his breast and a 1:00.01 on his freestyle, and that sort of speed at the end of the race was more than enough to secure him a heat win and a middle lane for finals tonight. Right behind him was Hungary’s David Verraszto at a 4:11.99, and as he is known for being a fantastic racer, it should be expected that he will be faster tonight as well.

There was a tight race for third following the two leaders with Daiya Seto (4:12.17), Tyler Clary (4:12.22), Daniel Wallace (4:13.07) filing in right after one another in the final heat of this morning’s swim. In total, only 1.24 seconds separate the top 5 swimmers, so there are no clear favorites right away for finals.

Top 8: Kalisz, USA; Verraszto, HUN; Seto, JPN; Clary, USA: Wallace, GBR; Heidtmann, GER; Pavoni, GBR; Zhixian, CHN

PDF Results

WOMEN’S 400M INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

  • 2013 World Champion: Katinka Hosszu, HUN – 4:30.41
  • World Record: 4:28.43 – Ye Shiwen, CHN – 2012
  • Championship Record: 4:30.31 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN – 2009

Katinka Hosszu shut it down early but was still quick enough to post the top time this morning with a 4:32.78. Given how far ahead of the rest of her heat she was, it would be a safe bet to assume that the Hungarian will be able to drop a bit more tonight and possibly dip under 4:30. She has a nearly three second lead over the rest of the competition.

Following behind Hosszu are the Czech Republic’s Barbora Zavadova (4:35.80) and Canada’s Emily Overholt (4:35.86). Zavadova actually broke her own national record in the process while Overholt just barely missed the Canadian record of 4:35.84.

Maya Di Rado swam a strong preliminary race to tie for the win in the first circle-seeded heat with a 4:36.11. She was just 0.74 seconds off of her entry time, and her superior backstroke and freestyle legs helped her compensate for Miley’s superb breaststroke leg, and the two will enter tonight neck-and-neck.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth Beisel of the United States failed to make finals with a 12th-placed 4:38.96 this morning.

Top 8: Hosszu, HUN; Zavadova, CZE; Overholt, CAN; Di Rado, USA; Miley, GBR; Shimizu, JPN; Willmot, GBR; Willmott, FRA

PDF Results

MEN’S 4x100M MEDLEY RELAY – PRELIMS

  • 2013 World Champion: FRA – 3:31.51
  • World Record: 3:27.28 – USA – 2009
  • Championship Record: 3:27.28 – USA – 2009

The United States will lead all teams into finals with a 3:31.06. The foursome of Matt Grevers (52.85), Cody Miller (59.23), Tim Phillips (51.03), and Ryan Lochte (47.95) teamed up for the effort, and we will very likely see that Kevin CordesTom Shields, and Nathan Adrian are all available for finals, that should be the expected roster for the Americans tonight.

Australia got a huge leadoff leg from Mitch Larkin (52.37) and they also got a solid anchor from Kyle Chalmers (47.86) to post the top time out of Heat 2 with a 3:31.86. They will have a few options when it comes to finals, especially when it comes to the butterfly and freestyle legs. It is almost certain that Cameron McEvoy would take over freestyle duties to help the Australian cause at night.

Also, although they suffered a DQ due to an early jump by Daniel Gyurta (-0.18 second reaction time), it is worthwhile to mention that Laszlo Cseh recorded a 50.19 butterfly leg for the Hungarians on their relay.

Top 8:USA, AUS, FRA, JPN, GER, GBR, POL, RUS

PDF Results

WOMEN’S 4x100M MEDLEY RELAY – PRELIMS

  • 2013 World Champion: USA – 3:53.23
  • World Record: 3:52.05 – USA – 2012
  • Championship Record: 3:52.19 – CHN – 2009

China was the class of the field this morning with a 3:57.02. They got a big first half from Fu Yuanhui (59.24) and Shi Jinglin (1:06.35) to give the nation a lead they would never relinquish in the first heat.

After Kathleen Baker (59.98) and Micah Lawrence (1:07.10) gave the Americans an early lead, Kendyl Stewart blasted a 56.86 on the fly leg to make it easy for Margo Geer (53.18) to secure an American win in heat 2 of the 4×100 Medley Relay (3:57.12). Stewart’s leg was definitely the most eye-popping leg this morning, and for comparison’s sake, world record holder Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom was a 56.10 on Sweden’s third-placed relay (3:57.29).

Australia got a big anchor leg from Melanie Wright (52.87) to also dip under 3:58 at a 3:57.95. This relay has a ton of potential with both Bronte Campbell and Cate Campbell being available for tonight while Emily Seebohm will be another valuable asset for the Australians.

Shockingly, Russia failed to final again with a 10th placed 4:01.12. Considering that Japan’s 8th-placed time of 4:00.43 was only just faster, it is likely that the Russians could have snuck into the final had they utilized Yuliya Efimova on the breaststroke leg instead of Vitalina Simonova.

Top 8: CHN, USA, SWE, AUS, DEN, CAN, GBR, JPN

PDF Results

 

 

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rockjano
8 years ago

Katinka went an amazing time.

She get a cramp in her leg on the last 50, she was hobbled out from the pool.

YeShi’s last fifty on the WR is really a space time, Katinka might be able to pass that also (if the 400IM would be on the first day of the event)

rockjano
8 years ago

Yessssss……

rockjano
8 years ago

400IM.. will Katinka win???

IAN
8 years ago

THOMASLURZFAN – what are you talking about? I’m not saying he is the most talented swimmer of all time, I’m just saying he is the fastest 16yo on queen’s 100 m freestyle EVER, being one second faster than the best sprinters in the world were in his age, and I’m not sure you’re able to say the same about Pakhomov or Hintze oj their distances. Swimming is faster and faster, and we will see more this kind of performances by kids, but still this is a fact. I don’t see many other kids about whom you can say that he’s the fastest EVER in his age group, specially on that deep in terms of talent distance like 100 m freestyle.

IAN
8 years ago

Andrew’s versatility is great and he is fantastic in general way, but 48.6 by 16 yo is the most impressive single swim I’ve ever seen by a swimmer in Chalmers’ age. He beat American 17-18 Age Group Record…

Not So Fast...
Reply to  IAN
8 years ago

Let’s just see what Dressel has to say this evening about that.

bobo gigi
Reply to  IAN
8 years ago

Chalmers will swim 47 high next year.

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  IAN
8 years ago

Are you kidding? Li Zhuahao (born in 1999) is 8th in 100 fly world ranking and made the final of the world championships. Kalontarov (born in 1998) is 27th in 50 free world ranking. Chalmers is 26th in 100 free world ranking. Rooney (born in 1998) is 22nd in 200 free world ranking. Pakhomov (born in 1998) is 27th in 100 fly world ranking and 31st in 200 fly world ranking. Hintze (born in 1999) is 30th in 400 IM world ranking. There are a lot of guys who are as talented as Chalmers or even more talented and are at the same age or even younger. I dont even have to mention guys like Gyurta or Phelps who were… Read more »

bobo gigi
Reply to  thomaslurzfan
8 years ago

MP was world record holder at 15 and world champion at 16.
Thorpe was world champion at 15.

bobo gigi
8 years ago

Lacourt 52.70 in the 100 back final
GPD 59.55 relay split in the mixed relay prelims
Metella 51.24 in the 100 fly final
Gilot 47.08 relay split in the 4X100 free relay final
Relay entirely made in Marseille.
We can medal if every swimmer swims at his best.

commonwombat
Reply to  bobo gigi
8 years ago

Very much in it, its a rugby scrum for the minor coin. Damned if I can pick them.

bobo gigi
8 years ago

Finally we have the first French girl qualified for a final:
Great job Lara and good luck in the 400 IM final.

IAN
8 years ago

And you’re right, that we shouldn’t bee that much enthusiastic about Australian male relay, but it was more enthusiastic about Chalmers than themselves.

As 14 yo: 50.89
As 15 yo: 49.68
As 16 yo: 48.69

Right now, one month over his 17th birthday, he’s swimming 47.8 relay. He’s the biggest natural talent in sprint since … I don’t know who. His natural quickness and physicall tools reminds Agnel a little bit and him being able to swim sub25 second leg like here is just amazing.

And yes, he may stop in growth like Santana, he may injured himself in this Australian Football – but he may also make this progress year by year and then it’d be… Read more »

LochtesFan
Reply to  IAN
8 years ago

Greatest sprint talent since Michael Andrew..

About Varun Shivakumar

Varun Shivakumar hails from Hoffman Estates, IL and swam competitively for 16 years. He swam both backstroke events at Northwestern University, and ranks fifth in the school’s All-time performances list in the 200 yard backstroke. Representing NASA Wildcat Aquatics, he also competed in the 2012 Olympic Trials in Omaha, NE …

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