2016 SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 6th – December 11th, 2016
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- WFCU Centre
- SCM (25m)
- Prelims: 9:30 AM EST/Finals: 6:30 PM EST
- Start Lists/Results
- Live Stream ($)
After just missing it this morning in the prelims, Japan’s Junya Koga broke his own Asian Record twice tonight, first in the 50 back semi-finals and then just over half an hour later leading off the mixed 4×50 medley relay. Koga put up a time of 22.81 in the 50 back, and then clocked 22.74 leading off Japan’s relay. That removes his 22.88 from the books, done back in 2009 at the Berlin stop of the World Cup circuit. This morning he went 22.93, just missing the record.
Koga also became the 4th fastest performer in history after his first swim, and then tied for 3rd on the list after his second swim. He passed Thomas Rupprath (GER), Gerhard Zandberg (RSA), Jeremy Stravius (FRA), and Randall Bal (USA) to move from 8th to 4th all-time after the 50 back, and then tied Russia’s Stanislav Donets for 3rd all-time with his 22.74 lead-off. The World Record stands at 22.22 set by France’s Florent Manaudou in 2014.
The performance in the 50 back tonight sets Koga up well for the final, leading the field by over two tenths of a second. Seeded second is Pavel Sankovich of Belarus at 23.07, and Stravius is 3rd at 23.16. He’ll look to win his first individual SC World Championship medal tomorrow. He just missed last night, finishing 4th in the 100 back. Team Japan won bronze in the mixed relay in 1:38.45.
