2018 SC Worlds: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2018 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, December 11th- Sunday, December 16th
• Hangzhou, China
• Tennis Centre, Hangzhou Olympic & International Expo Center
• SCM (25m)
• Prelims: 9:30 am local, 8:30 pm ET / Finals: 7:00 pm* local, 6:00* am ET
• *The final night of finals will be one hour earlier, starting at 6:00 pm local and 5:00 am ET
• Live Results (Omega)

The fourth night of racing at the 2018 FINA Short Course World Championships will feature three semifnals and eight finals.

The first semifinal will be the 50 fly, where world record holder Nicholas Santos holds the top seed from prelims. We’ll also see semis in the women’s 50 back and women’s 100 breast.

The session will be bookended by men’s free relays. Italy had the fastest time in the 4×50 prelims, but the US is bringing in almost a whole new lineup, going with Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Held, Jack Conger (who had the fastest split in prelims), and Michael Chadwick. It should be another great race in the 4×200, where Russia looks very strong, and where we’ll get to see see Sun Yang swim again for China.

Other finals will include the women’s 50 fly, men’s 100 IM, women’s 100 IM, women’s 400 free, men’s 50 free, and men’s 50 back.

MEN’S 4X50 FREE RELAY – Final

• WR – Russia – 1:22.60 – 2014
• CR – Russia – 1:22.60 –  2014
• WJ – 1:27.46 – BEST TIME

1.   USA – 1:21.80
2.   Russia – 1:22:.22
3.   Italy – 1:22.90

Team USA got things started in exciting fashion, demolishing the world record by 8/10ths of a second.

Russia’s Vladimir Morozov just out-swam American Caeleb Dressel on the opening leg, 20.39 to 20.43, but Ryan Held put USA into the lead with a 20.25 split, and Jack Conger and Michael Chadwick preserved that lead with a pair of 20.5s to give the USA the win and the new world record.

Russia finished 2nd in 1:22.22, also under the previous world record time, as Evgeny Rylov anchored in 20.37, the fastest relay split in the field.

Italy was 6th after the first leg, but moved up to 4th after a 20.44 split by Andrea Vergani, and a pair of 20-mid legs earned them bronze by over as second, with a time of 1:22.90.

Women’s 50 Fly – Final

• WR – 24.38 – Therese Alshammar –  2009
• CR –  24.58, – Sarah Sjostrom – 2014
• WJR – 25.14 – Rikako Ikee – 2017

1. Ranomi Kromowidjojo – NED – 24.47
2. Holly Barratt – AUS – 24.80
3. Kelsi Dahlia – USA – 24.97

Dutch sprint star Ranomi Kromowidjojo finished just shy of the world record, blasting a 24.47 that set a new meet record, but was about a tenth of a second off of the nine year-old world record of 24.38.

Australia’s Holly Barratt and the USA’s Kelsi Dahlia were the only other two other women under 25, taking silver and bronze with times of 24.80 and 24.97.

Men’s 100 IM – Final

• WR – 50.26 – Vladimir Morozov – RUS – 2018
• CR – 50.66 – Markus Deibler – GER – 2014
• WJR – 50.90 – Kliment Kolesnikov – RUS – 2018

1. Kliment Kolesnikov – RUS -50.63
2. Marco Orsi – ITA – 51.03
3. Hiromasa Fujimori – JPN – 51.53

Kliment Kolesnikov lowered his own world junior record and set a new meet record as well, leading from start to finish and taking the win with a time of 50.63. Marco Orsi took 2nd in 51.03, while  Hiromasa Fujimori moved from 6th to 3rd on the back half of the race to take bronze with a time of 51.53.

Defending champion Michael Andrew finished 4th in 51.58, over two-tenths faster than his winning time from 2016.

Women’s 100 IM – Final

• WR – Katinka Hosszu – 56.67 – 2015
• CR – Katinka Hosszu – 56.70 – 2014
• WJR – Rikako Ikee – 57.75 – 2017

1. Katinka Hosszu – HUN – 57.26
2. Runa Imai – JPN – 57.85
3. Alia Atkinson – JAM – 58.11

Katinka Hosszu won her 4th-straight title in this event, finishing about a half second off her own world and championship records with a time of 57.26. Runa Imai picked up a silver medal with her time of 57.95, followed by Alia Atkinson in 58.11

Americans Melanie Margalis and Kathleen Baker finished just outside the podium, taking 4th and 5th with times of 58.32 and 58.47.

MEN’S 50 FLY – Semifinals

• WR – Nicholas Santos – 21.75 – 2018
• CR – Chad le Clos – 21.95 – 2014
• WJ – 22.43 – BEST TIME

1. Nicholas Santos – BRA – 21.96
2. Chad le Clos – RSA – 22.34
3. Marius Kusch – GER – 22.44
4. Takaya Yasue – JPN – 22.52
5. Mikhail Vekovishchev – RUS – 22.56
6. Dylan Carter – TTO – 22.62
7. Takeshi Kwamoto – JPN – 22.74
8. Ryan Coetzee – RSA – 22.75

We may not get to see Ben Proud or Caeleb Dressel in this event, but that doesn’t mean this race will lack excitement. Brazil’s Nicholas Santos came within .21s of the world record and was only 0.01s off the meet record, blasting a 21.96 to take the top seed him. Chad le Clos, who holds the meet record, was the 2nd-fastest qualifier with a time of 22.34, followed by Marius Kusch in 22.44.

South Africa got two men into the final, as Ryan Coetzee snuck in with the 8th-fastest time. Japan, known for its IM strength but not normally its sprint speed, will also have two men in tomorrow’s final, Takaya Yasue and Takeshi Kwamoto.

The USA’s Michael Andrew, swimming shortly after the 100 IM final, finished 11th.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE – PRELIMS

• WR – Wang Jianjiahe – 3:53.97 – 4 OCT 2018
• CR – Mireia Belmonte Garcia – 3:55.76 – 2014
• WJ – Wang Jianjiahe – 3:53.97 –  2018

1. Ariarne Titmus – AUS – 3:53.92
2. Wang Jianjiahe – CHN – 3:54.56
3. Li Bingjie – CHN – 3:57.99

We got an epic battle between teenage distance stars.

Australia’s Ariarne Titmus went out under world record pace and held a solid lead throughout the race. The only other woman close to her to was Wang Jianjiahe, who pushed Titmus over the final laps as Titmus downed Wang’s world record by a .05s to set a new mark in 3:53.92. Wang finished just over half a second back, earning silver in 3:54.56.

Li Bingjie and Leah Smith waged their own battle for 3rd place, with Li getting the touch about six-tenths of a second ahead of Smith, 3:57.99 to 3:58.58.

Men’s 50 Free – Final

• WR – 20.26 – Florent Manaudou – 2014
• CR – 20.26 – Florent Manaudou – 2014
• WJR – 21.24 – Kliment Kolesnikov –  2017

1. Vladimir Morozov – RUS – 20.33
2. Caeleb Dressel – USA – 20.54
3. Brad Tandy – RSA – 20.94

Russia’s Vladimir Morozov reclaimed his title in this event, earning his first win since 2012 after finishing 4th in 2014 and 2nd in 2016 with a time of 20.33.

Caeleb Dressel took silver in 20.54, about a tenth slower than his time leading off the USA’s 4×50 free relay earlier this evening.

Ben Proud touched 3rd, but was disqualified, presumably for a false start, as it looked like he might have left early. With Proud’s DQ, the bronze medal went to South Africa’s Brad Tandy, who touched in 20.94.

Brazil’s Cesar Cielo, still the long course record holder in the 50m and 100m freestyles as he approaches retirement, finished 7th in 21.20. This was Cielo’s last individual event, but he could possibly still swim on either of Brazil’s medley relays over the next two days.

WOMEN’S 50 BACK – Seminals

• WR – Etiene Medeiros – 25.67 –  2014
• CR- Etiene Medeiros – 25.67 – 2014
• WJ – 26.13 – BEST TIME

1. Olivia Smoliga – USA – 26.06
2. Caroline Pilhatsch – AUT – 26.21
3. Georgia Davies – GBR – 26.28
4. Miyuki Takemura – JPN – 26.31
5. Fu Yuanhui – CHN – 26.33
6. Alicja Tchorz – POL – 26.36
7. Holly Barratt – AUS – 26.38
8. Ranomi Kromowidjojo – NED / Mathilde Cini – FRA – 26.54

Olivia Smoliga will head into the final as the top seed, as she took the 2nd heat with a time of 26.06.

We’ll have a swim-off for 8th place between Mathilde Cini and Ranomi Kromowidjojo, who won the 50 fly earlier this evening. Both touched in 26.54.

World record holder Etiene Medeiros appeared to slip on the start, and was a body length behind  the rest of the field early in the race. She looked strong once she got going, but ended up 15th in 26.91, sandwiched between Kathleen Baker and Emily Seebohm in the standings, and she’ll be unable to go for her 3rd-straight title in this event.

Men’s 50 Back – Final

• WR – Florent Manaudou – 22.22 – 2014
• CR – Florent Manaudou – 22.22 – 2014
• WJR – Kliment Kolesnikov – 22.82 – 2018

1. Evgeny Rylov – RUS – 22.58
2. Ryan Murphy – USA – 22.63
3. Shane Ryan – IRL – 22.76

Russia’s Evengy Rylov won a very tight race over American Ryan Murphy, getting the edge, 22.58 to 22.63. That moves Rylov to #2 all-time, ahead of Peter Marshall’s time of 22.61. As we’ve been discussing all week, Marshall’s time falls into the “supersuit gap,” meaning that Murphy’s time gives him sole possession of the official American Record.

Shane Ryan of Ireland looked to be right there with Rylov and Murphy at the touch, and he grabbed 3rd in 22.76. That put Kliment Kolesnikov in 4th by just 0.01s, but as a consolation prize, he picked up his 2nd world junior record of the session, lowering his own mark by 0.05s.

China’s Xu Jiayu scratched this final, presumably to focus on the 4×200 relay later this session.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – Semifinals

• =WR – Alia Atkinson – 1:02.36 – 2016/ 2014
• =WR – Ruta Meilutyte – 1:02.36 – 2013
• CR – Alia Atkinson – 1:02.36 – 2014
• WJ – 1:02.36 – BEST TIME

1. Alia Atkinson – JAM – 1:04.07
2. Jessica Hansen – AUS – 1:04.11
3. Katie Meili – USA – 1:04.54
4. Shi Jinglin – CHN – 1:04.73
5. Fanny Lecluyse – BEL – 1:04.82
6. Martina Carraro – ITA – 1:04.87
7. Jenna Laukkanen – FIN – 1:05.01
8. Kanako Watanbe – JPN – 1:05.09

One world record holder will be in the final; the other will not. Alia Atkinson will advance through to the final with a time of 1:04.07. Atkinson will be swimming for her 3rd-straight title in this event, after winning the 50 breast earlier this week. Ruta Meilutyte, who had sole possession of the world record before Atkinson tied it twice, finished 14th with a time of 1:06.16.

Australia’s Jessica Hansen won the 2nd heat in 1:04.11, just shy of Atkinson’s winning time in heat one, and the USA’s Katie Meili was the 3rd-fastest qualifier with a time of 1:04.54.

Finland’s Jenna Laukkanen will be the only woman besides Atkinson swimming tomorrow night who also was in the final in 2016, where she finished 4th.

MEN’S 4×200 FREE RELAY – Final

• WR – Russia – 6:49.04 – 2010
• CR – Russia – 6:49.04 –  2010
• WJ – 6:59.66 – BEST TIME

1. Brazil – 6:46.81
2. Russia – 6:46.84
3. China – 6:47.53

In what might have been the most exciting race of the week, Brazil put together some monster splits to demolish the world record and just touch out Russia for the win with a time of 6:46.81.

Luiz Melo rocketed out to the lead on the first leg, but the USA’s Blake Pieroni reeled him to give the US the lead after 200m, 1:41.85 to 1:42.03.

However, Fernando Scheffer threw down a 1:40.99 split on the 2nd leg, followed by Leonarddo Coehlo (1:42.81) and Breno Correia (1:40.98).

Russia was in 4th after a 1:42.34 lead off by Martin Malyutin, but 1:41 splits by Mikhail Vekovishchev, Ivan Girev, and Aleksandr Krashykh gave them a secure hold on 2nd for the entire rest of the race. Krashykh came within a whisker of running down Correia, splitting 1:41.08 to put Russia only 0.03s behind at the touch, also under the previous world record.

A 1:42.67 opening split by Ji Xinjie put China in 6th, but Xu Jianyu‘s 50 back scratch paid off with a 1:41.68 split that moved China into 3rd. Sun Yang then scorched a 1:41.25 to temporarily give China the lead, but Wang Shun‘s 1:41.93, while excellent, wasn’t enough to hold off Correia or Krashnykh. China ended 3rd in 6:47.53, making it three teams who finished under the previous world record.

The United States couldn’t hold Pieroni’s lead. Ryan Held went out strong but faded on his final 50, splitting 1:43.05, and Zach Harting (1:42.92) and Zane Grothe (1:42.02) couldn’t match the splits from the top three teams. Their 4th-place time of 6:49.84, however, was less than three-tenths of a second off the American Record.