2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships: Day 5 Finals Preview

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
• Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
• The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
• Meet site
• Competition Schedule
• FinaTV Live Stream
• Entry Lists
• Results

This evening’s finals session will feature five more world champions to be crowned along with four seminfials to slim down to the top 8 qualifiers into the final.

Day 5 Finals Events:

• Women’s 200 Fly- Final
• Women’s 100 Free- Semifinals
• Men’s 100 Free- Final
• Women’s 50 Back- Final
• Men’s 200 Breast- Semifinals
• Men’s 200 IM- Final
• Women’s 200 Breast- Semifinals
• Men’s 200 Back- Semifinals
• Women’s 4×200 Free Relay- Final

One of the top storylines to watch out for are the developments with American Lilly King‘s disqualification during the prelims of the women’s 200 breast. According to the most recent update, the jury of appeal will have a hearing at 8 pm local time after USA Swimming’s protest was denied.

Heading into finals, the Americans all have an opportunity to create history in their respective events. Some may join an elite group of multi-champions while others could break medal-droughts. The semifinal events will also feature a preview into what the finals will look like into tomorrow evening.

Day 5 Finals Top Storylines to Watch:

• In the women’s 200 fly final, the Americans have a great opportunity to make history for the stars and stripes. Top seed Hali Flickinger could become the first American woman to win the event since 1991. The #2 seed into the final is fellow American Katie Drabot. If Drabot were to medal alongside Flickinger, this would be the first time an American duo medalled in the event since 1978.
• Another American, Caeleb Dressel, will have a chance at joining an elite group of swimmers to win back-to-back 100 free world titles. If Dressel can accomplish this and defend his 2017 title, he will join Matt Biondi, Alexander Popov, Filippo Magnini, and James Magnussen in this great feat. Not to mention, the 2009 supersuit world record of 46.91 will be in grave danger as Dressel won in 2017 with a 47.17.
• USA’s Chase Kalisz will aim to continue the American dominance in the men’s 200 IM as he not only will fend to defend his 2017 title but shoot for the 9th-consecutive American world title in the event. Top seed into finals Swiss Jeremy Desplanches could potentially become the second-ever Swiss male medalist in a Worlds event since Dano Halsall‘s 1986 silver medal in the 50 free.
• Into the women’s 4×200 free relay, the Aussie women lead the prelims seeds into tonight’s final. For reference, Australia has never won a world title in this event at the World championships. Meanwhile, if the USA women win it will become their 5th-consecutive world title in the event.
• Brazilian Etiene Medeiros has a shot at becoming the first women to repeat world titles in the 50 back since its addition to the Worlds event line-up in 2001. However, top seed American Kathleen Baker could put a hold on Medeiros and become the first American champ in the event since 2007.
• The semifinals of the women’s 100 free features defending Olympic champion Simone Manuel just 0.01s ahead of Swede Sarah Sjostrom for the top seed. Sjostrom, ironically, has yet to claim a world title in any of her individuals thus far. Sjostrom was surprised with a silver medal in the 100 fly and put forth a valiant bronze medal effort in the 200 free. Looming in the background is Aussie sprint stud Cate Campbell, who won the event in 2013.
• Two-time defending backstroke Olympic champion Ryan Murphy leads the men’s 200 back into the semifinals. Right on his tail, however, is Russian Evgeny Rylov, who is the 2017 defending world champion.
• Sydney Pickrem of Canada leads the women’s 200 breast semifinals with a 2:24.53, just a tenth ahead of South African Tatjana Schoenmaker (2:24.66). If one swimmer from the duo wins the final tomorrow night, they will become their country’s first-ever event World champion.
• Aussie Matthew Wilson impressed the men’s 200 breast field with a top prelims time of 2:07.29, leading by over second ahead of defending world champion Russian Anton Chupkov (2:08.22). Sitting in third place heading into semifinals is 2015 champion German Marco Koch (2:08.70).