2019 World University Games: GBR’s Abbie Wood Has Second Shot in 200 IM Semis

2019 WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES/SUMMER UNIVERSIADE – SWIMMING

• July 4th-9th, 2019
• Napoli, Italy
• LCM (50m)
• Live Stream: Olympic Channel (in US), Rai Sport (in Italy)
• Entry Lists & Live Results
• Day 3 Finals Heat Sheet

The action continues in Naples with 5 semi-finals and 5 finals to be contested. Russia holds 3 top seeds this evening while the USA, Great Britain, and South Africa hold 2 top seeds apiece.

After missing the start of the 400 IM final, Great Britain’s Abbie Wood will have another redemption opportunity in the semi-finals of the 200 IM. Wood is seeded 3rd with a 2:13.59 and will swim next to teammate and top seed Alicia Wilson (2:12.69). In the first semi-final heat, Americans Ella Eastin (2:12.85) and Evie Pfeifer (2:13.89) will also contend for spots in tomorrow’s final.

Recent high school-graduate and future NC State swimmer Katharine Berkoff leads the women’s 100 back semi-finals as one of two American high schoolers. Berkoff swam the only sub-minute time in prelims with a new WUGs record of 59.57. Right behind Berkoff is teammate Elise Haan (1:00.51) and Canadians Kennedy Goss (1:00.96) and Ingrid Wilm (1:00.96).

The other American high school-grad is Emily Weiss, who is the 4th seed (1:07.78) in the women’s 100 breast final. Headlining the final is South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker, whose leading time of 1:06.32 set a new national record. Behind Schoenmaker are Japan’s Kanako Watanabe (1:07.15) and Brazil’s Jhennifer Alves (1:07.68).

Representing Team Sweden in the men’s 1500 free is Victor Johansson, who leads the final by 7 seconds with his top time of 15:07.76. After American Robert Finke‘s sudden withdrawal from the meet, Nick Norman will represent the USA with his #3 qualifying time of 15:14.81, just tenths off #2 seed Italian Alessio Occhipinti (15:14.15).

More Day 3 Semifinals/Finals Top Seeds:

• Men’s 200 Breast: Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 2:09.99
• Men’s 200 Free Final: Nikolay Snegirev (RUS), 1:47.42
• Men’s 200 Fly: Aleksandr Kudashev (RUS), 1:57.30
• Women’s 100 Free Final: Gabby DeLoof (USA), 54.41
• Men’s 200 IM Final: Joe Litchfield (GBR), 1:59.85
• Men’s 50 Back: Zane Waddell (RSA), 24.54 *UR