2024 World Championships: Day 6 Finals Live Recap

2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 11th – February 18th, 2024
• Doha, Qatar
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Official Entries
• Live Results
• How To Watch
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Recap | Day 4 Finals Recap
• Day 5 Prelims Recap | Day 5 Finals Recap
• Day 6 Prelims Recap
• Day 6 Finals Heat Sheet
• Day 6 Finals Relay Lineups

The sixth night of finals from Doha will be another busy one with five medal events and four sets of semi-finals, led off by the women’s 100 freestyle and closing with the men’s 4×200 free relay. In between, those two races will be sandwiched by a trio of 200-meter finals.

DAY 6 FINALS SCHEDULE

• Women’s 100 free final
• Men’s 100 fly semi-finals
• Women’s 200 back semi-finals
• Men’s 50 free semi-finals
• Women’s 200 breast final
• Men’s 200 back final
• Men’s 200 breast final
• Women’s 50 fly semi-finals
• Men’s 4×200 free relay final

It will be a busy night for American Kate Douglass, who will race the women’s 100 free final at the beginning of the session and then will be back in the water less than 50 minutes later in the final of the 200 breast.

The Dutch women staked their claim as the ones to beat in both of those events in the semis, with Marrit Steenbergen and Tes Schouten both setting new National Records en route to the top seed. Steenbergen clocked 52.53 in the 100 free to rank #10 all-time, while Schouten went 2:21.50 to slice .02 off her Dutch Record in the 200 breast.

The third final of the night will be the men’s 200 back, which is anyone’s race at this point after all eight semi-finalists were within three-quarters of a second of one another, led by American Jack Aikins (1:56.32). Roman Mityukov, the 2023 World Championship bronze medalist, will swim in Lane 2, while 2022 World Junior champion Pieter Coetze is out in Lane 8.

In the men’s 200 breast, another American holds the top seed in Jake Foster, who clocked 2:08.78 for the second-fastest swim of his career in the semis. China’s Dong Zhihao, the World Junior Record holder, will be one to watch after he closed in a blistering 32.00 in the semis. Third seed Caspar Corbeau is the only swimmer in the field who broke 2:08 last year (2:07.99).

The night will wrap with the men’s 4×200 free relay, where the United States finds itself out in Lane 8 after sneaking into the final in 7:10.70 this morning. They’ll reload for the final as Carson Foster joins Luke Hobson, Hunter Armstrong and David Johnston.

In Lane 7, Great Britain brings on Duncan Scott for some extra speed, as the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist in the 200 free aligns with the 2023 world champion in the event, Matt Richards.

China holds the top seed, with 100 free champion Pan Zhanle moving from the anchor leg to the third spot, while South Korea was 2nd this morning and has the 200 and 400 free champions, Hwang Sunwoo and Kim Woomin, in their lineup.

• Read more on the relay lineups here.

Among the semi-final events, reigning world champions Cameron McEvoy and Sarah Sjostrom are the marquee names to watch.

McEvoy blasted his way to a time of 21.13 in the prelims of the men’s 50 free, the sixth-fastest swim of all-time, while Sjostrom fired off a time of 24.88 for the ninth-fastest performance ever in the women’s 50 fly. Sjostrom remains the only swimmer in history to have broken 25 seconds, something she’s done 19 times.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden – 51.71 (2017)
• World Junior Record: Penny Oleksiak, Canada – 52.70 (2016)
• Championship Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden – 51.71 (2017)
• 2023 World Champion: Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia – 52.16
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 53.61, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 53.88

1. Marrit Steenbergen (NED), 52.26
2. Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 52.56
3. Shayna Jack (AUS), 52.83
4. Kate Douglass (USA), 53.02
5. Anna Hopkin (GBR), 53.09
6. Stephanie Balduccini (BRA), 54.05
7. Kornelia Fiedkiewicz (POL), 54.06
8. Barbora Seemanova (CZE), 54.64

Marrit Steenbergen leaned on her incredible back-half speed to close like an absolute rocket in the final of the women’s 100 freestyle, running down Siobhan Haughey to claim gold and reset her newly minted Dutch Record.

Steenbergen split 25.30/26.96 en route to a time of 52.26, breaking the National Record of 52.53 she set in the semis while moving up two spots into #8 all-time in the event.

Coming into the meet, Steenbergen’s best time stood at 52.71.

Haughey, who won the 200 free title a few nights ago, was the early leader, turning in 24.87 to lead the field at the 50 but was out-split by Steenbergen by more than seven-tenths coming home, settling for silver in 52.56. Haughey admitted post-race she “died a little bit” in the closing meters.

Aussie Shayna Jack was solid for the bronze in 52.83, while American Kate Douglass snared 4th in 53.02 in her first of two finals on the night.

Great Britain’s Anna Hopkin was in 2nd at the 50 (25.22) but fell to 5th in 53.09.

Haughey still maintains the top spot in the 2023-24 world rankings over Steenbergen thanks to the 52.02 she produced in October at the Berlin World Cup.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY — SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 49.45 — Caeleb Dressel, United States (2021)
• Championship Record: 49.50 — Caeleb Dressel, United States (2019)
• World Junior Record: 50.62 — Kristof Milak, Hungary (2017)
• 2023 World Champion: 50.14 – Maxime Grousset, France
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 51.67, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 51.93

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Diogo Ribeiro (POR), 51.30
2. Jakub Majerski (POL), 51.33
3. Simon Bucher (AUT), 51.39
4. Mario Molla Yanes (ESP), 51.48
5. Chad Le Clos (RSA), 51.70
6. Josif Miladinov (BUL), 51.72
7. Nyls Korstanje (NED), 51.75
8. Zach Harting (USA), 51.78

Up-and-coming phenom Diogo Ribeiro grabbed the top seed for tomorrow’s final in the men’s 100 fly with a very impressive swim in the semis, getting his hands on the wall first in a tightly-contested heat while breaking his own National Record in the process.

The 19-year-old came home in 27.35, the second-fastest back half in the field, to touch in 51.30, ousting his previous Portuguese mark of 51.45 set in March 2023.

Although Ribeiro, who won the 50 fly earlier in the meet, first burst onto the scene with his standout swims in the 50 free and 50 fly, his performance here in the 100 indicates he’s given it increased focus in the Olympic year.

Poland’s Jakub Majerski was the quickest closer in the field (27.30) to touch 2nd in the second semi in 51.33, just ahead of Austrian Simon Bucher (51.39) and Spaniard Mario Molla Yanes (51.48) as the top four times all came out of the second heat.

After he was only 52.04 in the heats, South African Chad Le Clos came through to win the first semi in a time of 51.70, out-touching Bulgarian Josif Miladinov (51.72) to qualify 5th overall into the final.

Dutchman Nyls Korstanje had the most speed of anyone, opening in 23.58 before fading home (28.17) but still managing to advance to the final in 7th in 51.75.

The swimmer in the field with the fastest best time, American Shaine Casas, was a distant 16th in 52.75.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE — SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 2:03.14 — Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2023)
• Championship Record: 2:03.35 — Regan Smith, United States (2019)
• World Junior Record: 2:03.35 — Regan Smith, United States (2019)
• 2023 World Champion: 2:03.85 – Kaylee McKeown, Australia
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 2:10.39, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 2:11.04

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Claire Curzan (USA), 2:07.01
2. Jaclyn Barclay (AUS), 2:08.85
3. Eszter Szabo-Feltothy (HUN), 2:09.42
4. Anastasiya Shkurdai (NIA), 2:09.76
5. Gabriela Georgieva (BUL), 2:09.95
6. Laura Bernat (POL), 2:10.00
7. Dora Molnar (HUN), 2:10.31
8. Freya Colbert (GBR), 2:10.67

Claire Curzan made it look easy in the semi-finals of the women’s 200 back, cruising to the top seed by a wide margin in a time of 2:07.01, the third-fastest swim of her career.

Curzan set a PB of 2:06.35 last June at U.S. Nationals, and narrowly missed it in December at the 2023 U.S. Open (2:06.39).

In the final, the 19-year-old has the chance to become the third swimmer to sweep the 50, 100 and 200 of any stroke at a single World Championships after claiming the 50 and 100 back earlier in Doha.

Australian Jaclyn Barclay, who only turned 17 less than two months ago, easily won the first semi in a time of 2:08.85, narrowly missing her lifetime best of 2:08.76 set in December.

Barclay advanced 2nd into the final, while Hungarian Eszter Szabo-Feltothy had an impressive last 50 (32.41) to qualify 3rd overall in 2:09.42. Szabo-Feltothy owns a best of 2:08.85 from the 2023 Hungarian Nationals.

Anastasiya Shkurdai and Gabriela Georgieva were the two others cracking 2:10 in the semis, with Georgieva doing so for the first time, touching in 2:09.95 to knock off a 12-year-old Bulgarian Record previously held by Ekaterina Avramova (2:10.43).

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE — SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 20.91 — Cesar Cielo, Brazil (2009)
• Championship Record: 21.04 — Caeleb Dressel, United States (2019)
• World Junior Record: 21.75 — Michael Andrew, United States (2017)
• 2023 World Champion: 21.06 — Cameron McEvoy, Australia
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 21.96, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 22.07

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Cameron McEvoy (AUS), 21.23
2. Vladyslav Bukhov (UKR), 21.38
3. Ben Proud (GBR), 21.54
4. Bjorn Seeliger (SWE), 21.67
5. Kristian Gkolomeev (GRE), 21.72
6. Kenzo Simons (NED), 21.73
7. Isaac Cooper (AUS), 21.74
8. Michael Andrew (USA), 21.77

Cameron McEvoy continued to put his 50 freestyle excellence on display in the semi-finals, coming up after 15 meters well clear of the field in the second heat before roaring to the wall in a time of 21.23.

McEvoy comfortably secures the top seed for tomorrow’s final, coming a tenth shy of his scintillating 21.13 prelim swim. That time from the heats marked the sixth-fastest ever.

Vladyslav Bukhov motored past Ben Proud and Michael Andrew over the last 25 meters in the first semi, touching in 21.38 to lower his newly minted personal best from the prelims (21.56) while also lowering Andriy Govorov‘s Ukrainian Record of 21.46 from 2016.

Bukhov, 22, now ranks 17th all-time in the 50 free. His best time coming into the meet stood at 21.70 from the 2023 World Championships.

Proud had a phenomenal start as always and touched in 21.54 to advance in 3rd, while Sweden’s Bjorn Seeliger dropped a big best time of 21.67 to qualify in 4th.

The swimmers in 5th through 10th were separated by just nine one-hundredths, and it was Andrew squeaking into the final in 8th place, touching in 21.77.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: Evgeniia Chikunova, Russia – 2:17.55 (2023)
• World Junior Record: Viktoria Gunes, Turkey – 2:19.64 (2015)
• Championship Record: Rikke Pedersen, Denmark – 2:19.11 (2013)
• 2023 World Champion: Tatjana Schoenmaker, South Africa – 2:20.80
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 2:23.91, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 2:24.63

1. Tes Schouten (NED), 2:19.81
2. Kate Douglass (USA), 2:20.91
3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN), 2:22.94
4. Alina Zmushka (NIA), 2:24.44
5. Mona McSharry (IRL), 2:24.89
6. Kristyna Horska (CZE), 2:25.34
7. Gabrielle Silva (BRA), 2:25.66
8. Lisa Mamie (SUI), 2:26.23

Tes Schouten continued her constant rise up the ranks in the final of the women’s 200 breaststroke, dominating the field en route to the world title while joining the elite sub-2:20 club.

Schouten, who reset her Dutch Record by two one-hundredths in the semis in 2:21.50, obliterated that in the final, roaring to a time of 2:19.81 to become the ninth-fastest swimmer in history and the 10th under the 2:20 barrier.

The 23-year-old led from the get-go, out in a blistering 1:07.20 at the halfway mark before comfortably claiming gold by more than a second.

Kate Douglass, who joined the sub-2:20 club earlier this year with a 2:19.30 showing last month, picked up the silver medal just over 45 minutes after placing 4th in the 100 free, clocking 2:20.91 for the second-fastest swim of her career.

Douglass had steady split throughout the race, out in 1:08.08 and then producing the fastest closing 50 in the field at 36.70.

Canadian Sydney Pickrem, who mentioned post-race this was the first time she raced the 200 breast individually since the 2019 World Championships, matched her bronze medal performance from Gwangju in a time of 2:22.94, just shy of her lifetime best set five years ago (2:22.63).

Alina Zmushka, a Belarusian representing NIA (Neutral Independent Athletes) was 4th in 2:24.44, three-tenths shy of the National Record she set in the semis.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: Aaron Peirsol, United States – 1:51.92 (2009)
• World Junior Record: Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia – 1:55.14 (2017)
• Championship Record: Aaron Peirsol, United States – 1:51.92 (2009)
• 2023 World Champion: Hubert Kos, Hungary – 1:54.14
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 1:57.50, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 1:58.09

1. Hugo Gonzalez (ESP), 1:55.30
2. Roman Mityukov (SUI), 1:55.40
3. Pieter Coetze (RSA), 1:55.99
4. Jack Aikins (USA), 1:56.21
5. Lee Juho (KOR), 1:56.38
6. Apostolos Siskos (GRE), 1:56.64
7. Adam Telegdy (HUN), 1:56.66
8. Kai van Westering (NED), 1:57.19

In a razor-thin battle that came down to the touch, Hugo Gonzalez used a blistering closing split to claim his first world title in the men’s 200 back, running down Roman Mityukov and edging out the victory in a time of 1:55.30.

Gonzalez came back in 28.98 to erase a deficit of 65 one-hundredths to Mityukov at the last turn, with his swim marking a massive best time by more than a second, having come in with a best of 1:56.33. The Spanish Record sits at 1:54.92 from Aschwin Wildeboer in 2009.

Mityukov was essentially right on his lifetime best and Swiss Record (1:55.34) in 1:55.40, having held the lead throughout the entire race before getting edged out at the end. He returns to the podium after winning bronze in Fukuoka.

Closing even faster than Gonzalez was Pieter Coetze, as the South African, sitting out in Lane 8, was back in 8th place at the final turn before rocketing home in 28.67, climbing all the way up to the bronze medal position in 1:55.99. The time marks a new PB, lowering his 1:56.05 from the 2022 World Juniors, and also nears the super-suited South African Record of 1:55.75 held by George du Rand.

American Jack Aikins was in 2nd at the 150 but fell just shy of the podium in 4th, clocking 1:56.21 to come within two-tenths of his PB.

In 6th, Apostolos Siskos matched his Greek Record from the heats in 1:56.64.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48 (2023)
• World Junior Record: Dong Zhihao, China – 2:08.83 (2023)
• Championship Record: Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48 (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48
• Olympic ‘A’ Qualifying Time: 2:09.68, Olympic ‘B’ Qualifying Time: 2:10.33

1. Dong Zhihao (CHN), 2:07.94
2. Caspar Corbeau (NED), 2:08.24
3. Nic Fink (USA), 2:08.85
4. Jake Foster (USA), 2:09.31
5. Ikuru Hiroshima (JPN), 2:09.37
6. Matti Mattsson (FIN), 2:09.80
7. Arno Kamminga (NED), 2:10.06
8. Erik Persson (SWE), 2:10.21

Dong Zhihao might be overtaking Zac Stubblety-Cook as the best closer in the men’s 200 breaststroke.

Dong roared home with a 32.18 split to move up from 6th at the 150 into the gold medal position at the wall in the 200 breast, clocking 2:07.94 for a new lifetime best and his first world title.

The 18-year-old won the World Junior title last year and owns the WJR at 2:08.04, which he is no longer eligible for since he turns 19 next month.

Dong came home in 32.00 in the semis, and was 31.37 late last year on the World Cup circuit.

The Dutch duo of Caspar Corbeau and Arno Kamminga were in control of the race early, but it was only Corbeau who managed to stay near the front of the race down the stretch, holding the lead late before Dong’s up-tempo last 15 meters did him in. Corbeau won silver in 2:08.24, a quarter of a second shy of his best time.

American Nic Fink did the job with a very consistent swim to win bronze, splitting 32.94 on the third 50 to move into a top-three spot before closing strong for bronze in 2:08.85, giving him medals in all three breaststroke distances.

Fink’s teammate Jake Foster led at the 50 but ultimately settled for 4th in 2:09.31, while Kamminga ended up fading down to 7th in 2:10.06.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY — SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: 24.43 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2014)
• Championship Record: 24.60 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2017)
• World Junior Record: 25.46 — Rikako Ikee, Japan (2017)
• 2023 World Champion: 24.77 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden

Finals Qualifiers:

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 25.08
2. Melanie Henique (FRA), 25.27
3. Farida Osman (EGY), 25.80
4. Yu Yiting (CHN) / Alexandria Perkins (AUS), 25.81
5. –
6. Erin Gallagher (RSA), 25.86
7. Brianna Throssell (AUS), 25.98
8. Angelina Köhler (GER) / Anna Ntountounaki (GRE), 25.98*

*swim-off required

Sarah Sjostrom rolled to the top seed in tomorrow’s final of the women’s 50 fly as expected, clocking 25.08 after producing a blistering 24.88 in the prelims.

The only swimmer in history to break 25 seconds, Sjostrom will need to be on her game in the final, however, as Melanie Henique came within a tenth of her French Record to qualify 2nd overall in 25.27.

Egypt’s Farida Osman, who won bronze in this event in both 2017 and 2019, advanced 3rd in 25.80, while Yu Yiting and Alexandria Perkins tied for 4th in 25.81. The swim marks a new best time for Perkins, having also gone a PB in the prelims (25.89).

Breaking 26 seconds wasn’t quite enough to solidify a spot in the final, as 100 fly winner Angelina Köhler and Greece’s Anna Ntountounaki produced matching 25.98s to tie for 8th, forcing a swim-off at the end of the session.

Ntountounaki owns a best of 25.65, and Köhler has been as fast as 25.75.

MEN’S 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY — FINAL

• World Record: 6:58.55 — United States (2009)
• Championship Record: 6:58.55 — United States (2009)
• World Junior Record: 7:08.37 — United States (2019)
• 2023 World Champion: 6:59.08 — Great Britain

1. China (Ji, Wang, Pan, Zhang), 7:01.84
2. South Korea (Yang, Kim, Lee, Hwang), 7:01.94
3. United States (Hobson, Foster, Armstrong, Johnston), 7:02.08
4. Great Britain (Richards, M. Litchfield, McMillan, Scott), 7:05.09
5. Italy (Megli, Ragaini, Ciampi, di Cola), 7:07.00
6. Greece (Markos, Englezakis, Stamou, Vazaios), 7:09.10
7. Lithuania (Rapsys, Navikonis, Lukminas, Jazdauskas), 7:11.57
8. Spain (Castro, Dominguez, de Celis Montalban, Molla Yanes), 7:11.65

In what quickly turned into maybe the best of the race of the entire meet, China, South Korea and the United States went to battle in the men’s 800 free relay and it came all the way down to the wire.

After the United States held a massive lead early, and China began to close in, Hwang Sunwoo charged back on the anchor leg to make it a three-horse race coming down the stretch, with Zhang Zhanshuo getting his hand on the wall first to give China the gold medal in 7:01.84.

Luke Hobson led the U.S. off in 1:45.26, matching his swim from the individual final on the nose to hand off the lead to Carson Foster, who bulldozed the field with a monstrous 1:43.94 split, the fastest of his career to put the Americans up by nearly three seconds at the halfway mark.

Sitting in second after opening legs from Ji Xinjie (1:46.45) and Wang Haoyu (1:45.69), China quickly started making up ground on the U.S. thanks to Pan Zhanle, who unloaded a 1:43.90 split on the third leg to pull them within 1.11 seconds of the lead at the final exchange.

Hunter Armstrong had a very impressive split of his own in 1:45.73, and it looked like it was going to be China’s Zhang versus the U.S.’ David Johnston coming home.

But then, down by more than two seconds when he dove in, Hwang stormed the Koreans into contention, unleashing the fastest split of the field, 1:43.76, to ultimately fall just short of the Chinese team, which had Zhang split 1:45.80 on the end.

Sub-1:44 Splits:

• Hwang Sunwoo – 23.94/26.49/26.89/26.44 = 1:43.76
• Pan Zhanle – 23.67/26.49/27.44/26.30 = 1:43.90
• Carson Foster – 23.67/26.41/26.88/26.98 = 1:43.94

Joining Hwang for Korea were Yang Jaehoon (1:47.78), Kim Woomin (1:44.93) and Lee Hojoon (1:45.47), as they combined for a time of 7:01.94 to finish a tenth back of China.

Both China and Korea fell just short of the 7:01.73 Asian Record set by the Korean team at the Asian Games in September.

Johnston split 1:47.15 on the end for the Americans, well under his personal best time to solidify the bronze medal in 7:02.08.

Great Britain was steady throughout, with Matt Richards leading off in 1:46.22 and Duncan Scott anchoring in 1:45.59 as they placed 4th in 7:05.09.

WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY — SWIM-OFF

• World Record: 24.43 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2014)
• Championship Record: 24.60 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden (2017)
• World Junior Record: 25.46 — Rikako Ikee, Japan (2017)
• 2023 World Champion: 24.77 — Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden

1. Angelina Köhler (GER), 25.79
2. Anna Ntountounaki (GRE), 25.97

Angelina Köhler closed strong to take out Anna Ntountounaki in the swim-off for the last spot in the final of the women’s 50 fly, as Köhler came within four one-hundredths of her lifetime best to advance in 25.79.

Both swimmers were quicker than they were in the semis, 25.98, with Ntountounaki a tick faster at 25.97.